Changed the spark plugs on Subaru BRZ with pics

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Jun 19, 2004
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264
Location
Canada, Russia
I have replaced the spark plugs after 120000 km. The manual recommends replacing them after 100000 but I was not ready at that time.

New spark plugs:
[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Old spark plugs:
[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


The gap on the new ones is 0.7 mm. And on the old ones is 0.8 mm.
 
Originally Posted by Propflux01
Is it just me, or does there seem to be alot of carbon on those plugs?


Those are better than any of the Ford EB plugs I removed at 45k (miles)...at least from a carbon perspective...maybe from a wear perspective too.

I assume the BRZ is direct injected? Or is it "hybrid" direct + port? For that matter, I don't know how my 2007 OBXT (turbo) is injected. I would be interested to see how my Subaru plugs look...nearing 40k. No way I'm going to do it "just for the heck of it" though. Not sure what the shop put in @ 94k.
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
The old ones look good! Thank you for posting
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Is the job easy or difficult on the BRZ?
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It's not a job. It's a punishment. The space is so tight that from the beginning it was hard to imagine that I can even reach the spark plugs by hand. Anyway it took some time, thinking, finding and buying the correct tools. I used this setup:
[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


People can select something else but the total length of the spark socket + ratchet + all the extensions should be around 14.5 cm +/-0.5 cm. My was about 14 cm and I would like a few mm longer but it worked. Also I recommend having a quality ratchet with a compact head and an extendable (or just long) handle. My ratchet head is not compact and it gave me troubles. Also a set of sockets with a 1/4" ratchet would be useful to unscrew some brackets, ignition coils but not necessary. It is possible to use a 10 mm wrench for those places. And you need a magnet to extract the spark plugs from the wells.
 
Originally Posted by Propflux01
Is it just me, or does there seem to be alot of carbon on those plugs?


Yes, it looks like some carbon build up. Unfortunately the only ethanol free gas in Ontario is Shell 91. This is what I use most of the time. The ECU retards the ignition timing by about 5 degrees. The spark plugs probably seldom reach the correct temperature to burn the carbon. This car need the octane 94. I expected to see more carbon.
 
Originally Posted by Ded Mazai
Unfortunately the only ethanol free gas in Ontario is Shell 91. This is what I use most of the time. The ECU retards the ignition timing by about 5 degrees. The spark plugs probably seldom reach the correct temperature to burn the carbon. This car need the octane 94. I expected to see more carbon.

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What kind of super tune are you running on that bad-boy?!
 
Great job, bud! I just did this on my FXT and will likely do it on the Legacy soon, even though I'm not at 60k miles yet.
 
Thanks for sharing the pic's, OP.

I can't recall the last car I came across that ran factory triple electrode plugs. Very interesting. IMO, there doesn't look to be too much carbon on those plugs. The BRZ has a combo direct/port injected engine IIRC, and it shows.

I haven't had to do a tune-up on a BRZ yet, however having done plenty of DOHC EJ and FB Subaru spark plug jobs, I feel your pain. Nothing about them is easy.
 
Of course there is some carbon after 120,000 km but it's not bad at all, they look very good and the gap wear isn't very much either. Nice job.
 
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