Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 22:13:04 -0500
Reply-To: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Organization: not likely
Subject: Re: REQ: "Idiot's Guide to Changing Spark Plugs"
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> I'm a bumbling, certified NON-mechanic.
well .. that's better than being a bumbling, certified mechinic!! :)
> He doesn't have the time to change the plugs for me, and (don't
laugh) I've
> never done it. I can borrow a spark plug wrench from a friend; can
anyone
> with some spare time give me a walk-through of how exactly to change
the
> plugs, i.e., tools needed, "Whatever you do, DON'T disconnect the
Widget"
> etc.?
ok, what you'll need to have before you begin.
- 3/8-inch ratchet wrench. short one. about 6-8 inches long. don't get
one any longer, cause it'll allow you to put too much torque on the
plug and you can snap it in two.
- 3/8-inch extension (to fit between the wrench and the socket). get
at least a 6-inch one. 8-inch is better if you can find it. longer is
harder to work with and shorter sucks.
- 3/8-inch socket. it's for a 14mm spark plug, and i think it's
13/16ths in size. it's the larger of the various spark plug sockets.
you want the one that has the foam insert inside (this holds the plug
in place while you are contorting your body to get the plug going into
the holes). :)
- a tube or can of Never-Seize or Anti-Seize. this is a copper-based
goop that you sparingly spread (with can-top-provided brush or
fingers) onto the threads of the spark plug ... makes them easier to
get out next time.
- if you can find it, a wire-gauge type spark plug gapper. this is a
little tool that you use to check and make sure the spark plug
electrodes are PDC (pretty damned close) to the right spec distance
(printed somewhere on the spark plug box).
- a flat blade screwdriver. for removing the air flow meter rubber
boot clamp.
ok, status of bus ...
- engine OFF.
- rear hatch is opened (if you've got weak struts, prop it up with
something ...otherwise, you'll be bonking your head for sure!).
- rear cushion (if you have one) is removed.
- rear carpet-thingie is removed.
- engine hatch is removed (you can see the engine).
- lotsa daylight, or brightly lit garage/carport, or nice flourescent
tube-light trouble light.
:)
three of the spark plugs are fairly easy. number 1 is the bitch ...
it's under the air cleaner box. :( let's start on the other side
first.
the plugs are numbered, starting at left front and going to left rear,
4 and 3. on the right side, front is 1 and rear is 2. front means
front of the bus (you are standing behind the bus, looking toward the
driver's seat).
do these, one plug at a time. do not move to the next spark plug until
you have completed the previous one.
starting with the front left, number 4. find the spark plug wire and
connector. wiggle and twist and pull the connector off the spark plug.
pay attention to where the spark plug is ... once the connector is
off, it's hard to see down there.
put the extension into the socket, then the extension onto the ratchet
wrench. set the selector to 'loosen' (this means that the ratchet
should make clickitty noises if you move the handle in a
counter-clockwise rotation (about the extension) .. like you are gonna
open a water spigot).
put the socket down in that little hole where the plug is and put the
socket onto the plug. push it down onto the plug until you hear it
kinda click. then start ratcheting to loosen the plug. it takes a
while to get the plug all the way out (that's where the foam insert
comes in handy ... it keeps the plug in the socket).
once you get the plug out, set it aside. it helps to have a piece of
cardboard or something with holes in it so you can keep the old plugs
separate. and mark the holes with the number of the plug ... that way,
you can compare the plugs later. if you let them get mixed up, you
can't tell which one came out of number 4 and which one was number 2.
now take the new plug and with the gapper tool, make sure that the
electrode(s) are about the right distance from the center post. it's
usually pretty close, so you could skip this if you want to.
remove the little round thingie that may or may not be threaded onto
the top of the plug. it's usually copper colored and american car plug
connectors need it, but vw's don't. you should have only the threaded
little post sticking out at the top of the plug (the top is the
non-electrode end. the part that is gonna be sticking out of the
engine). (check the old plug ... the new one needs to look like it on
this end).
