ramii64

hey, can anyone give me detailed instructions on how to change spark plugs on my 1999 acura TL.. the car has some misfire and idling rough.. thanks

AcuraTL

You just have to remove the coil that is ontop and then you will see the spark plug and can remove it. The hard part is the 3 closest to the firewall as there aren't much room there. Also, are you sure your misfiring/rough idling problem is caused by the spark plugs?

Carbuff

He wanted DETAILED.



First remove the engine covers: the narrow one at the front has two twist retainers and a clip. Then the main cover has four long screws with 10MM bolt-heads. (Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey!)

The coil-packs have allen (hex) screws. Remove these one at a time. Then withdraw the coils STRAIGHT up, don't twist or angle them (to prevent breakdown of the insulation).

Look at the insulation that came out of the spark-plug holes, on the coil-packs, very carefully. If you see ANY trace of black streaks or tracking you could have an arcing problem due to past mis-handling. If all is OK, clean the outside and apply a THIN smear of dielectric grease to keep water out in the future.

Then onto the spark plugs. With a long extension on your special spark plug socket (with foam inside to grip the plug), loosen and remove the plug. If you don't have a specialized spark plug socket, you can use a magnet-on-a-stick to remove the plug after it falls back down the hole.

Clean out any dirt that falls into the hole (I use a shop vac).

Check the gap on the new plug. Spec is on the sticker under the hood. Don't force a feeler into it, they should be Iridium plugs with a very thin center electrode. Use factory or NGK plugs for best results. (I changed my OE plugs at 120,000 miles and it didn't change my idle quality one bit!)

Now to reinstall. Again, if you have the special spark plug socket, the foam rubber inside will hold the plug into it and you can use the ratchet extension to start the plug. Use just a dab of anti-seize on the threads if you want, but not on the seats (shoulder) of the plug. You need a good electrical connection. If the plug immediately offers any resistance at this step, unscrew it and try again at a different angle. Don't strip the threads!!!! It's an aluminum block.

No need to tighten the plugs like a gorilla. I don't use a torque wrench, just get them snug (maybe one-half turn after they start to tighten) and you will be good to go.

Carefully reinstall the coil-pack. When you are done start the car and see if all is well...if so reinstall the covers. If not you have more troubleshooting to do.



Detailed enough???

EDIT: The back plugs are not that bad, certainly not as bad as a second Gen Chrysler minivan, where you need to disassemble half the rear engine bay and use mirrors to see where the spark plugs go!