33 replies to this topic

[d-pak]

How to DIY Change Spark Plugs on the Nissan GT-R (No Coolant Draining)

[njarmstrong]

Just read through most of your blog posts, very interesting stuff.

 

Just in regards to the tq rating on the plugs.  Is there an actual rating besides the 1/4 turn?  i.e. 15ft lbs?

[forty-two]

How to DIY Change Spark Plugs on the Nissan GT-R (No Coolant Draining)

Thanks for write-up! Am doing this over the holidays.

[shawnhayes]

Thanks for write-up! Am doing this over the holidays.

 

Me too.  Four years of hard track and 33,000 miles, most of them track, HAVE to take a toll on the plugs.

 

I can remember when yearly replacements were common (but, of course, they were $0.75 a piece, and on my old V8's which could be done in about 30 min by blind drunk monkeys).

 

Shawn

[forty-two]

Me too.  Four years of hard track and 33,000 miles, most of them track, HAVE to take a toll on the plugs.
 
I can remember when yearly replacements were common (but, of course, they were $0.75 a piece, and on my old V8's which could be done in about 30 min by blind drunk monkeys).
 
Shawn

I'll post photos of my plugs, if you post yours. Am interested to see what mine show - replacements should arrive this week.

[shawnhayes]

I'll post photos of my plugs, if you post yours. Am interested to see what mine show - replacements should arrive this week.

Will do.

Shawn

[forty-two]

Will do.

Shawn

Have plugs, ready to go, BUT other than for ultra cautious safety, do you know why the battery "must be disconnected"? Is it for the idle relearn?

IIRC, someone posted that IF after spark plug swap car falls flat @ 5000 RPM, then disconnect/reconnect battery. Again, don't know why this would be the case.

Speed for Sale spark plug DIY states disconnect to prevent accidental key cycle, but nothing about idle relearn, nor falling flat @ 5000 RPM.

I've never, ever done this on any previous car.

[shawnhayes]

Have plugs, ready to go, BUT other than for ultra cautious safety, do you know why the battery "must be disconnected"? Is it for the idle relearn?

IIRC, someone posted that IF after spark plug swap car falls flat @ 5000 RPM, then disconnect/reconnect battery. Again, don't know why this would be the case.

Speed for Sale spark plug DIY states disconnect to prevent accidental key cycle, but nothing about idle relearn, nor falling flat @ 5000 RPM.

I've never, ever done this on any previous car.

 

Always mentioned in every manual ever for safety...

 

BUT.....

 

Having lost a fuse while soldering in the IPDM for NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL, the GT-R's electrical system seems extremely finicky.

 

Could some random discharge back into the coil by fiddling around with the plugs cause a feedback....???

 

HIGHLY unlikely.

 

I will do it, because I've learned that when it's mentioned, someone somewhere imagined some weird nightmare scenario.  Is there a real important reason, I cannot imagine.  If you do it without disconnecting the battery and it works out, let me know.  I have a few other weekend tasks to tackle before hitting this up, but I'm getting to it....

 

Shawn

[forty-two]

Always mentioned in every manual ever for safety...
 
BUT.....
 
Having lost a fuse while soldering in the IPDM for NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL, the GT-R's electrical system seems extremely finicky.
 
Could some random discharge back into the coil by fiddling around with the plugs cause a feedback....???
 
HIGHLY unlikely.
 
I will do it, because I've learned that when it's mentioned, someone somewhere imagined some weird nightmare scenario.  Is there a real important reason, I cannot imagine.  If you do it without disconnecting the battery and it works out, let me know.  I have a few other weekend tasks to tackle before hitting this up, but I'm getting to it....
 
Shawn

Thanks - I'll let you know what I do, & how it goes.

[forty-two]

Always mentioned in every manual ever for safety...
 
BUT.....
 
Having lost a fuse while soldering in the IPDM for NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL, the GT-R's electrical system seems extremely finicky.
 
Could some random discharge back into the coil by fiddling around with the plugs cause a feedback....???
 
HIGHLY unlikely.
 
I will do it, because I've learned that when it's mentioned, someone somewhere imagined some weird nightmare scenario.  Is there a real important reason, I cannot imagine.  If you do it without disconnecting the battery and it works out, let me know.  I have a few other weekend tasks to tackle before hitting this up, but I'm getting to it....
 
Shawn

I changed my spark plugs last night. The old (~56 months, 21K miles) plugs all looked the same, & indicated normal usage/wear, no problems.

I would recommend following the OP guide. THANKS OP!

Speed for Sale's DIY said 1.5 hours (w/o removing intake manifold), which I tried, but could not see how I could access the #6 & #5 plugs without possibly damaging the intake manifold gasket & hose & electrical connections while moving the manifold in the many positions required to access the coil bolts & plugs, so followed the OP guide to fully remove the manifold.

It took me 6 hours of pretty solid but cautious work, including putting all tools away & clean up. Even following the OP guide, the #5 & 6 plugs were very hard to gain access to due to wiring harness locations; & though I tried, I can't imagine how it was done w/o taking the manifold completely off. Also, my Nissan engine builder obviously had it in for me, for one of the small hose squeeze clamps at the back of the manifold was put in upside down, making it nearly impossible reach the flanges to get it open; & several of the specialized zip ties (which need to be reused, unless you have extras) holding in wiring harnesses were also reversed making unclipping them w/o cutting VERY fiddly.