put some of the Never-Seize on the thread. easy does it ... don't
drown the threads. just make sure some of it goes all the way around,
not just on one side.
put the new plug into the socket, push it down into the foam insert.
now comes the fun part ... take the ratchet off the extension and try
angling the extension and socket (with plug in it) so you can get the
plug started in the threads in the hole in the engine. this is also
the important part ... you do NOT want to get those threads
cross-threaded!! it'll feel right if it's lined up and the threads
are matching up .. if it feels the least bit wrong, back it out. check
to see if you're in the right place and try again.
once you get the threads started, screw it down with your hand/fingers
as far as you can ... this ensures that you don't cross-thread
anything with the power of the ratchet. when you have screwed it in a
pretty good ways with your hand, then put the ratchet on the extension
and tighten it the rest of the way.
how tight is enough? when it gets tight, grip the ratchet as close to
the extension as you can (NOT way out on the end of the handle) and
tighten it as tight as you can ...unless you're an arm-wrestling
champeen, you shouldn't be able to tighten it too tight, gripped that
way. i think 18 ft-lbs is the torque spec, if you want to use a
torque-wrench. it's about the same amount that you tighten the oil
drain plug.
now pull the socket/extension/ratchet out and find the connector and
plug wire that you took off a while ago. if necessary, start at the
distributor and follow the wires. ;) put the connector back onto the
new plug. push it on til it clicks.
done? ok, now move to the left rear. number 3. same thing as before,
but here, if you have air conditioning, the compressor and bracket may
get in the way. work around them. sorry, but that's the only way. :)
when that one is also done, move to the right side.
you can get to the number 2 (right rear) plug without removing the air
cleaner, but it's easier to just do both after you've removed it.
to remove air cleaner box -
- with the screwdriver, loosen the clamp on the right end of the black
rubber elbow that connects the air flow meter to the intake manifold
thingie (where the accelerator cable connects to the engine). wiggle
the boot off the air flow meter.
- there's a brass-colored clamp thingie on top of the air cleaner box.
it attaches the box to the right side of the engine compartment.
unsnap it ... it's kinda tight/tough so it'll take some force to move
it. but don't get gorilla with it. :)
- once unsnapped, wiggle the air cleaner box upwards until its little
feet come out of the holes in the shelf (you'll see it when it comes
out ... those feet have to go back in those holes) and flop the whole
mess over onto the cargo deck (the area around the engine hatch
opening) ... flop carefully. you don't want to damage the air flow
meter. leave all the wires attached to everything .. they are long
enough to do this.
ok, now you have room to get to the two plugs on the right side. same
thing as before. one at a time.
once done, we have to put the air cleaner back in place.
unflop it and seat the little legs on the bottom of the black plastic
air cleaner box into those two rubber-grommeted holes in that little
shelf that sticks out from the right wall of the engine compartment.
MAKE SURE NO INJECTION WIRES of any kind are caught between that
shelf and the air cleaner box!!! otherwise, you can wind up melting
the whole wiring harness when a pinched wire wears through and shorts
out. :(
now fit the rubber elbow back onto the air flow meter and tighten the
screw on the clamp to hold it. no, it isn't a good clamp. no, it
doesn't take too much tightening, but don't leave it too loose either.
hard to tell you how much is enough. you just have to kinda feel it
and try wiggling the clamp to see if it's tight enough.
that's it. :)
> Also, any recommendations of spark plug brands or types favored by
Westy
> owners would be appreciated. Do double- and triple-fire spark plugs
make
> any difference?
i'm partial to bosch w7tdc ... they have three prongs and seemed to
smooth my idle and improve my gas mileage over the long term. no,
really. in 70,000 miles of using these plugs (two sets ... they last a
long time), my overall from-day-one mpg went up 1.1 mpg. and as far as
i can figure, i didn't change anything else. :)
they aren't cheap, though. :(
good luck!
joel
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