spark plugs change...

[fistpoint]

I just got through browsing the BRZ manual and nearly shit when I got to the spark plug section. You damn near have to disassemble the engine to replace them!

Surely there will be an easier way eh? I can't imagine paying the monkeys at the dealership AND trusting them to put all those nuts, bolts and clips back in their proper place.

[Duff_man]

If the dealer dosen't do it properly..who's going to?

[Calum]

me

Seriously, you're gonna trust your car to someone that gets paid by the job and has every incentive to half ass the job?

[lordtakuban]

Originally Posted by Calum

me

Seriously, you're gonna trust your car to someone that gets paid by the job and has every incentive to half ass the job?

+1
It's a major PITA by looking at the procedure, but the iridium plugs should last at least 80K miles. They're supposed to go 100K or more, but as they say, YMMV.

[HunterGreene]

I guess at the end of the day, its a boxer engine. Your spark plugs won't be conviniently located.

Maybe check in on some of the Subbie forums and see if they have any work-arounds for it.

[Hawaiian]

I thought I had read somewhere that the plugs could be accessed from the wheel wells.

[fistpoint]

Originally Posted by Duff_man

If the dealer dosen't do it properly..who's going to?

That's my point. I normally do simple stuff like this, but after reading there is no way in hell I'm going to be able to with lack of time or knowledge/tools.

Dealerships are infamous for leaving 2 foot(yes, TWO foot long) wrenches under the hood of my cars, leaving screws/bolts laying around that they forgot where to put back, forgetting to hook up the turbos, forgetting this and that and whatever.

That's why I buy Hondas, because they don't need maintenance beyond oil changes for the most part. The stuff I mentioned above was parents cars and minor wreck fixes for me(not my fault).

So, we're looking at a $200-$300 or more spark plug change. Thankfully it should only have to be done once, but having it done correctly is my major worry.

[Calum]

I gotta say this is gonna be a PITA. With my old Neon I used to sit in the living room, watching TV while I gaped the plugs. Then I'd go out, find my ratchet, extension,& socket and installed the plugs during a commercial break. I could be back on my ass in less then 3 minutes including wiping the tools and putting them away.

[phm14]

Most of the operations on the 86 look easy for a late model car. If this is the only PITA maintenance procedure, and it has a minimum 6 year interval (manual says 60K miles) for me, I'm happy. It's possible I could buy something else by then & won't ever change these plugs, so I don't see a concern for me.

[seannyice81]

I've replaced the plugs on lots of dohc boxers (Saab 9-2xs). On those, you remove the ignition coil sideways through the gap in the valve cover. Then you insert the plug socket, followed by a short universal extension, followed by a roughly 2 inch extension. You then use a short 3/8 ratchet to get the plug loose, then remove the ratchet and loosen the plug the rest of the way by hand. You then remove tools in reverse order, the plug comes out in the plug socket. Use a bendy-magnet if it doesn't want to come out.

Now, I haven't looked very thoroughly at the plugs and coils. At just a glance it looks, not fun or easy. If I end up trying out a plug replacement (doubt anytime soon), I'll let you know if its the same procedure.

[csaba]

Originally Posted by Calum

me

Seriously, you're gonna trust your car to someone that gets paid by the job and has every incentive to half ass the job?

Agree!! I don't trust them either. Good thing I'm very handy...

[Shagaliscious]

There was another thread about this somewhere, someone said you need to raise the engine up 100mm to gain access to the spark plugs. I'm sure when the time comes, someone will have found out a way to replace the plugs with having to do all that.

[Touge Monster]

There is a special service tool that acts as some sort of spacer to allow access to the spark plugs haven't seen one yet. Toyota sent out a bulletin to all the techs for sst "special service tools" about a month and half ago and if it makes anyone feel any better all of the techs will be receiving special training of the FR-S company wide. Toyota/Scion whatever is taking this vehicle very seriously.

[GL4787]

Originally Posted by Calum

me

Seriously, you're gonna trust your car to someone that gets paid by the job and has every incentive to half ass the job?

yeah, because losing their job isn't "incentive" enough to do good work. Some technicians take pride in the jobs they do. Just because you've obviously had a bad experience or two doesn't mean every tech on earth is an unknowledgable dirtbag that's only worried about a paycheck.