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2002 pathfinder - replacing spark plugs at 180k


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As title said, I don't think the spark plug was ever replaced. I am a bit nervous to remove the plugs off a 17 year old SUV- and I want to ask you if there is any tips? I guess spraying penetrating oil before removing might help. Any other things I should be mindful?

Thanks.

Ken

 

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I don't think there is any chance they are original. These engines need spark plugs about right on time 100k if factory NKG platinum, 60k if lesser Iridium, or the engine runs terribly within 10k.

 

Getting to the plugs is a little bit of a pain on the driver side, you have to remove the air filter box and intake tube.

 

After you get to the plugs you shouldn't have any worries. Be sure you are using the right size socket, that you are turning it the right way, and that you keep the head firmly down on the spark plug as you turn.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

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Only 60k on iridium? I put them in my 02 cuz everything I read said they last longer than platinum. I changed mine at 146k cuz I also suspected they had never been done. The gaps were more than double the spec. Even so, I can't definitively say I noticed a difference with fresh plugs.

 

There is a helpful guide on Nico forums, but the job is pretty straightforward. And I'm a guy that ALWAYS runs into some kind of issue when doing car stuff

Edited by jjonez
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Yeah I had to review my old post about the problems I was having. I put in NKG Iridium LFR5AIX-11. They are 60k sparkplugs, I think per the mfg website. I forgot I had done that and had 100k sparkplugs.

 

They made it to 80k in my truck before it was running rough, misfiring, bucking occasionally and throwing SES light for sporadic miss fire.

 

I tried new fuel filter, new ignition coils. It would get a little better for a little while, until I tried sparkplugs. Sure enough the gap was double, they were worn to one side, and replacing them definitively fixed it.

 

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Dang! Just checked NGK website. Rockauto letting me down saying iridium "lasts 4x longer". Guess I'll be changing them again sooner than anticipated

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally changed the spark plugs last weekend. It was not as bad as I imagined. Nothing was seized and I didn't break anything this time. ( I shear off a 10mm bolt in the past while working other part. ) However, I did notice one of the plastic electrical connection plug(oxgen sensor?) has cracks on it - I have to leave it alone when removing coil packs. The gap on the old plugs were twice as wide as the new one; just by eyeballing it.

 

Incidentally, I now get p1147 and p0139. Looks like oxgen sensor will be my next thing to replace on this suv.

 

 

 

 

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O2 Sensors are super easy - 15 minute job. Im surprised this is your first. At 106K Ive replaced 3. Just drop it down the same line as your old one & zip tie the new line to the old one & cut off the old sensor & plug.

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