[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by Casca

You make getting to them sound harder then it is. Twist off the air quality sensor and unclip two hold downs for its wiring. Two weather covers for the electronics box on one side and the brake res on the other that just pop off...and a pull tab. Pull out the fuel line holder(I think it was a fuel line) and unclip the three clips holding the wiring conduit. Remove two bolts that holds down the base that supports the microfilter housing (going back on I always had to also remove the 6? bolts holding down the cover for the microfilter....you can do that now too if you wanted). Remove the base and you have access to the engine cover, which is just 6 camloc like bolts in order to remove. I think you can remove all plugs without doing this, but I always also remove the passenger side strut tower bar. This is extremely easy stuff and I think takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes tops to do. I had an engine problem recently and have done this about 10 different times in the span of 1 week

If I did that, I would just change them; couldn't stand putting back old parts, but that's just me. Also, if you change the plugs the 1st time around it would probably take anyone awhile, naturally the more you do it the easier it gets.

[Casca]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

If I did that, I would just change them; couldn't stand putting back old parts, but that's just me. Also, if you change the plugs the 1st time around it would probably take anyone awhile, naturally the more you do it the easier it gets.

If a friend asked me to remove all that for him, I'd charge "a beer", not a pack of beers....just a beer. Not a lite beer. First time I did it, took an hour because I wasn't sure how the front fuel line (I think it's a fuel line) comes off and spent most of that time searching the internet for info. Service manual just said...pull out, but I wasn't sure how much force to use and felt like I was going to break something. Found a vid on you tube and it was as the manual said and you just pull it straight out. It was reassuring to see a vid of someone else doing it though.

The OP is having an indy shop do the work. This stuff should be a no-brainer super easy job for them. Just ask the shop if they can inspect the plugs. Doubt they'd do it for a beer, but it probably won't cost much extra and honestly, part of a tune-up is not just removing wear parts for that milage/time, but an overall visual inspection and that engine cover is covering up things that should be looked at.

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by Casca

The OP is having an indy shop do the work. This stuff should be a no-brainer super easy job for them. Just ask the shop if they can inspect the plugs. Doubt they'd do it for a beer, but it probably won't cost much extra and honestly, part of a tune-up is not just removing wear parts for that milage/time, but an overall visual inspection and that engine cover is covering up things that should be looked at.

Since the OP is taking it to the indy, he should ask for the difference in price for checking the plugs and changing the plugs. Hopefully, the OP's indy is honest enough that he will actually check the plugs and not just say he did.

All this talk about beer is making me thirsty.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Casca

Was going to suggest he at least remove the plugs for inspection. It is wrth checking to see how they are wearing and if there is any indication like oil on the plugs or any kinda moisture showing something is wrong. That is worth doing, but shelling out $100ish for new plugs might not be.

You make getting to them sound harder then it is. Twist off the air quality sensor and unclip two hold downs for its wiring. Two weather covers for the electronics box on one side and the brake res on the other that just pop off...and a pull tab. Pull out the fuel line holder(I think it was a fuel line) and unclip the three clips holding the wiring conduit. Remove two bolts that holds down the base that supports the microfilter housing (going back on I always had to also remove the 6? bolts holding down the cover for the microfilter....you can do that now too if you wanted). Remove the base and you have access to the engine cover, which is just 6 camloc like bolts in order to remove. I think you can remove all plugs without doing this, but I always also remove the passenger side strut tower bar. This is extremely easy stuff and I think takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes tops to do. I had an engine problem recently and have done this over 10 different times in the span of 1 week trying to figure out the problem, test driving and redoing it. I have broken nothing. You'd have to really be trying to break anything here. Yes, plastic upholstery hold downs break when removing many times if you are the sort that uses the wrong tool instead of getting tools made for doing such things, but none of these parts to get to the spark plugs are like that at all.

I removed my plugs at 85k miles. They were fine and no indications of any problems. Wether these plugs last 100k miles or not, 50k miles is alot of milage and you should do a visual check to make sure things are working as advertised.

I agree that it's not terribly hard to remove all the parts to actually get to the plugs, and 15 minutes is probably right once you've done it a few times in a short period. I broke the right rear clip on my cowling because I wasn't paying attention to how the cowling was fitting back in place. It either goes in easy and drops pretty much in place, or it doesn't. You really have to do it by feel. Knowing better, I forced mine in anyway and snapped the clip off. If you check my DIY for O2 sensor replacement, I wrote a quite detailed description of removing and replacing the cowling as part of the procedure.

I still don't see the value in paying someone all that extra work to pull the plugs early. Modern OBDII cars are so heavily monitored that plug inspection is really not necessary as a engine check, like in the past. The emissions system pretty much reads and evaluates all the fuel-burning related variables that one would ascertain from a "plug reading". If a plug is in poor condition due to an abnormal cylinder burning from an improper mixture, or timing issue, or the like, the OBDII system would detect it short enough time to not cause damage and indicate a repair is necessary.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Chriztofor

Since the OP is taking it to the indy, he should ask for the difference in price for checking the plugs and changing the plugs. Hopefully, the OP's indy is honest enough that he will actually check the plugs and not just say he did.

All this talk about beer is making me thirsty.

The price difference is the cost of the plugs.

[Chriztofor]

^ Some indys make money on the plugs (ie: 50% to double the costs on the parts).