To change the spark plugs of your Nissan, follow these steps:
- Check where each wire goes and avoid mixing them.
- Disconnect the spark plug wires with your hands and turn the spark plug wrench anti-clockwise to loosen the plugs.
- Put the new spark plugs in and turn the wrench clockwise.
- Apply a small amount of dielectric grease to the inside of each ignition coil before reinserting them into the engine.
- Replace the spark plugs in your Nissan between 30-60 minutes.
- Follow these steps to check or change the spark plugs in the HR16DE 1.6L I4 engine in a second generation 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Nissan Versa sedan with a spark plug wrench.
To change the spark plugs on a supercharged ’02-’04 Xterra, follow this video tutorial by YouTuber Ry the car guy.
- Reach under the upper intake plenum with your left arm while on the pass side facing engine.
- Remove the coils to remove the spark plugs.
- Put the new spark plugs in and turn the wrench clockwise.
- Tighten the spark plugs until they are all the way down, but do not over-tighten them.
- Move the wires out of the way to give some room to work with.
In summary, changing the spark plugs of your Nissan is a simple and effective process that can improve your car’s performance and gas mileage.
📹 Nissan Xterrra (No Plenum Removal) Coil Pack and Spark Plug Replacement
This video will show you how to remove the right bank coil packs and spark plugs from a 2004 4.0L V6 Nissan Xterra WITHOUT …
📹 Removal & Installation Xterra spark plug 6 The Easy Way
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 nissan xterra spark plug removal 6 easy way to remove. Easier to install.
Wow. When I first looked under the hood of my 4.0L Pathfinder I thought Ford engineers must have moved to Nissan. This article was spot on. As my usual practice, I start with the most difficult one first working through the easier ones. For this set up that meant starting at the front right, v working down that side and starting at the back spark plugs on the other side working forward. Thank you for the article, it really helped me keep perspective on this swap.
Flippin awesome dude!!!! Thank you very much for making this article. I had code P0301 and replaced coil #1 without having to take off the intake plenum! Removing the adjacent coil first made all the difference. I grunted and moaned a few times myself, but starting her up and no more check engine light made it all worth it.
Of course I find this article AFTER I removed the plenum to change my plugs. Ha. Great article; thanks for posting and I hope my engine lasts long enough for me to use this method next time :). FWIW – NGK very strongly recommends AGAINST using anti-seize on spark plugs. The laser iridiums (and all other NGK plugs these days) have plating on them that is meant to provide precise friction against the metal of the cylinder head; applying anti-seize can cause the actual force on the threads to be some 20% higher than what the torque wrench indicates because of the reduced friction.
Thanks for your article, I was in the middle of this job on my frontier and didn’t know I could separate the coil pack in order to take it out. You’ve given me the confidence to try it again as I really didn’t want to remove the manifold, guy at Autozone didn’t sell me gaskets anyway. Thanks again, awesome article.
Man the struggle is real! I really do appreciate the way you showed how to get these spark plugs out of these tight locations using those tools. Anyone who’s ever actually laid eyes on some of these V8 engines will know how tight those spaces are but I think you did a very good job and you played it really smart. Thank you for this article and keep it up!
I had to watch this article about 30 times, and go out and try it… on day 2 I was able to understand the angles of using the tools. Whew! I’ve never done anything like this before…but I am super proud of myself for taking it on! 🙌🏽 It took me about 4 hours to complete this project. I’m totally oK with that because it’s a learning experience for me. That coil on the front was OMG so challenging, but I actually got it out through the front of the motor. Whew! After that one, it’s just a matter of following directions, etc. thank you for your wonderful article. It helped me tremendously. Most of my boots were stuck on my old plugs, and I pulled too hard on the first one and ripped it. Good thing I already had a new one. But, what I found, for the others, was that using a plastic body panel removal tool to help pry up the boots, was perfect.
THANK YOU! #1 coil went bad. I had no idea how I’d get to it. Enter your article- simple, clear, and SUPER helpful. Swapped the coils w/ #3 to confirm diagnosis (def bad!!), replaced all the spark plugs, and she runs like a champ. Just cost me for parts, a set of pliers I didn’t already own, and my time (you saved me my sanity). Thanks again! ‘06 Frontier.
4 dislikes: they don’t know what they’re doing. thank you for sharing this important article. i’ve already took all 6 spark plug out of the engine without taking the manifold off. i couldn’t do this without your help. it will be hell trying to take out the manifold to gain access to the coils and spark plugs.
I have to agree with everyone leaving comments. Great job !! The pathfinders a little different, there’s a metal bracket in front of #1 plug but it’s still doable with your method. I figured out if you get the neighbours kid to help they can get in those tight spots and make the job a lot easier lol. Thanks again
just did this over the weekend. to add some key pointers: i used 2 very long screwdrivers to depress the clips under the plenum. a very long screwdriver and a very long pick would be even easier. i also taped my extension combinations together and to the spark plug socket so there was no way it came apart in the spark plug tube. use this time to check the tubes near the firewall for oil leakage in the valve cover spark plug o rings. i took my time and the plenum side took me 1.5 hours.
I’ve been dreading doing this job when the time comes along. I have seen the other articles on removing the plenium and wish to avoid that at all costs. I will be reviewing this article a few times. thanks for posting it. I am wondering if Nissan dealerships do your technique or just do the plenium removal and happily charge $500 for a spark plug change?
