Pathfinder V6 Spark Plug DIY guide

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Cruzin1a
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Postby Cruzin1a » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:50 pm

Thanks for the great write up! 94k for miles. Fresh plugs and she sounds great. Hopefully a little better mileage too :0)


Calicajun
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Postby Calicajun » Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:17 am

Again, nice write up, thanks. Wondering, are there any better spark plugs on the market or just stick with the factory plugs?

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deermjd
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Postby deermjd » Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:21 am

I don't see any reason to. The factory plugs work just fine. Mine still looked good at 100k miles.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:05 pm

IMO, there is no better plug on the market. I use NGK's in every gas engine I own, be it a car, truck, leaf blower or generator. I've been using them for decades and they never let me down!

Calicajun
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Postby Calicajun » Mon Sep 30, 2013 5:17 am

Ok, thanks for the replies on better after market spark plugs. I ran after market plugs and wires in my four Chevy's (1988, 1990, 1993 1500's & 1992 2500 van) Split Fire plugs and wires and notice a difference in performance in those trucks. I also installed a performance chip with a cooler running thermostat which worked great back then at that time.

mic209
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Postby mic209 » Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:28 pm

I just ordered a set of plugs for my 08 V6 as it is at 97,000 miles. Do you guys think I'll be okay re-installing the upper IM without a torque wrench? I just don't want any air leaks from the bolts not all having equal torque.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Mon Oct 07, 2013 3:39 pm

Just be careful not to overtorque them, but you should be alright. You don't have to remove the upper intake plenum to replace the plugs. You'll need a good assortment of 1/4" and 3/8" drive extensions, universals and a reducer. Four of the plugs are easy to get to; it's the front two on the right bank that are a bit of a pain. Cyl. #3 coil comes out with a little bending and the plug is accessible with a little ingenuity. Cyl. #1 is the tough one. I use a ratcheting 10mm combination wrench to get the coil bolt out and in. To get the coil in and out, I separate it into two pieces by removing the spark plug boot off of the coil itself (be careful not to lose the spring) then remove each part of the coil through the opening in the upper plenum. Once the coil pack is removed, the spark plug is easy to remove and install. Before installing the coil, I spray some silicone spray lube on the end of the spark plug boot to make it easier to reassemble with the coil. I then install the boot and spring into the spark plug tube. Then, I get the coil through the hole in the upper plenum and reassemble the coil onto the boot with the boot still partially in the tube. It's awkward, but I did it even with my fat hands! Once the coil pack is back together, it can be pushed fully into the spark plug tube and the hold down bolt reinstalled. I get as much of the bolt started by my fingers as I can, then install the ratcheting combo wrench and use a long screwdriver to apply pressure onto the top of the bolt to keep it from turning back. Takes me about 40-45 minutes to replace 6 plugs doing it this way while taking my time.

mic209
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Postby mic209 » Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:39 pm

smj999smj wrote:Just be careful not to overtorque them, but you should be alright. You don't have to remove the upper intake plenum to replace the plugs. You'll need a good assortment of 1/4" and 3/8" drive extensions, universals and a reducer. Four of the plugs are easy to get to; it's the front two on the right bank that are a bit of a pain. Cyl. #3 coil comes out with a little bending and the plug is accessible with a little ingenuity. Cyl. #1 is the tough one. I use a ratcheting 10mm combination wrench to get the coil bolt out and in. To get the coil in and out, I separate it into two pieces by removing the spark plug boot off of the coil itself (be careful not to lose the spring) then remove each part of the coil through the opening in the upper plenum. Once the coil pack is removed, the spark plug is easy to remove and install. Before installing the coil, I spray some silicone spray lube on the end of the spark plug boot to make it easier to reassemble with the coil. I then install the boot and spring into the spark plug tube. Then, I get the coil through the hole in the upper plenum and reassemble the coil onto the boot with the boot still partially in the tube. It's awkward, but I did it even with my fat hands! Once the coil pack is back together, it can be pushed fully into the spark plug tube and the hold down bolt reinstalled. I get as much of the bolt started by my fingers as I can, then install the ratcheting combo wrench and use a long screwdriver to apply pressure onto the top of the bolt to keep it from turning back. Takes me about 40-45 minutes to replace 6 plugs doing it this way while taking my time.

Thanks, I may try it this way first and see if I can get it. How many universals would I need at one time?

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Mon Oct 07, 2013 10:46 pm

The issue with cylinder #1 is the coil more than the plug, whereas the issue with cylinder #3 is the access to the plug, and not so much the coil.
What I had to do was feed the spark plug socket into the well with a 1" 3/8" drive extension, 3/8" universal and an 8" extension. This was a tight fit, but I needed to do this to break the spark plug loose. Once the plug was loose, I removed the 3/8"-8" extension and 3/8" universal and installed a 3/8" male to 1/4" female reducer and an 8 or 10" long, 1/4" drive extension to finish removing the plug and reinstalling the plug. A little patience goes a long way!

mic209
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Postby mic209 » Fri Oct 11, 2013 5:21 am

@SMJ999SMJ thanks for your help I was able to swap plugs without removing the upper IM. Just like you said, a good assortment of extensions and universals is all you need.

Took me about 2 hours, which included a drive belt change and air filter change. My 2008 had the DILFR5A-11's installed, but I replaced them with the PLFR5A-11's becuase that's what I ordered. We were having problems with a rough idle, especially with the A/C on, the plug change fixed the problem.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:05 pm

Yeah, there's a discrepancy in the NGK part catalog. The 08 and later V6's used the OE Laser Iridium plugs from the factory, unlike the early V6's which came with the Laser Platinums. The NGK catalog lists the Laser Platinums for the 2008 and later V6 and doesn't even list the OE Laser Iridiums as an option. Either plug will work fine.

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akley88
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Postby akley88 » Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:39 am

i pretty much always use NGK iridium IX if they are made for what ever application i am working on. Never any issues even with 100 shots of nitrous - that wasnt on the pathfinder though.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Mon Oct 14, 2013 10:34 am

The Iridium IX is a good plug, but it is the "economy" iridium plug in the NGK line-up, similar to the G-platinums versus the Laser platinums. Their premium iridium plug is the OE Laser Iridium.

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Sun Dec 01, 2013 10:05 pm

Well I finally got to replacing the plugs on my 05. I had done them once before, but didn't get to the last 2 as I didn't have right wobble extensions or the patience/know how to get them done.

After reading everyone's experiences, I tackled the job tonight. I used PLFR5A-11. Last time I bought the cheaper iridiums.

Job took about 1.5 hrs. The longest part was the 10mm bolt on the front coil on the hard side.

Found oil in hole on the back plug on the passenger side. I have a replacement valve cover, but it's really not bad enough to do anything about.

All in all, not a bad experience. Truck seems to be idling smoother. The old plugs were pretty worn.

excalibur23
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Postby excalibur23 » Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:56 pm

I also just changed the plugs in my dad's 06, with no plugs. But now she idles real rough. Anyone have any clues to why? I know I didn't touch the throttle body.. and on top of that coil 3, screw broke. Sorry if I shouldn't have posted here.


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