I've been advised to get "cooler" plugs to complement my 15% reduction pulley. I am a cheapskate, but not mechanically talented. Nonetheless, this looks like a good DIM (Do It Myself) project, even for one as dim as I am.

I have three questions:

1. I understand the Iridium plugs are pre-gapped. Is it the right gap for the Mini, or will I need to regap them? If I do, then that is something else I will need to learn to do.

2. What tools do I need? I want to do this on the cheap, as I do not envision myelf finding a lot of other uses for (for example) a torque wrench. How cheaply can I get the tools I need without getting tools that won't do the job?

3. It would be nice to replace the spark plug wires at the same time with something more colorful. I've been told that spending extra money on high end wires is not a good idea, as I will not notice any performance difference. Can I get away with something as cheap as this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
Or is this pushing my luck?

Thanks in advance,
Phil

 

Bump. Please help this poor boy out.

 

Here is a good read. Should answer most of your questions. Spark plug wire color, bling bling, you can't see them with the hood closed while you are driving down the road.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ht=spark+plugs

http://www.webbmotorsports.com/forum...opic.php?t=305

 

A tourque wrench can be used in many circumstances. Installing a Sway bar, wheels, spark plugs, the list goes on...

 

OK, here is what I have sorted out so far:

1. Denso Iridium IK-22s should be torqued to 21 ft-lbs.

2. Spark plug gaps seem to be all over the map. Randy Webb is reported to leave them at the out of the box gap of 0.8mm, though I've not seem him confirm that, even though that gap is a bit larger than the factory recommendation of 0.65mm. Other folks seem to report best results with a gap noticeably smaller than the factory setting and think that the factory and out of box gaps are way too large.
A. After rereading the NAM thread referenced above, I am beginning to wonder if some folks are measuring in inches while others have gone metric, and if that explains the apparent huge difference in gap sizes. One person uses 0.8, while another uses 0.035 or even lower. That extra zero is not a typo, at least not on my part. I just checked a metric conversion table and found that 0.8mm is 0.0314 inch. 0.035 inch is about 0.89mm.
B. The stock gap for the MCS seems to be 0.65mm, or 0.026", which strikes me as being way lower than what anyone reports doing.
C. It won't take much to change my opinion, but right now I am inclined to purchase a set of ik22's and leave them at the stock gap of 0.8mm, or 0.032".

3. For my purposes, the only reason to replace spark plug wires is to get some color under the hood. The stock wires are working fine, and the high-end wires don't really seem to do anything extra. I am going to go ahead and buy the eBay wires, I think.

4. This leaves me with the tool question. I need a torque wrench and a spark plug socket. I do not need gapping tools, based on the foregoing. Can someone suggest good, low-priced options for torque wrenches and spark plug sockets?

 

Sears. Hard to go wrong there for tools. Craftman has lifetime guarantee. Sales going on this weekend for Father's Day.

 

Personally, I've never tightened plugs with a torque wrench, so I'd forego that. Just snug 'em up and you're good to go. Of course if you've never done it, can you figure out how snug is 'snug'. Any Sears/Kragen/etc. will have a cheap socket set, often with a spark plug socket. Alternatively you can get a spark plug wrench (usually with rubber coated T handle.)

Personal opinion - I'd question the tradeoff of buying $50 unneccessary plug wires while looking for 'cheap' tools.

That said, Harbor Freight sells good, cheap tools.

 

I had to replace mine because the field mice nibbled away the OEM rubber wires. I chose RED for the replacement wires for more bling.

 

Fair question, though I will use the wires every day, and it is possible I will never use the torque wrench again. Then again, maybe I will one day decide that installing a rear sway bar is not too far above my pay grade, and who knows what could happen after that? :smile:

It's funny - almost all of my mods are nearly invisible to the naked eye. I am not sure I can explain the impulse to buy a MINI and then go all subtle when it comes modding time. Most of the world will never see those red wires, but I will know they are there, and I guess pleasing me is more important than pleasing the guy next to me at the traffic light.