The debate in my head now… do I buy a little 10mm,and some long and angled needle nose pliers (yes of course I will I love tools) and attempt this skipping removing all the plastic ….and possibly having issues happen seeing there’s 167000 miles on my 06 and I don’t know if plugs have ever been done …….meaning making more work breaking crap I wouldn’t if I took the long route …? I’ll plan on one plug a day and go slow lol
Plzzz follow how he does it because I did it same way and wow that was awesome Lucky I had friends with the tools so I’m happy My is 2012 Nissan frontier pro 4x Also I had no help so it took me 2 hours and my hands and arms are in small side so I was able to get in I recommend u get a small hand/ arm person to go in to pull those ignition coils and to disconnect it Also thanks for showing us how to remove them with out pulling the manifold <3
Honest to god, it is far easier, especially on cylinders 1, 3, 5, if you simply remove the intake plenum first. The time you spent riding the struggle bus getting the old plugs out and new ones in is more than the time it takes me to remove the intake manifold and put it back. I have dealt with stripped plugs in the past, and never want to be in that situation again. Going at it sideways and with wobblies puts you at risk for stripping plugs.
I did it without taking off the manifold after perusal this article. But damn was it difficult. I had to use all sorts of extensions two universal 3/8 joints. And alot of grunting and cursing. Even though i did it without removing the manifold, i think next time I’ll just go ahead and remove it. It seems to take about the same amount either way, because of how difficult this method is.
Sir I like you for showing us the difficult it maybe it can be done! Thank you for the article. I have a problem while I am at work. I have been prepare to do the valve cover gaskets and plugs but it was a rainy Saturday and I wanted to do them on this weekend. You know when your Truck is ask for something to be done. I have been leaking oil for awhile, Years! You are the article of Lifetime!
Great article. Taking off and refitting the intake plenum + plugs takes about an hour. Only downside is, you have to replace rubber seals. Upside of taking it off, you can clean all the accumulated oil and gunk out from it and clean your Throttle body as well. I would recommend removing it every 3rd or so service to clean. So, might as well do this when replacing the plugs as Iridium plugs lasts about 45k to 60k km. Its reall easy to remove it. Your article awesome as it is, I would suggest will be great for only replacing or fault finding a coilpack.
Good article but is not hard to remove the intake plus at the same time you can replace the rubber seals under the intake.all you have to do is lose the intake lifted from that side using a stick as a stand and easily work with space, when you replace the spark plug use a hose to hold the spark plug all the way in and twisted and then use the wrench. Don’t let the spark plug slide in by himself or most likely you will bent the tip and close the gap and may course misfire after all that work done.
Years ago, my brother placed a white vertical mark on the firewall behind the intake manifold. I just simply drop a long socket right where that line is and it lands right on it, everytime. Then I follow the same procedure, very slowly and carefully, with a magnetic socket when placing the new plug in. Twist gently.
Great trick for #6!!! It definitely helped. I eventually used several wobble socket extenders too. My biggest problem was getting the #6 boot off. I think that alone took me well over an hour (and every curse word I know) and really tore up my hands. Both swollen hands look like grapefruits today, but at least I have new plugs in my old X. Disclaimer: I have never changed spark plugs before.
Really simple once you locate the wire for the plug.. once I had the wire I traced it all the way to the top of plug😂wire on the number 6 then I put q little mark right across from where it was originally setting,this helps because it is kinda tight to find once you pull rhe wire out.pull old plug out with extension and that was a wrap literally..ill be fair i had to remove intake for a seperate job earlier once i went ahead and changed plugs i thought dam i done my spark plugsandagain last weekene i juet followed the wire and pulled the thing out.
WD-40 is NOT RECOMMENDED FOR BOOTS…DI ELECTRIC GREASE IS!!! GET A SMALL TUBE…IT SHOULD DO THE WHOLE SET WHY??? because if you are keeping the vehicle the boots will pop off easier and save $60.00 or more $$$$$ for another set of wires…also XTERRA HAS A TIMING BELT THAT MUST BE REPLACED ABOUT 70,000 MILES…IF IT BREAKS…MAY AS WELL BUY SOMETHING ELSE…
This #6 plug is almost impossible. But, thanks to your article it worked. There are two improvement changes available. For me it was a swivel joint 5/8″ socket with 3″ shorty in one unit. $13.95 at autozone. Also I heated the 3/8″ rubber hose then formed it straight instead of out of box curved. Thank you much!. StoneyB
Easier to just use an universal joint right after the “shorty” there with as long as an extension you can after that and attack it from the drivers side. Might be different then what I just did on my 02 supercharged Xterra but I did it in like 20 mins. #6 being the “notorious difficult” one and all…… how are you faring with #4 tho? That’s the difficult one. I’m going to have to remove some things in order to get at it.
Great info! Did my #6 last night, figured I’d start with the hard one. I didn’t have the luxury of the wobble extension, made “due” with the u joint type. These will bind at extreme angles, that’s what I ran into. Felt like I was gonna snap the plug off. Got it out tho…so, yeah wobble extensions are key to the removal of #6. Even if I had the proper tools as per the article suggested, this would have still been one of the most difficult, frustrating, time consuming plug removals ever! Had I had the suggested tools, it would have went much smoothly. Advice to anyone attempting this, follow it precisely. Thank you for the article, it did help me very much.
great tips man..thanks…i ended up going and getting a 6″ wobble extension and a 3″ wobble extension with the 5/8″ deep socket on a 3/8″ drive,it worked for me..i got it out and put it back in using those tools…also i took those brake line bolts out so i could kinda move them out the way a bit,and it worked.