Well it's time to replace the rear platinum plugs on my Magna... the only problem is I've been quoted $400 to have a combined oil change/plug replacement, which seems like robbery.

What is the most I should be realistically paying to have the platinum plugs replaced... taking account of labour + parts?

have you got a breakdown of costs? they might be using fully syn oil - I'd just be doing that myself personally - $50 for oil, $15 for filter, and $80 or so for plugs.

;1333350']have you got a breakdown of costs? they might be using fully syn oil - I'd just be doing that myself personally - $50 for oil, $15 for filter, and $80 or so for plugs.

No cost breakdown... it was actually closer to $440 - dealership. With the $80 for plugs, is this parts and labour? (gather even with the difficulties in accessing the rear ones, shouldn't take longer than 1 hr to do them)

piece of piss to take the intake manifold off, but having a wider variety of tools makes the job ALOT easier.

I find if you disconnect the TB from the intake manifold, you save having to mess around with coolant lines and crap.
Nah I gave a rough breakdown if you were to go and get parts yourself. you could probably get the plugs cheaper, but it's a very straight forward procedure.

With generic oil, filter and plugs I still wouldn't expect to pay over $200 to get it done...

Definitely DIY. I paid about $40 for a pack of 6 Bosch platinums and it took me about 1.5hours, including new leads. Just used a standard socket set. Kept undoing bolts on and around the intake until I could move it clear and which I held up with the jack handle wedged between the bank of cylinders. Then replace the plugs and bolt it all back to together. You remove the loose plugs by sticking the lead on it. Just put a rag over the inlets to prevent dropping anything into your engine and keep track of where the bolts go.

Is a bit steep if you are only getting platinums in the rear bank

Personally I dont take off the TB, is more bolts to start with and for the sale of 2 piddly coolant lines and a few vac hoses, gives far better access.

If oyu are not confident in doing it yourself, allow a dealer to charge you for about an hour for the plugs and the plugs if you get them yourself you may be better off, one of the SA members works at Repco in Marden, perhaps you can get a better deal on the plugs with him?

I only say that as when I've helped mate's do this on their car's, they are far more confident in undoing 4 bolts holding the TB onto the intake rather then playing with vacuum and coolant lines - less "risk" involved with lesser experienced people (they get iffy about connecting the coolant lines back up and all that crap)

Very easy DIY job. Cost me $40 for 6 platinum plugs off ebay, $60 genuine leads set, $50 for oil, $20 for oil filter and did it myself. Plus cleaned throttle body and intake plenum while there. Only took about 2.5 hrs all up, including degreasing and air drying inlet plenum, and havinga gander for any other problems or areas of concern. I would say the dealer price is normal, as i had my BT50 serviced other day as is still under warranty, and it cost me $270, just for oil and filter change. I HATE mechanics and auto sparkies mate.

Yeah, DIY is the way to go. Removing the plenum isn't hard, as others have said just take it slow & careful and note where every nut, bolt & hose goes. $40 for six platinum plugs (NGKs) off eBay sounds about right. Save yourself a bundle on parts & labour and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

$40 is cheap for plugs , i was desparate and had to go to auto one where i paid $150 for 6. talk about fleeced.
i did mine in 3.5 hours including the rocker cover gaskets , which were baked on so hard i had to chip them off with a screwdriver. flushed out the rocker covers , replaced the PCV hose and cleaned the TB . me personally i preferred removing the TB and also removed the ISC before cleaning it with carby cleaner.

quick question, what type of sealant is used when re-attaching the plenum chamber, mine has this black gunk which i pressume is sikaflex, is there a set gasket i can buy for this? cost? or what method do you use?,

quick question, what type of sealant is used when re-attaching the plenum chamber, mine has this black gunk which i pressume is sikaflex, is there a set gasket i can but for this? cost? or what method do you use?,

You don't use any sealant on intake parts.

;1333961']You don't use any sealant on intake parts.

OH... so the two bear metal surfaces once in contact are fine? , any idea what the black gunk could be ? (possibly just build up over the past 100,000k)

Do you have to buy a new gasket for the intake plenum? There's one on mine which I assume is a part you want to buy before having a go :D

I'd think for such a simple job it'd be cheaper than that. A service like that cost me $160 for my camry, and would have cost ~$300 for my turbo skyline if I hadn't done it myself.

