07 TL-S with 163K. Anyone change their spark plugs on their TL? If so when and did you use genuine honda parts or OEM?
Did you do it yourself of get somone else to replace them?
Is it absolutely necessary to change the spark plugs? I have not changed them yet and I have 163k.

Thanks!

 

hi!

OEM(Original Equipment Manufacture)
OEM = Genuine Honda parts.

OEM = NGK (6994) Laser Iridium Spark Plug


there is a 105k mile service; where timing belt, water pump and spark plugs get changed.


spark plugs provide the spark for your internal combustion engine, without spark, the engine wouldnt turn on. you'll have to pull one spark plug to check to see if its still good.

 

They are not the easiest plugs to change, but for sure not the hardest. Make sure you use a torque wrench and torque them to spec. Pretty sure its 13 lb/ft with anti seize.

 

+1 on OEM = NGK (6994) Laser Iridium Spark Plug

I changed the front 3 at 170K KM, pulled them out and realized the old plugs were still in really good shape.. didnt even bother to change the back 3
probably the previous owner changed at 100k service

usually these Iridium Spark Plugs last 200k km no problem

 

To change them:
-take off the plastic engine cover (takes seconds)
-remove the bolt holding the coolant overflow container and just move it out of the way
-take out the 3 coil packs
-change the plugs (front)- as above 13 ft-lbs torque setting (personally, I used an in-lb torque wrench so 13 ft-lbs = 156 in-lbs. This way, you don't risk overtorquing the plugs with a standard torque wrench, plus the smaller wrench can fit in the rear of the engine well for the 3 in the back)

For the rears, remove the strut bar (6 main nuts, and I believe 3 other smaller bolts that hold some parts to the strut bar)
-use 2 3" extensions to remove and reinstall the plugs
-I had never done this on a transverse V6 and did everything in 90 minutes
-Just be careful not to cross thread the plugs when installing them- if you use anti-seize, it should be a smooth insertion in the threads - little resistance when installing them prior to torquing.

Good luck!

 

I don't think my 1/2-in drive torque wrench goes low enough for 13ft-lbs anyway Even at 20 ft-lbs (the minimum) you have to be extra careful and feel it since it won't click.

As you said, gotta be extra careful if you don't want to over-torque the spark plugs. Good tips!

 

^^ Exactly...the use of a smaller in-lb wrench with a 1/4" drive is what you want with a 1/4" to 3/8" adapter- I got mine on Amazon for $35 or so and the adapters were just a few bucks:

Wrench:


Adapters:

 

Be careful doing this.

My car blew a plug out on cyl 3 rear bank and stripped the threads.

When this happened I checked the rest of the plugs. Turned out 4 of 6 plugs were loose. So either the last person that worked on the car forgot to tighten them all or they worked loose as some threads I've searched have shown others have had this issue.

Now I'm looking at pulling the rear cyl head to repair the stripped thread.

 

The NGK iridiums are easily good to 105K miles. When I changed mine out at 106K, they all still had the specified gap. I didn't notice any improvement with the new plugs.

The SM procedure is to use anti-sieze and 13-ft-lbs. If you don't use a/s, use 18-21 ft-lbs.

TIP: use a piece of heater hose to hold the new plug and thread it:

 

That's one of the best tips ever.. never will cross thread using that. Its an old school trick used if you had headers or needed to change a plug on a hot race car engine ..