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60,000mi Spark Plug Change

Avar928

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Just replaced the plugs after about 60,500mi and used suggested factory plugs. Changing them out is easy for 1, 3 and 4....just a 10mm bolt for the coil and a 5/8" deep socket with a 6" extension to unseat and then used a telescopic magnet tool to remove. Getting the second cylinder ignition coil (front to back of engine is 1-4?) is a little tight with the diverter valve especially if you have a DV+ installed. Had to remove some of the sensor connectors without breaking the tabs and wiggle it out.

One this that was concerning was after removing each plug there was black soot flakes that came out from the cylinder. See how dark the threads are. The past 15,000mi have been fairly short distance trips (<5mi) of less than 20min back and forth. Camera makes the plug look a little darker than it actually is, slightly more brownish than dark.

If anyone is interested in what 2.0 2018 plugs look like at about 60,000mi which is the change interval per Jeep.

Upgrades:

GFB DV+
Mishimoto IC pipe
Mishimoto CAI

EDIT+

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NGK IR ILZKR7G
https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/68292346aa.html

Jeep Wrangler JL 60,000mi Spark Plug Change 1634396677300


Jeep Wrangler JL 60,000mi Spark Plug Change Plug1

Jeep Wrangler JL 60,000mi Spark Plug Change Allplugs
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jjvincent

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Looks like just about every other car out there with 60K on the plugs. Most people just drive until it throws the check engine light (due to a misfire) and then change them.

As for getting the electrical connectors off, the Jeep is like every other vehicle out there. You need a set of mechanics picks and be patient. This is especially important when you get to high mileage vehicles. For high mileage Jeeps with the V6 and that need the oil filter housing changed, the most time consuming part is successively removing all of the connectors. It seems that FCA uses some of the cheaper wiring over other vehicles I work on. Thus, they do not age very well. I fully expect the 2.0 will age the same.
 
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Avar928

Avar928

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I was basically pleased with seeing normal wear on the plugs. After an air filter clean and new plugs the 2.0 felt more peppy and eliminated some of the acceleration lag I was developing recently.

And I agree with cheaper plastic wire housing and tabs...my only qualm right now with working in there. I already snapped one tab off over a year ago. They all won't fair well later given all the heat cycles. I'm restoring my 928 and yes after 35yrs parts are going to disintegrate at least the metal retainers for the electrical make removing brittle connectors far easier than what's in these new engine bays.
 

jjvincent

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I'm restoring my 928 and yes after 35yrs parts are going to disintegrate at least the metal retainers for the electrical make removing brittle connectors far easier than what's in these new engine bays.
When I was growing up, my dad had a Porsche Audi repair shop. So, I worked on tons of 928's when I was a teenager and into my early 20's. Those things were built like a tank. Then there were the failures. The ones with the twin disk clutch (which always went bad back in the day before they updated them). I could change out the complete assembly in 40 minutes. Then people that were not careful with the older ones, would tear out the reverse lockout and bang it into reverse when going out of first. Thus you had to take out that beast of a transmission. Then when they had dual A/C, they leaked freon like crazy. I got good at taking the interior out and crimping on new hoses to the hard lines.

The highest mileage 928 we seen was a 1979 that had 450K on it. we only replaced the head gaskets at 350K. Rest of the engine was original. Back then the rear muffler was $1500 (this would be in 1985 dollars). So I remember cutting it off and sticking on a piece of 3" pipe instead. The owner liked the sound and thus it was that way until it met it's maker when it was in a flood. Thus, totaled and done for.

I will tell you this, when new, people that were Corvette owners, were the ones that bought 928's. It was leaps and bounds beyond what a Corvette was at the time and they wanted a V8.

I always wanted a 928 but I have decided that it'll be an e92M3 instead. It reminds me of a 928, but newer.
 
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Avar928

Avar928

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@jjvincent I have an early '86 at 165,000mi and she still feels very stable and planted at highway speeds (and higher). I have plans to pull the engine, do some disassembly, check the thrust bearing and clearances and do all the necessary replacements and maintenance with that 5.0L V8 monster out of there.
 