It would maybe take me 4 hours if I were to do it again.

FWIW - I did not disconnect my battery. I did this at my own risk. When finished my car it started right up, idles & runs fine. Though i tried, I could not get my car to perform the idle relearning per the OP - maybe because I did not disconnect the battery.

[shawnhayes]

I changed my spark plugs last night. The old (~56 months, 21K miles) plugs all looked the same, & indicated normal usage/wear, no problems.

I would recommend following the OP guide. THANKS OP!

Speed for Sale's DIY said 1.5 hours (w/o removing intake manifold), which I tried, but could not see how I could access the #6 & #5 plugs without possibly damaging the intake manifold gasket & hose & electrical connections while moving the manifold in the many positions required to access the coil bolts & plugs, so followed the OP guide to fully remove the manifold.

It took me 6 hours of pretty solid but cautious work, including putting all tools away & clean up. Even following the OP guide, the #5 & 6 plugs were very hard to gain access to due to wiring harness locations; & though I tried, I can't imagine how it was done w/o taking the manifold completely off. Also, my Nissan engine builder obviously had it in for me, for one of the small hose squeeze clamps at the back of the manifold was put in upside down, making it nearly impossible reach the flanges to get it open; & several of the specialized zip ties (which need to be reused, unless you have extras) holding in wiring harnesses were also reversed making unclipping them w/o cutting VERY fiddly.

It would maybe take me 4 hours if I were to do it again.

FWIW - I did not disconnect my battery. I did this at my own risk. When finished my car it started right up, idles & runs fine. Though i tried, I could not get my car to perform the idle relearning per the OP - maybe because I did not disconnect the battery.

 

Thanks for your feedback,  I spent the weekend doing something else....

 

http://www.gtrherita...lipers/?p=24865

 

 

Next set of time I get, I will follow your advice.

 

Shawn

Edited by shawnhayes, 12 January 2014 - 04:07 PM.

[shawnhayes]

Speed for Sale's DIY said 1.5 hours (w/o removing intake manifold), which I tried, but could not see how I could access the #6 & #5 plugs without possibly damaging the intake manifold gasket & hose & electrical connections while moving the manifold in the many positions required to access the coil bolts & plugs, so followed the OP guide to fully remove the manifold.
 

 

Agree to this.  No easy way to get to the most rearward plugs without at least unbolting the manifold - did not try.  Removed the manifold.

 

 

Also, my Nissan engine builder obviously had it in for me, for one of the small hose squeeze clamps at the back of the manifold was put in upside down, making it nearly impossible reach the flanges to get it open; & several of the specialized zip ties (which need to be reused, unless you have extras) holding in wiring harnesses were also reversed making unclipping them w/o cutting VERY fiddly.

 

The back clips and ziptie were obviously done while the engine was out of the car.  Removing them was VERY fiddly.  I had great difficulty doing it.  Agree with you 100%.  I will be reinstalling them in a way that they will be more accessible.

 

I also broke one of the hose clamps on one of the BOV clamps, and have four on order from the dealer.  They work great.  Maybe too great.

 

FWIW - I did not disconnect my battery. I did this at my own risk

 

Did the same.  Have not restarted yet.  Looking forward to it.

 

These are my plugs:

 

 

Shawn

[ian.r]

slickdeals is showing a deal for NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs.

http://slickdeals.ne...in-store-pickup

[k3vkoh]

OT: I just read your blog post to guide me through changing my Nav screen. Has been a great help! 

 

Thanks for sharing! 

[choerizo]

Looks like the model for GTR (DILKAR8A8 ) is not available for the discount.

 

[ian.r]

Looks like the model for GTR (DILKAR8A8 ) is not available for the discount.

Screen Shot 2015-05-07 at 11.53.41 AM.png

thanks for confirmation that it doesn't work. I put in 2010 premium and showed an option so I thought it would work.

[elf_cruiser]

Did this today, thanks to whomever wrote the guide, it certainly helped! Took me about 2.5 hrs following the guide 100%.

Old plugs were toast and the car is a bit happier now for sure!

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Edited by elf_cruiser, 03 July 2015 - 12:59 PM.

[shawnhayes]

Your plug gaps actually look really good.

I also see no oil in your intake tract. Do you have a catch can?

Shawn

[elf_cruiser]

No catch can, and there was a bit of oil in the intake collector and the lower manifold. Not too excessive for 40k miles. I can't remember if I wiped it off before or after snapping the pic.

[elp_jc]

Just in regards to the tq rating on the plugs.  Is there an actual rating besides the 1/4 turn?  i.e. 15ft lbs?

It's always safer to go with a torque rating (don't know what's the number for our car), especially if you're reinstalling one. By the way, the 1/4-turn spec is for conical seats and reinstalled crush washer plugs. With new crush washer plugs (like the OEMs), it's usually 3/4. But it's impossible to measure that with the little space available, so invest in a torque wrench and do the job right . Having said that, never seen a spark plug so freaking long; that's crazy. Probably a turbo thing, since this is my first such car.

Edited by elp_jc, 19 July 2015 - 12:35 AM.