deosola

I am considering doing more of my own maintenance. One that I am thinking about is to change my own spark plugs.

Is it pretty easy?

Do I have to change the wires as well?

Any tips or suggestions?

I have a '98 A4 2.8 30V.

Terry

ThomasB5A4

Plugs are very easy to change. No wire replacement needed. To make things easier remove the coolant overflow tank (back right of motor). This takes only 3 screws and disconnect the sensor connector at the bottom. Also it makes it easier to take off the air intake box(front left of motor). Assuming your car is stock. There are 4 spring clips, 2 wire adapters and the hose clamp to remove. Then there is great access to the plugs. I recommend NGK iridium. Do not get Bosch +4 or +2...They are terrible. The plugs are pretty far down so you will need at least one extension for your socket.

HBAudi

What are you basing this recommendation on? Have you used the Bosch +4 Platinum plugs yourself and if so, what was your experience?

ThomasB5A4

yes I have used them and they fowl up quickly in the 30V motor. Not sure exactly why. But I put them in a a few weeks later the car started missing. Checked the plugs and they were charred.

turbo510

That sounds like the wrong heat-range, such as a racing plug in a steet engine, or wrong gap, etc. I have basic Bosch duel-electrode plugs in my 12V 2.8, idles smooth and runs clean, and at about $2.50 each too. As to plug wires, you would need a new set if they are defective and causing a misfire.

ThomasB5A4

Yes not sure what was up the the +4's. Since then I put in NGK Iridiums (single electrode) and they are fantastic!

HBAudi

What exactly does 'they were charred' mean? Are you referring to them having black deposits around the insulator and electrodes or to the electrodes being eroded and the insulator material melted?

I have used the Bosch +4 and have not had the type of experience you describe. I have not had good experiences with the 'No-Good-Kind' on several occasions with Audi and other makes, so I was surprised to see what your experience was.

Old Dog

Just to clarify for deosola, make sure you use a spark plug socket specifically designed for spark plug removal and not a regular deep-socket.

ThomasB5A4

A little of both. All of them I pulled out had much more carbon deposits than normal. One of them was starting to bubble a little at the edge of the insulator.

mister pepper

As a counter point of view I've had both the Bosch +4's (~90k miles) and +2's (~10k miles) and have had no problem with either of them.

Get a spark plug socket with a rubber piece in it that holds the spark plug, but make sure it is not so grippy that the socket extension comes loose leaving the socket in the spark plug hole instead of releasing from the spark plug itself. Shouldn't be a problem, but worth at least a thought.