OH... so the two bear metal surfaces once in contact are fine? , any idea what the black gunk could be ? (possibly just build up over the past 100,000k)

There should be a thin metal gasket between the upper and lower intake manifolds, the metal gasket is reuseable but if you feel safer in putting a new one there, put a new one there.
Without seeing it myself I couldnt tell you mate. Does it feel like silicon?


Do you have to buy a new gasket for the intake plenum? There's one on mine which I assume is a part you want to buy before having a go :D

I'd think for such a simple job it'd be cheaper than that. A service like that cost me $160 for my camry, and would have cost ~$300 for my turbo skyline if I hadn't done it myself.

You don't need to, as I have re-used mine many times, but many people feel safer in putting a new one on:)

;1334004']

You don't need to, as I have re-used mine many times, but many people feel safer in putting a new one on:)

Thanks champ, appreciate it. Now to search the forums for spark plug and oil threads...

Dont want to sound stupid,but after a couple of beers,I cant work out what the "TB" thing is,that is mentioned throughout the thread.Can someone disclose this as my father neeeds new plugs done on his car,and I need to decide wether to remove TB or Not.

TB = Throttle Body

too many beers myself , nevermind its already been answered

anyone got a link to these $40 platinum plugs cant seem to find em..?

Try here: NGK Premium Spark Plugs BPR5EGP Stk # 7082 Best Value! (http://cgi.ebay.com/NGK-Premium-Spark-Plugs-BPR5EGP-Stk-7082-Best-Value-/180517608813?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a07b01d6d)

US$2.89 each plus approx US$15 postage to Oz, call it US$33 all up, at the current exchange rate should be near as dammit to Oz$33.

Or else you could go the Iridium IX 11s at US$7.79 a pop, see here:
[/URL]

[URL="http://cgi.ebay.com/NGK-Premium-Spark-Plugs-BKR5EIX-11-5464-Best-Value-/170438137806?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27aee797ce"]NGK Premium Spark Plugs BKR5EIX-11 # 5464 Best Value! (http://cgi.ebay.com/NGK-Premium-Spark-Plugs-BKR5EIX-11-5464-Best-Value-/170438137806?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27aee797ce)

For ~$40 plats, head to repco, might be slightly different as I was referring to plats for my old skyline, but I'd imagine it'd be more expensive for the skyline (everything is). I used to run bosch fr7dpx's which were gapped to 1.1mm, and equivalent in size to the ngk bkr6es-11. From what I can tell by the ngk recommendations, the right plat plugs for a 3.5 TJ magna would be fr6dpx for both back and front, based on the sizes and structure of the plugs.

A lot of members have noticed improved idle and response when using NGK over Bosch items, myself included. Iridium 9's cant be gap-adjusted either...

Maybe that's why my TJ shakes a little when idling? No idea what plugs are in there...

Gapping iridium and platinum plugs scratches the precious metal used to coat the plugs, meaning you may as well have gone with coppers (unless you're the exception to the trend, probably depends on luck mostly). Most plugs come in 0.8 or 1.1mm options anyways though

Maybe that's why my TJ shakes a little when idling? No idea what plugs are in there...

Gapping iridium and platinum plugs scratches the precious metal used to coat the plugs, meaning you may as well have gone with coppers (unless you're the exception to the trend, probably depends on luck mostly). Most plugs come in 0.8 or 1.1mm options anyways though

Nope,. thats another can of worms to be opened for another thread I'd say - could be a thousand things.

is there a way to tell if the plugs need to be done ? my car a has a shake on idle but on higher revs it fine its a 3l 16000km

Rockauto.com

I recently bought an air filter, 2 packs of 4 platinum NGKs and 2 ancillary belts for a 2001 Diamante (= TJ). $100 all up including postage.
Plugs were all set at 1mm from factory, no need to regap.

Currently $18.96 for 8 plugs and $19.46 postage. = $ 38.42 (6 for the engine + 2 for spares. lol)