Spark plug replacement

[VEdriver59]

My VE has done about 120,000k and using a heap of fuel so I'm looking at replacing the plugs in the hope that this will fix the issue.

One Sunday a while back I started out with a half a tank to get from Joondalup in Perth to City Beach a distance of about 50-60ks at most. I got where I was going and then started home again but realised there was near zero fuel in the tank and I very nearly run out of fuel before could get to the nearest petrol shop. Its this event that alerted me to how much fuel I am using. I'm unemployed these days so I only do short journeys around our end of town now so a tank of fuel lasts quite a while.

I've read one of the causes of excessive fuel use may be the plugs. I have cleaned the MAF but I either may not have done it right or I may have touched the wrong part because cleaning it has not made any difference to fuel consumption. I've also replaced the air cleaner filter thinking that may have something to do with it. I dunno when the plugs were replaced last as I brought the car about 4-5 years ago at an auction. It was a govt car and had 105ks on the clock. there no maintenance records that went with the car.

The more I read about changing the plugs the more involved it seems to be. I'm reading that not only should I replace the plugs but also the leads and also the Ignition Coils. Is this right?

All contributions appreciated
thanks

 

[Brisbarnz]

If v6, coils are on top of sparkplugs so no leads required. Intake needs to be lifted. Done my plugs first time on weekend was only a 2 hour job and I was taking my sweet ass time.

 

[greenacc]

Coils are expensive and only need replacing when they fail. You will know because idle becomes very rough and lumpy.
Plugs are a good idea as the fleet company probably dodged the 100k service when they should have changed the plugs.
There are plenty of good how to's online to look at before you do it. Autoinstruct has 1 of them.
There are some good deals on eBay for genuine plugs and service kits for Alloytecs

 

[zoenryan]

always worth changing the plugs, but be real careful taking the coils off, as they can stick like crazy and pull apart if not careful. I also use dielectric grease when re-assembling - but not sure if this makes the sticking better or worse..

 

[davekell]

If you have a plug wrench with a uni joint you dont have to remove manifold. Only the back plugs hard to access. If you have worked on bikes this is an easy job.

 

[greenacc]

If you have a plug wrench with a uni joint you dont have to remove manifold. Only the back plugs hard to access. If you have worked on bikes this is an easy job.

Stop talking rubbish the coils can't be removed unless you lift the upper manifold on the early Alloytec V6s. On some of the later SIDIs the manifold shape is different and it can be done without lifting the manifold.

 

[VEdriver59]

If v6, coils are on top of sparkplugs so no leads required. Intake needs to be lifted. Done my plugs first time on weekend was only a 2 hour job and I was taking my sweet ass time.

thanks for that mate, I need that kind of info too as I aint no mechanic

 

[VEdriver59]

Coils are expensive and only need replacing when they fail. You will know because idle becomes very rough and lumpy.
Plugs are a good idea as the fleet company probably dodged the 100k service when they should have changed the plugs.
There are plenty of good how to's online to look at before you do it. Autoinstruct has 1 of them.
There are some good deals on eBay for genuine plugs and service kits for Alloytecs

Thanks mate my ve was built in 09 of 2008 so does that make it Alloytec? I am picking up that NGK are the right plugs for it, is that right?

 

[VEdriver59]

always worth changing the plugs, but be real careful taking the coils off, as they can stick like crazy and pull apart if not careful. I also use dielectric grease when re-assembling - but not sure if this makes the sticking better or worse..

Thanks for that tip on the coils its something I did not know.

 

[VEdriver59]

If you have a plug wrench with a uni joint you dont have to remove manifold. Only the back plugs hard to access. If you have worked on bikes this is an easy job.

Thanks for that, I thought the the manifold had to come off. I suppose that would mean that I also need a tension wrench with a uni joint too?