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Are those NGKs and which ones? Trying to come up with equivalent. Thanks!
 

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thanks for the information! I am approaching 50K and this will be coming up soon. What is the factory plug gap?

Did you consider going with a colder heat range plug?
 
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Avar928

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@SIGP2101

NGK IR ILZKR7G

https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/68292346aa.html

Looks like the Alfa forums are all about getting parts from Mopar. Some pretty good discussions https://www.giuliaforums.com/threads/2-0t-spark-plugs.41768/page-2 some state having had bad results with some Champion, another tried a different NGK plug.

@Catiajockey

Confirmed the gap to be within the range. I just stuck with factory, not planning on tuning and the bolt-ons provide minimal gain. Haven't felt or heard any evidence of knocking and sent an oil sample to Blackstone every 2 changes and so far she's healthy.

Jeep Wrangler JL 60,000mi Spark Plug Change 1634395693546
 

jjvincent

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thanks for the information! I am approaching 50K and this will be coming up soon. What is the factory plug gap?

Did you consider going with a colder heat range plug?
Just use what they say. If it made it this far, it'll keep going. As for a gap, they are pre gapped, so just throw them in. The factory never gaps them, that's the plug suppliers job. The days of reading the plugs and heat ranges is outdated when dealing with cars from the last 40 years unless you are really pushing the power of the engine.
 

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jjvincent

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@jjvincent I have an early '86 at 165,000mi and she still feels very stable and planted at highway speeds (and higher). I have plans to pull the engine, do some disassembly, check the thrust bearing and clearances and do all the necessary replacements and maintenance with that 5.0L V8 monster out of there.
The 85's and 86's had a major problem with the plugs in the ends of the cams leaking. Porsche changed that design about 5 times before they got it right. I remember cars with 5K on them and oil was running down the front and back of both sides of the motor. Best thing is, your car went through that when it was new and Porsche paid to replace them more than once. Other than that, they were a solid motor and rarely gave any problems.
 
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Avar928

Avar928

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The 85's and 86's had a major problem with the plugs in the ends of the cams leaking. Porsche changed that design about 5 times before they got it right. I remember cars with 5K on them and oil was running down the front and back of both sides of the motor. Best thing is, your car went through that when it was new and Porsche paid to replace them more than once. Other than that, they were a solid motor and rarely gave any problems.
My biggest concern is TBF since the last oil analysis was high copper, indicative of bearing material probably the TB. Front cam plugs I changed but weren't leaking, haven't done the rear. She does leak oil from the pan amongst other fluids.
 

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Just use what they say. If it made it this far, it'll keep going. As for a gap, they are pre gapped, so just throw them in. The factory never gaps them, that's the plug suppliers job. The days of reading the plugs and heat ranges is outdated when dealing with cars from the last 40 years unless you are really pushing the power of the engine.
Well, I would never trust the the plugs that I pick up from a parts store are gapped correctly. Also, if you have have turned up the boost on a modern turbo car (or forced induction in general) the need for a colder heat range is very apparent. In fact it is only physical change needed for most "stage 1" tunes. More boost equates to the need for a smaller plug gap.
 

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Great information, thanks OP.
I second that the connectors are a PITA and that you'll likely break some small piece of plastic since mine has 72K and the heat of the engine over that time just wears out small plastic parts.
 
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Avar928

Avar928

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Great information, thanks OP.
I second that the connectors are a PITA and that you'll likely break some small piece of plastic since mine has 72K and the heat of the engine over that time just wears out small plastic parts.
I actually found a way to make removing them VERY easy using a pick. You have to pull up the plastic tab and press it down which levers the other end of the tab to clear a small stopper on the opposite connector.

If the connectors do not disengage easily that's because that other end hasn't lifted up far enough to clear that stopper. Take a pick (I used a hooked one for small spaces) and assist it up. Pops out easily. If you keep pulling without assisting it eventually the other end will snap cause the edge is digging into the stopper. Crazy how probably half a mm is such a PITA.

Once you have the connectors separated look at the open end and see how it actuates.
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