DIY: How to change spark plugs (3.0L V6)
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It looks more intimidating then it actually is
great info. thanks bud.
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My pleasure
Broken part... need help please
So When I was disassembling everything something broke. I'm not sure what it is, so I will explain it. It looks like some kind of valve. It's a "T" with hoses attached that is on the right side of the throttle body and on the left of the battery box. I need some help please... I need my car running this weekend. It looks like it goes to the cooling system.
So When I was disassembling everything something broke. I'm not sure what it is, so I will explain it. It looks like some kind of valve. It's a "T" with hoses attached that is on the right side of the throttle body and on the left of the battery box. I need some help please... I need my car running this weekend. It looks like it goes to the cooling system.
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THE PLASTIC T STRIKES AGAIN perfect time to do the tb bypass. search for trottle body bypass. thats your fix
Thanks... searching now!!!!!
Ok well I got everything done, And I just want to make sure bypassing the throttle body isnt going to hurt anything right.?.? Also now for some reason I cant roll my pass. window down from the drivers side controls. I checked the fuses and they not blown... STRANGE.
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ull be fine with the mod. And heres another mazda trick try this from the passenger side control roll it down and up untill it clicks. then try your switch
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After following this guide, I noticed a loose copper wire on the left wiring harness, which runs along the right plug. I can't remember what it was originally connected to, but it must've came loose when I took off the IM. Any suggestions?
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It was connected next to the oil cap like this...to this connector.
Sent from my VZW Samsung Fascinate
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Upgrade from OEM Motorcraft plugs (AGSF 22FSCM)
The OEM plugs are Motorcraft AGSF 22FSCM, which is a part number that the Motorcraft catalogue no longer recognizes. (Use a search engine to search for "AJTT-18-110" instead.) The OEM plug is a "double platinum" plug, which means that a tiny platinum disk is welded to the center electrode and another platinum disk is welded to the ground electrode. Platinum has a higher melting point than the nickel traditionally used for the electrodes, so the double platinum plugs wear much longer than old-style plugs. The OEM plug is also a "fine wire" design; that is, the center electrode is smaller in diameter than the center electrode of traditional plugs. The finer (smaller diameter) the center electrode is, the more efficient is the sparking (superior ignitability).
The two giant and leading Japanese makers of spark plugs each offer an "ultimate" upgrade from the OEM plug, each with an advantage over the other: NGK ITR5F13 (also known as NGK 6044) in NGK's "Laser Iridium" series, and Denso IT16 (also known as Denso 5325) in Denso's "Iridium Power" series. More recently than Denso and NGK, Bosch has introduced a line, "Iridium OE." that competes head-to head with the other two; the applicable part is Bosch 9657.
The NGK ITR5F13 /6044 is an iridium/platinum plug: it has the same kind of platinum disk welded to the ground electrode as the OEM Motorcraft plug, but the center electrode is made of an iridium alloy that is harder and stronger, and has a higher melting point, than platinum. Because of its strength, the NGK's iridium center electrode can be made as small as 0.6 mm in diameter, which is even finer than a fine wire platinum plug's center electrode. The NGK ITR5F13/6044 has outstanding wear characteristics, with half again the predicted service life of the OEM Motorcraft plugs under the same operating conditions, and -- possibly -- some modest performance advantages (marginally better power, marginally better fuel economy) over the OEM plugs, as well.
The Bosch 9657 has a construction that is very similar to the NGK ITR5F13, and Bosch claims that the "continuous 360°" laser welding process it uses -- the same welding process that Denso uses -- is superior to the laser welding process that NGK uses.
The Denso IT16/5325 is an iridium spark plug that features an even finer central electrode -- 0.4 mm vs. the NGK's 0.6 mm -- and also a unique (it is patented) U-shaped grove in the ground electrode that fosters the generation of a fatter, rounder spark and more efficient ignition. As a result, the Denso design possibly will give slightly greater power and slightly greater fuel economy than the NGK ITR5F13/6044 plug. See: http://www.svtlightnings.com/sparkplugmisfires.htm
Win-win, right? But there is a catch.
All electrodes wear themselves out just from normal operation; every spark it generates, the electrode sacrifices a tiny part of itself. But the center electrode of the Denso IT16/5325 is so fine to begin with, it has less of itself to give. Also -- and this is mildly shocking (pun intended) -- the ground electrode of the Denso Iridium Power series plugs that feature the U-shaped groove is an ordinary nickel alloy, not enhanced with a welded-on platinum disk as in the NGK ITR5F13/6044 or iridium-platinum insert as in the Bosch 9657. Platinum has a higher melting point than nickel and wears better than nickel, so, between faster wear of the fine center electrode and the faster wear of the nickel alloy ground electrode, the service life of the Denso IT16/5325 is only about one quarter of the service life of an NGK ITR5F13/6044 or Bosch 9657. Thus, if you change plugs at about the 75,000 mile mark as recommended in the service manual for the Mazda6 V6, a changeover to the NGK ITR5F13/6044 will leave you good to go to about 200,000 miles on the odometer, while a changeover to the Denso IT16/Denso 5325 plugs will leave you needing another change of plugs soon after 100,000 miles. If you are paying a mechanic to change the plugs on your Mazda6, the modest fuel economy advantage of the Denso over the NGK probably will not cover the additional labor charges for the repeated plug replacements.
