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Changing the Spark Plugs CSRT-4

12K views 37 replies 14 participants last post by  Flynnt 
#1 ·
Can someone give me a quick rundown on the process for doing this? I do not want to screw something up. I am assuming that I have to take the one pipe off that goes to the turbo. What is the best way to do that? Thanks for all the help.
 
#2 · (Edited)
kbench55 said:
Can someone give me a quick rundown on the process for doing this? I do not want to screw something up. I am assuming that I have to take the one pipe off that goes to the turbo. What is the best way to do that? Thanks for all the help.
I don't claim this as the best method, but it is the process I used. Oh, and pardon the lack of proper technical names and terms. I'm far from a professional mechanic.

1- removed air pipe from turbo. Unscrew bottom clamp.
2- removed air pipe from intercooler. Unscrew bottom clamp.
3- unsnapped plastic cover above head-just pull slowly, straight up.
4- Use torque bit to loosen spark plug wire.
5- Pull off/up spark plug wire.
6- Loosen and remove old spark plug- scratch head at factory gap?
7- Install new plugs.
8- Put everything back together.

I started from left to right doing one at a time. The last one required me to unsnap wire from coil thing at top to be able to remove long plug.

The job was easy and took less than 1/2 an hour. Just make sure you have the right tools and take your time. Don't force anything. Ask any questions that you have and someone here will probably be able to help.

Oh, I used needle nose pliers to lift the old plug out of the hole once they were loosened. I learned that trick years ago with my first Neon. I'm guessing a magnet on a stick would work... What did everyone else use?
 
#3 ·
sherm1123 said:
I don't claim this as the best method, but it is the process I used. Oh, and pardon the lack of proper technical names and terms. I'm far from a professional mechanic.

1- removed air pipe from turbo. Unscrew bottom clamp.
2- removed air pipe from intercooler. Unscrew bottom clamp.
3- unsnapped plastic cover above head-just pull slowly, straight up.
4- Use torque bit to loosen spark plug wire.
5- Pull off/up spark plug wire.
6- Loosen and remove old spark plug- scratch head at factory gap?
7- Install new plugs.
8- Put everything back together.

I started from left to right doing one at a time. The last one required me to unsnap wire from coil thing at top to be able to remove long plug.

The job was easy and took less than 1/2 an hour. Just make sure you have the right tools and take your time. Don't force anything. Ask any questions that you have and someone here will probably be able to help.

Oh, I used needle nose pliers to lift the old plug out of the hole once they were loosened. I learned that trick years ago with my first Neon. I'm guessing a magnet on a stick would work... What did everyone else use?
I use a spark plug socket.

Make sure the engine is completely cooled down, or else you'll be buying a new head.
 
#5 ·
GreaseMonkey said:
I use a spark plug socket.

Make sure the engine is completely cooled down, or else you'll be buying a new head.
And you'll burn your hand! :)

Yeah, I use a spark plug socket (the small one) to remove and tighten the plugs, but my socket won't pull up the old plugs, they just fall back into the hole. Do you have a new type of socket that holds them in place? Maybe I need a new tool!
 
#9 ·
kbench55 said:
Sorry for my ignorance. What amount should they be torqued?
Hand tight, then pretty much turn with a 3/4 inch drive ratchet until snug. You'll feel it bottom out. There probably is a torque spec, but I've never followed it for spark plugs in my years of wrenching.
 
#10 ·
The NGK's say to turn until you feel resistance and then turn it 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn more.

The biggest tip here that has already been shared is this.

On an aluminum head...DON"T CHANGE THE PLUGS WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM!!!
If you do, as the engine cools and then reheats the next time you drive it will strip out the threads in the head. I did this on my daughters old car not knowing it had aluminum heads. They had to bore each whole out and install sleeves. That cost several hundred dollars.

The aluminum contracts and expands at a different rate than the plugs will. If you tighten them down while it's hot (expanded) when it cools (contracts) it strips the threads around the plug.
 
