Lost_Penguin_Expy
Member
Spent my Saturday morning changing plugs, ignition coil boots, cleaning MAP sensors and removing the throttle body for a good cleaning.
I went back with the OE plugs & coil boots that I picked up from RockAuto a month or so ago, along with new coil/strut assemblies (Monroe) but those are a project for another day!
Plugs were a simple change, the only issue I ran into was getting the ignition coils out. (Red tabs on the electrical connector were not an issue as some folks have experienced.) For the coils I did not have a good pry bar of sorts, so I have to improvise with some determination and grunt to get them all out. Once out, everything else was a breeze. Plugs were not too tight, and to be honest I was a little worried having heard horror stories of the OE plugs breaking off in EB heads... Ignition boots came right off and were easily replaced. A little dialectic grease and a smidge of antiseize on the plugs and boots and done!
We purchased our Expy with 70k miles on it and I was not sure if the plugs had ever been changed, so I took a chance assuming they needed to be done. WOW! was I right, the carbon streaking was atrocious! All 6 plugs were out of gap and the carbon streaking was pretty significant as you can see from the images.
While I was in there, I went ahead and cleaned the MAP sensors as well. The one on the intake was filthy, the next along the air intake was pretty dirty as well, and the one nearest the air box was not too bad. Got them cleaned in a breeze. Since I already had the intake Y and air box off, the Throttle body was easy access. 4 bots, an electrical plug, and a plastic screw? to anchor the electrial wire in place on the TB.
The TB wasn't too dirty, we had to have it replaced right after we purchased due to the Limp mode/TB stuck open issues experienced on the OE TBs. (I will say that cleaning this TB was significantly easier than doing to one on my 2014 F150 5.0, where you have to remove the coolant line Ypipe to get easy access.)
I also changed the air filter with an OE filter and cleaned the engine compartment up petty well. The engine cover I let my 7yo son ArmorAll the heck out of it and cleaned it up well.
I could tell an immediate difference when driving after finishing up. My wife has been averaging 15-15.5mpg (hand calculated) over the past month with a majority of her miles on 60 - 75mph stretches. I will refigure MPG after this week of her driving to confirm efficiency improvements.
Now, when this Texas heat eases up a bit, I'll spend a weekend swapping shock/strut/spring assemblies.
I went back with the OE plugs & coil boots that I picked up from RockAuto a month or so ago, along with new coil/strut assemblies (Monroe) but those are a project for another day!
Plugs were a simple change, the only issue I ran into was getting the ignition coils out. (Red tabs on the electrical connector were not an issue as some folks have experienced.) For the coils I did not have a good pry bar of sorts, so I have to improvise with some determination and grunt to get them all out. Once out, everything else was a breeze. Plugs were not too tight, and to be honest I was a little worried having heard horror stories of the OE plugs breaking off in EB heads... Ignition boots came right off and were easily replaced. A little dialectic grease and a smidge of antiseize on the plugs and boots and done!
We purchased our Expy with 70k miles on it and I was not sure if the plugs had ever been changed, so I took a chance assuming they needed to be done. WOW! was I right, the carbon streaking was atrocious! All 6 plugs were out of gap and the carbon streaking was pretty significant as you can see from the images.
While I was in there, I went ahead and cleaned the MAP sensors as well. The one on the intake was filthy, the next along the air intake was pretty dirty as well, and the one nearest the air box was not too bad. Got them cleaned in a breeze. Since I already had the intake Y and air box off, the Throttle body was easy access. 4 bots, an electrical plug, and a plastic screw? to anchor the electrial wire in place on the TB.
The TB wasn't too dirty, we had to have it replaced right after we purchased due to the Limp mode/TB stuck open issues experienced on the OE TBs. (I will say that cleaning this TB was significantly easier than doing to one on my 2014 F150 5.0, where you have to remove the coolant line Ypipe to get easy access.)
I also changed the air filter with an OE filter and cleaned the engine compartment up petty well. The engine cover I let my 7yo son ArmorAll the heck out of it and cleaned it up well.
I could tell an immediate difference when driving after finishing up. My wife has been averaging 15-15.5mpg (hand calculated) over the past month with a majority of her miles on 60 - 75mph stretches. I will refigure MPG after this week of her driving to confirm efficiency improvements.
Now, when this Texas heat eases up a bit, I'll spend a weekend swapping shock/strut/spring assemblies.
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