Incidentally, as fullyarmed101 points out, NGK makes a nominally higher performance "IX" series of plugs that, like the "Laser Iridium" series plugs, feature an iridium center electrode; the applicable IX plug for the Mazd6 V6 is TR5IX (NGK 7397). The center electrodes of the NGK IX plugs are the same 0.6 mm as the center electrodes of the NGK Laser Iridium iridium-platinum plugs (that is, not as fine as the Denso's 0.4 mm), and the ground electrodes of the NGK IX series plugs, like the Denso Iridium Power series's ground electrodes, are plain nickel alloy; and the NGK plugs lack the U-shaped groove that characterizes the ground electrodes of the Denso Iridium Power plugs, so the Denso Iridium Power plugs possibly retain a slight performance advantage over the NGK IX series plugs. As the price per plug of the two serieses of NGK plugs is about the same, there is no reason to choose an inferior NGK IX single iridium plug (7397) over a superior NGK Laser Iridium iridium/platinum plug (6044).
(I apologize for the tardy reply.) The answer is that ... it depends.
The OEM plugs are Motorcraft AGSF 22FSCM, which is a part number that the Motorcraft catalogue no longer recognizes. (Use a search engine to search for "AJTT-18-110" instead.) The OEM plug is a "double platinum" plug, which means that a tiny platinum disk is welded to the center electrode and another platinum disk is welded to the ground electrode. Platinum has a higher melting point than the nickel traditionally used for the electrodes, so the double platinum plugs wear much longer than old-style plugs. The OEM plug is also a "fine wire" design; that is, the center electrode is smaller in diameter than the center electrode of traditional plugs. The finer (smaller diameter) the center electrode is, the more efficient is the sparking (superior ignitability).
The two giant and leading Japanese makers of spark plugs each offer an "ultimate" upgrade from the OEM plug, each with an advantage over the other: NGK ITR5F13 (also known as NGK 6044) in NGK's "Laser Iridium" series, and Denso IT16 (also known as Denso 5325) in Denso's "Iridium Power" series. More recently than Denso and NGK, Bosch has introduced a line, "Iridium OE." that competes head-to head with the other two; the applicable part is Bosch 9657.
The NGK ITR5F13 /6044 is an iridium/platinum plug: it has the same kind of platinum disk welded to the ground electrode as the OEM Motorcraft plug, but the center electrode is made of an iridium alloy that is harder and stronger, and has a higher melting point, than platinum. Because of its strength, the NGK's iridium center electrode can be made as small as 0.6 mm in diameter, which is even finer than a fine wire platinum plug's center electrode. The NGK ITR5F13/6044 has outstanding wear characteristics, with half again the predicted service life of the OEM Motorcraft plugs under the same operating conditions, and -- possibly -- some modest performance advantages (marginally better power, marginally better fuel economy) over the OEM plugs, as well.
The Bosch 9657 has a construction that is very similar to the NGK ITR5F13, and Bosch claims that the "continuous 360°" laser welding process it uses -- the same welding process that Denso uses -- is superior to the laser welding process that NGK uses.
The Denso IT16/5325 is an iridium spark plug that features an even finer central electrode -- 0.4 mm vs. the NGK's 0.6 mm -- and also a unique (it is patented) U-shaped grove in the ground electrode that fosters the generation of a fatter, rounder spark and more efficient ignition. As a result, the Denso design possibly will give slightly greater power and slightly greater fuel economy than the NGK ITR5F13/6044 plug. See: http://www.svtlightnings.com/sparkplugmisfires.htm
Win-win, right? But there is a catch.
All electrodes wear themselves out just from normal operation; every spark it generates, the electrode sacrifices a tiny part of itself. But the center electrode of the Denso IT16/5325 is so fine to begin with, it has less of itself to give. Also -- and this is mildly shocking (pun intended) -- the ground electrode of the Denso Iridium Power series plugs that feature the U-shaped groove is an ordinary nickel alloy, not enhanced with a welded-on platinum disk as in the NGK ITR5F13/6044 or iridium-platinum insert as in the Bosch 9657. Platinum has a higher melting point than nickel and wears better than nickel, so, between faster wear of the fine center electrode and the faster wear of the nickel alloy ground electrode, the service life of the Denso IT16/5325 is only about one quarter of the service life of an NGK ITR5F13/6044 or Bosch 9657. Thus, if you change plugs at about the 75,000 mile mark as recommended in the service manual for the Mazda6 V6, a changeover to the NGK ITR5F13/6044 will leave you good to go to about 200,000 miles on the odometer, while a changeover to the Denso IT16/Denso 5325 plugs will leave you needing another change of plugs soon after 100,000 miles. If you are paying a mechanic to change the plugs on your Mazda6, the modest fuel economy advantage of the Denso over the NGK probably will not cover the additional labor charges for the repeated plug replacements.
