Porsche Project 5: Spark Plugs

Well, I can show you how to GET TO the spark plugs, but for now I can't show you how I took them OUT! I managed to take all the parts out of the way to get to the plugs, (tire, 2 wheel well liners, 1 aluminum cover, the plug boot) and get my spark plug socket on the plug... but it just didn't want to come out today. Let me just conclude that if your goal in life is to be a wiz at spark plug removal... start on something easy like a FIAT 500 or a Mazda Miata. Shoot, with those cars you just pop the hood (you know, in the front, like most cars!) and right away you can see how to get at the spark plugs. Now don't get me wrong, Porsche makes great cars, but hoo-boy, they give you a challenge on getting at the spark plugs. Not impossible, but when the engine is behind the driver, it just makes things a bit different. Here we go!

Putting the car up on the lift, this is the fun part!

Just a little chilly outside, great day to be in the garage
But wait a minute, the spark plugs are at the OTHER end of the car!

To get to the mid engine spark plugs, we of course have to take off the rear wheels! Since it's a flat 6 engine, there are 3 spark plugs on each side of the car

As a tool-time-bonus for today, I got to use this wheel-hanger too. It just screws into the lug nut spot, and comes in REALLY handy when you're lifting a heavy 19 inch wheel up to put back on the car. This particular tool I won in some contest from a Ferrari website, so it's from the fine folks at Ricambi. 

Passenger side rear wheel gone, now to remove these two wheel well covers. There are 3 10mm bolts across the top, and some smaller Torx screws at the bottom. 

One panel out of the way

Both of those panels out of the way, and then I took off an aluminum panel to get to the 3 spark plugs. Here I've taken off the spark plug boot of the middle one, and you can see the spark plug still in the engine. Even with the car on a lift, it was a tough space to work in and reach the plugs, working around the catalytic converter (bottom of shot) with it's two oxygen sensors in the way. I could have removed the sensors to make life a little easier too. On the left of this photo, the boot is still covering that spark plug, and you can see the connector at the top of it that easily slides off, and just a bit of the Torx bolt at the lower left that holds it in place. The spark plug way on the right is still all in place too.