Right of passage - changed spark plugs in a car with coil packs...

BigDanS

Our 2004 Pilot has 145k miles and had the original spark plugs. I haven't changed plugs on a modern engine, so I was expecting a distributor and wires. The v6 3.5 Honda has coil packs / ignition coils and is mounted transversely. After watching the requisite YouTube video, and $25.00 in double platinum plugs, plus the requisite 10mm magnetic spark plug wrench to reach inside the motor, I pulled the front three without much trouble. The back three were a bit tight and a reach, but I did them one at a time, replaced all bolts and connections properly. I even torqued each plug to 18 ft lbs.

Changed the air filter and both front headlamps, and the old girl started right up and sounds fine.

The front center coil pack / ignition coil was a different color than the other five and brown at the bottom. I did not replace it but it looked like it might have gotten hot. Any ideas?

$60 in parts and a $20 tool... :up: I think I just saved about $300.00

D

jbp-ohio

If the coil pack goes bad, it will throw a code. I wouldn't worry about it until it does.

Teach

At 100K+ miles, I'd err on the side of caution and swap the suspect coil. A high voltage arc-through to the primary winding can take out the quad drivers in the computer. Swapping a single, relatively inexpensive part now might save you some $erious grief later!
Jerry

samzhere

Or even "rite" of passage, hard work, new territory to explore, eh?

Buford

Right of passage, coil packs are interesting if you have never worked on them before.