Incidentally, as fullyarmed101 points out, NGK makes a nominally higher performance "IX" series of plugs that, like the "Laser Iridium" series plugs, feature an iridium center electrode; the applicable IX plug for the Mazd6 V6 is TR5IX (NGK 7397). The center electrodes of the NGK IX plugs are the same 0.6 mm as the center electrodes of the NGK Laser Iridium iridium-platinum plugs (that is, not as fine as the Denso's 0.4 mm), and the ground electrodes of the NGK IX series plugs, like the Denso Iridium Power series's ground electrodes, are plain nickel alloy; and the NGK plugs lack the U-shaped groove that characterizes the ground electrodes of the Denso Iridium Power plugs, so the Denso Iridium Power plugs possibly retain a slight performance advantage over the NGK IX series plugs. As the price per plug of the two serieses of NGK plugs is about the same, there is no reason to choose an inferior NGK IX single iridium plug (7397) over a superior NGK Laser Iridium iridium/platinum plug (6044).
Thanks mbrogz3000
Just wanted to say thanks to you and the forum members for the help. I was able to change my plugs and coils successfully because of your help. I also did the EGR mod while I was in there. All went well and the car runs much better. Thanks again
Just wanted to say thanks to you and the forum members for the help. I was able to change my plugs and coils successfully because of your help. I also did the EGR mod while I was in there. All went well and the car runs much better. Thanks again
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8,282 Posts
Theres a write up on this too, but just eliminate it and the other one that breaks underneath the water pump for around $8. It only feeds coolant to the TB and they break. I had to do this on my 6 last week, now for plugs and rear coils (one died i figured at $22/ea lifetime warranty why not?).
BTW, im not looking through all 22 pages, does this still need pics? If so ill take them.
BTW, im not looking through all 22 pages, does this still need pics? If so ill take them.
have a cold start missfire on Cyl 2 for my 04 v6, goes away after a few hours even if i only drive it to work and come back later(maybe 5-10 minute light drive) Also seems to be leaking a small amount, not enough to deposit on ground though but bottom of engine shows obvious leaking something. Last Oil change dealership said it was slight head gasket leak, Coolant seems to have been lost(could be coolant leaking into Cy 2?)
Live in Alaska, so Climate is quite cold here soon. Car is also likely to NOT be garaged, but does have block heater.
i'm not a mechanic but i'm inclined to try this, and have read...a lot.
So far i believe i should:
-Replace 1,2, and 3 Spark plugs while im making the effort to get to 2
-Replace Ignition Coils on them as well (111k miles, bought at 109k, unsure when this was last done)
-Replace Intake Manifold Gasket
-Replace PCV valve
All of this sounds doable, but im a little unsure on parts ordering, and im also concerned my real problem might be related to the very slight head gasket leak. I could also do the head gasket i suppose, but that's more money and even more effort...but im up for trying.
questions:
-A Single coil at the local parts stores is around 50-60 bucks, but i see this 6 pack on Amazon for 72?? Are they fine, because thats a super good deal near as i can tell.
-Do i need to adjust this type of spark plug prior to installation? I hear a lot about gapping them...
-No body in town has the gaskets, i seemingly found them on amazon as well...but i'm not 100% they are what/all i need for the job.
-PCV i can probably get in town, but i'll end up waiting for online orders anyway so can someone point one out to me?
Thank you!!
Live in Alaska, so Climate is quite cold here soon. Car is also likely to NOT be garaged, but does have block heater.
i'm not a mechanic but i'm inclined to try this, and have read...a lot.
So far i believe i should:
-Replace 1,2, and 3 Spark plugs while im making the effort to get to 2
-Replace Ignition Coils on them as well (111k miles, bought at 109k, unsure when this was last done)
-Replace Intake Manifold Gasket
-Replace PCV valve
All of this sounds doable, but im a little unsure on parts ordering, and im also concerned my real problem might be related to the very slight head gasket leak. I could also do the head gasket i suppose, but that's more money and even more effort...but im up for trying.
questions:
-A Single coil at the local parts stores is around 50-60 bucks, but i see this 6 pack on Amazon for 72?? Are they fine, because thats a super good deal near as i can tell.
-Do i need to adjust this type of spark plug prior to installation? I hear a lot about gapping them...
-No body in town has the gaskets, i seemingly found them on amazon as well...but i'm not 100% they are what/all i need for the job.
-PCV i can probably get in town, but i'll end up waiting for online orders anyway so can someone point one out to me?
Thank you!!
G
Guest
·Thank you soooooooo much. I followed this step by step today. Thank you.
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