Time to change my spark plugs on a 2011 plate 1.4 TSI.

 

Noticed I need a special tool to remove the coils and found the following which contains 3 pulling tools which I assume is for 3 different engines. Think I need the one on the right. Can anyone tell me what the circular tool in the bottom of the picture does please? Also do I need a special plug socket or jut a normal one with a long extension bar.

 

Edited 8 October, 20169 yr by maverick54

Yes, looks like it. I bought a draper one about £15 from memory. The coil packs are tight fitting. You can improvise but it definitely helps.

Just use a plug socket of correct size and extension bar.

If it like the golf 1.4tsi one of the cylinder banks was a pain and you had to remove some peripheral Pieces to get access for the coil pack puller.

This is what I bought. They're cheaper through other online retailers.

 

http://www.drapertools.com/product/23254/Expert-VW-Coil-On-Plug-Puller

Thanks for the info. Got one ordered. Would love to know what the circular tool is for in the picture if anyone knows.

Maybe just the same thing but for use for a crossbar like and extension bar rather than plastic handle. But it does look curious.

Pretty sure the small puller with circular grip is for the 1.8/2.0 TSI coils - but in reality I suggest that you don't them for that application as access is good and grip and pull works just fine.

 

See - https://www.europaparts.com/ignition-coil-puller-t40039.html

 

 

No idea about the smaller engines though, pullers could well be required for 1.2/1.4 TSI.

Changed my mates spark plugs on his fabia 1.4 tsi without a puller. bit awkward but leverage with screwdriver no probs.

Worked on VW group cars for nearly 15 years and I've never required these pullers.

Worked on VW group cars for nearly 15 years and I've never required these pullers.

I agree, bit of string or cable tie looped around pulls them out a treat. Why spend money on a kit you don't really need!! 

Edited 9 October, 20169 yr by roaddetective

I have a large pick with a 90 degree end that I've flattened the tip of that slips neatly under the coil and allows me to lever them out. The flat tip means it causes no damage and requires very little effort to pop them out.

Quite easy to make your own.

 

Seeing the above picture of one removed gives me a much better insight into what they are actually like. Nice bit of tool making that well done. I read somewhere that they should have a smear of grease applied before re-inserting them but it didn't mention what sort of grease or where to apply it.

 

Would I be right in thinking its just a smear on the alloy tube in the pic to stop it sticking in the bore and make sure it removes easy if the need arises again? and if so would Vaseline do the job or is a special type of grease required?

 

Thanks folks.

Believe the recommended form is dielectric grease but I've never used any.

Nothing on the alloy tube at all - it shouldn't be in contact with the head. You can put silicone grease inside the tip of the coil, where it engages with the sparkplug, and on the black rubber/plastic at the top of the tube if you feel the need - but I don't think VAG recommend any lubricant at all.

 

Vaseline can degrade rubber so I wouldn't use it.

The special grease is supposed to be sparingly applied to the ceramic towers on the plugs, to stop the close fitting rubber inside of the coil sticking to them. It would be a special very high melting point and metallic free grease, probably only available from dealers. I have seen evidence this is applied at the factory when changing plugs but Ive never used it without problem.

However when my sons 1.2tsi had a failed coil and lead, I found one of the leads was impossible to pull off the plug - the plugs had been changed about 20k miles previously by the dealer. Left it to the dealer to sort out.

Not sure why, most of the variants seem to be american branded. Here is one.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spark-plug-boot-grease-dielectric-VC15309-/281754101655?hash=item4199da6797:g:Z6gAAOSwgQ9VrMxX

A bit of research shows it is just silicone grease.

In theory should be high temp and some additives to make it non conductive but who really knows.

Thanks guys and thanks for the link to the grease. I must of changed thousands of spark plugs over the years and I'm old enough to remember when you could get a set of 4 for a fiver. £36 now. When did changing a set of plugs get so expensive and so complicated. The Worlds gone mad

The price may well be to do with the plugs now using iridium, seems to me that iridium wasn't used when I first started working on cars.

Dealer price for plugs is about £60, if you ask them to do it it is over £100 (total cost). Count yourself lucky it is costing you £36! Bargain.

 

To be fair, the iridium and double platinum plugs do last a lot longer.  I'm not sure I'd trust them for 60,000 miles, but the ones I took out of the 5.5 year old / 35k mile car we bought were still looking ok and no issues evident driving. In the past, replacement intervals have been a lot lower - resulting in some of cheaper cost being lost due to change frequency and there is probably a bit of inflation involved! 

Edited 12 October, 20169 yr by TheClient

Copper plugs are still cheap.  There's no reason you can't use them instead of iridiums or platinums.  Just be prepared to go back to 15,000km  change intervals