#13 ·
i drive my car everyday and my tools were mostly all at another place, so today i had time and here is my ghetto procedure.

tools used:
vice grips (anything that starts with "vice grips" is bound to be ghetto)
long extension
5/8 spark plug socket
flat head screw driver
plug gapper

1)unscrew hot side fmic pipe and remove.
2) pull up gently on engine cover and remove.
3) heres where it gets ghetto, use flat head screw drive and fit snuggly in torques head screw of coil pack (grooves need to be directly facing each other and bit needs to fit perfectly or you will strip it, but they are not super tight so it shouldnt be an issue) unscrew coil pack.
4) press down on clip and detach coil pack harness, remove coil pack.
5)use extension/socket and vice grips to remove plug (if you cant figure how to put that together get out of your engine bay quick.)
6) put back together with new plug in and do the next one.

my stockers were gapped from passenger>driver side like this 30/22/30/28
all new plugs are at 30.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Well done deal, everything went fine. Thanks for all the advice. One more question. How can you tell if they aren't tightened down enough? The cars seeems to be running fine so I am pretty sure everything is okay, maybe just being too paranoid. I followed the instruction on the plug package. Tightened it hand tight and then turned it 3/4 of a turn. I did not want to tighten them too much but I probably could have turned them even more but it was getting snug. Thanks again for all the advice. I had let the car cool down for 3 hours and then changed the plugs. The plugs were warm to the touch but definetly not hot. They came out easy and the new ones went in easy.

Mine were gapped at 28/26/26/28. New ones all gapped at 34.
 
#15 ·
kbench55 said:
Well done deal, everything went fine. Thanks for all the advice. One more question. How can you tell if they aren't tightened down enough? The cars seeems to be running fine so I am pretty sure everything is okay, maybe just being too paranoid. I followed the instruction on the plug package. Tightened it hand tight and then turned it 3/4 of a turn. I did not want to tighten them too much but I probably could have turned them even more but it was getting snug. Thanks again for all the advice. I had let the car cool down for 3 hours and then changed the plugs. The plugs were warm to the touch but definetly not hot. They came out easy and the new ones went in easy.

Mine were gapped at 28/26/26/28. New ones all gapped at 34.
I don't know about that 3/4 turn deal, because these plugs have a crushable washer so I don't know if 3/4 turn is enough to fully seat the plug, I don't think it is but it is hard to say. I torque mine to 13 ft lbs (156 inch/lbs), but basically you are turning the plug until the washer is fully crushed , at that point it is starting to get tight, then you just snug it down without overtightening it or whaling on it. Once it is snugged down it won't move very easily if you try to tighten it more, it has some good resistance to it. Having a plug too loose is just as bad as having it too tight. It is easy for me to do it by feel, but harder to explain. Just make sure it is snugged down after the washer is fully crushed, without reaming on it.
 
#17 ·
kbench55 said:
Thanks JSRT. I am pretty sure that I did the way you said. There was some good resistance. What would the car be doing if the plugs weren't tight enough?
Shooting a plug wire out and possibly the spark plug itself.

You'd definitely hear it leaking.
 
#19 ·
kbench55 said:
I am assuming you would notice a power loss as well. Would it happen right away? I have put on 100 km since I changed the plugs. I bet you guys are getting tired of me being so paranoid.
Yes, we are. :D J/K

Yes, you would notice a power loss. If they're loose, yea you'll notice it right away. Chances are they won't loosen up over time.
 
#20 ·
when you turn the plugs into the head they get a bit of resistance once the washer touches the head, then you have to keep turning it as the washer crushes. Once the washer is fully crushed that is when it seats and the last bit of snugging down occurs to keep it tight. If that is the feeling that you got from the plugs then they are installed correctly. Loose plugs can damage the head, you'll get overheating, and cylinder pressure will blow past the plug.
 
#22 ·
mrgm said:
What would be a recommended plug? What is factory gap? What would the best gap be, and why? Will that eliminate the blueish white smoke at wide open throttle? Will it eliminate the "bog" off the sit-start motion?
zfrf5ix-11 is direct replacement plug in iridium ngk. stock gap is .030", but you can run larger up to .040". It helps with the bog at take-off. Blue-white smoke has nothing to do with plugs in the engine, that is indicative of oil/coolant burning but you shouldn't be getting that.
 
#26 ·
HIGHBRED8 said:
how many miles on the car? was it broken in properly? i wouldnt say engine rebuild but maybe bad turbo seals. your the first ive heard mention this so i doubt its a "new car" issue, id bring that to the dealer.
he has put less than 2000 miles on the thing. Im starting to think he may have got a lemon. will ck with the new spark plugs in this weekend. Also, do you think a puter flash would help.






waiting for stage 3 for this machine....:D
 
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