Porsche Spark Plug Change!

[Brad B.]

I did it! Man what a job. I intended to take pictures along the way of the car in various states of disassembly but I was so engrossed in the job and then so filthy that I just forgot.

It was incredible. I had to take the entire airbox system on the left side out. Not too big of a deal. Then the induction system on the right side out. Ok, not so bad. But then the heater tubes and the deflector panels and the right side muffler, and.....it goes on and on.

I wish I had smaller hands and longer fingers. I must have used a dozen different combinations of universals and extensions to get the plugs into the heads.

12 plugs, 2 distributor caps, 2 rotors. It took me 8 hours. (Ok, I did have lunch and watched the last few laps at Indy)

I called the Porsche dealer and at $90 an hour they charge $800. So at least I saved some cash!

(sorry for the rotten picture, bad light)
<img src="http://www.fototime.com/79714A5619CB557/standard.jpg" border=0>
<img src="http://www.fototime.com/E7D72A8F9403567/standard.jpg" border=0>

[IndigoGTI]

Having never owned nor driven a Porsche, I must say that owning and driving the car must be worth all of the work. I do feel the same as you do, I too wish I had longer, skinnier fingers. I have large hands, and it is hard getting into the little areas around my motor. Hey, at least you got it done in one day, your time equates to only 40 minutes per plug! Whew, that is a lot of work. At least it isn't something you have to do every six months.

I remember reading your oil change post, but I forgot if you mentioned; what are the oil change intervals and spark plug change intervals? What about cost for parts? One of these days I will own a Porsche, I am just trying to mentally prepare myself for it. I figure if I start now, it won't be so hard once I get the car.

[kgb]

12 plugs? I guess I know nothing about Porshes. I swore they were Turbo V6's

[bet993]

All Porsche 911’s (as of right now) are 6 cylinder cars (flat 6’s not V6). Brad’s car is a 3.6 liter twin plugged 3.6 liter flat 6 “air cooled” (no water or antifreeze). The turbo version of this car has 3.6 liter flat 6 with twin turbos and a single plug ignition system with all wheel drive. The “993” body designation of the 911 is the first year that twin turbos were used (except for the exotic 959 – only sold in Europe) in a road going Porsche. The current Carrera (internally called the 996) or 911 is a flat 6 water cooled car with a single plug system. The 996 also has twin turbos and is all wheel drive.

[bet993]

As for the maintenance intervals, Porsche specs 15k miles for an oil change and every 60k miles for the spark plugs. However, many of these cars have obsessive owners that change the oil more frequently. People who also take their car to the track generally change the oil more frequently. There is another group of owners who only get drive their cars 5-8k miles a year, and will generally change the oil once a year.

[Brad B.]

Indigo...
Part prices are not "that" bad. My tune up parts, plugs, caps, and rotors cost about $189. Mobil 1 cost about $4.50 a quart. You use about 12 quarts. The filters cost about $30 for the pair. Brake pads are $125 for the front. Those will go on after this next track event.

My car is a C4S which has the same underpinnings, suspension, brakes and all wheel drive as the Turbo. Without the turbo.

[Estoril ///M]

Beautiful car

I love the 993 C4S, it looks so mean from behind :scared

[IndigoGTI]

The prices seem pretty reasonable; I had thought "Porsche prices" for Porsche parts, so that really isn't too bad. I have been serioulsy considering keeping my car after I pay it off and buying a used Porsche, but my price range will probably limit me to a late 70's-early 80's 911SC. The only problem with that is finding a car in the condition I expect it to be in for a Porsche.

[Aurora40]

You got new caps and rotors but didn't get new wires? And that cost $189 without the wires?

[bet993]

A set of wires for a 993 (non turbo) cost $600 from Porsche. Granted there are 12 wires, but it is still rather pricey.

The 993 and 964 body style 911's have the most expensive wire sets. The older 911's and the newer 911's are much less expensive.

[Brad B.]

Yea, I checked into it. For $600, I decided to wait! :scared