458 - DIY Spark Plug change - Easy or Hard? Special Tools? | FerrariChat

458 DIY Spark Plug change - Easy or Hard? Special Tools?

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by 1cerberus4u, Jan 27, 2020.

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  1. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    Sep 13, 2004
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    andy sanborn
    OK, admittedly so, I have not looked at my engine and frankly can't as my 458 is at the dealer for its last 7 year service. (10k miles on car)

    I received a note from them today, suggesting the car needs new plugs and they are happy to do it for..... $983.86....... Queue Record Scratch..... Yup, 8 $14.00 plugs installed for just under $1,000.... Is it April 1st today??

    Has anyone here done a plug change on a 458? Is it $871.86 worth of labor? Am I missing something?

    I have not looked at the 458 engine bay specifically for sparkplug location and ease of access, but I'd have to assume (please correct me if I'm wrong) the plugs are pretty accessible..... no?

    I can't imagine there needs to be some special tool or software to do the change?

    Anywho, I'd love to hear from anyone who has changed plugs in their 458 to enlighten me.

    Best to all

    A
     
  2. DoubleD33

    DoubleD33 F1 Rookie
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    I am getting ready to change mine. From what I see they are about 50 bucks each plug.
     
  3. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Ian Joubert
    It looks like it would be an easy do at home deal. It will be slightly more contortionist friendly on my spider version as the folding hard top stuff is in the way.
     
  4. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

    Aug 22, 2008
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    I have to question why would plugs be bad at 10k miles .. did the dealer give you indication of why they believe plugs are bad

    Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
     
  5. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    Double D's, is that the price from your local F-Store? If you take the plug number NGK 297423 or NGk 254771, they are about $14 bucks at your local auto parts store.....

    Flash, I would agree in principle, but admittedly the car does load up pretty quickly if I just start it and idle.. (I'm in the North East and can't drive it all winter so sometimes I just start it to warm up the fluids...Doing so seem to load it up..)
     
  6. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    andy sanborn
    So, Ian, you looked and you can see all the plug ends are pretty accessible?
     
  7. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Yes
     
  8. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Ian Joubert
    In your case, I would pull them, bead blast, and reinstall. Of course, I own a bead blaster...
     
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  9. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

    Aug 22, 2008
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    #9 flash32, Jan 27, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2020
    Fwiw ..idling a car in cold weather is worse than having it sit for 3 months with a battery tender on it

    The 9 10! quarts of oil we have in our cars doesn't heat up enough to burn fuel and water away causing faster degradation of the oil ..

    Starting a car and letting it idle is not a good thing ..for oil plugs injectors etc

    If plugs are fauled badly what you said makes sense if you don't get her warmed up and stretch your legs every time you start her


    If slightly dirty ..maybe an Italian tune up is in order ..that being ..warmup good and then push her a little ..heat and pressure will clean stuff up


    Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
     
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  10. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Best to leave stored properly during no drive months with no startup. Also should avoid cleaning plugs unless in an emergency. 10K miles for plugs seems strange. Maybe check the service schedule to see if expected. 458s have been posted to have some direct injection load ups if not driven hard enough to clear out. Some require cleaning of the intake manifolds as well.
     
  11. DoubleD33

    DoubleD33 F1 Rookie
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    there was a thread on here I found that listed the plugs as NGK MR8AP 8HJS (actual number on the porcelain) as an updated Plug to the original NGK. I believe the original non revised plug had a 7 where the 8 is. The original plug is still available and widely used and is about 15 bucks. The revised plug is around 50 and seems to be not so widely available. If something has changed and you are seeing otherwise please share your findings as 15 is more appealing than 50 for a plug.
     
  12. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    LOL, Ian, I own a sandblaster, but I wouldn't use it for that... $50 for plugs and an hour to change seems reasonable
     
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  13. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    Flash, yea, until last winter, I never started up any of my cars while in storage, then for some reason, someone gave me grief and said I should start and run the Fcars once a month, until full hot.. So I did and have been fighting it since....

    I'm thinking the dealer (although I have not asked them) think that putting in new plugs will clear up this intermittent bad idle at start up I have been struggling with

    lesson learned....
     
  14. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    Flash, Oh, and yes, an Italian tune up does clear them but its a Pia for the first 10 min...
     
  15. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    Solid State, as the car is at the dealership for its last 7 year free check up (sniff, sniff...) I did ask them to check intake...
     
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  16. 1cerberus4u

    1cerberus4u Karting
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    DD, The 7 vs the 8 should be for temp range....

    After I pick the car up (unless the dealer is willing to trade me for a Speciale or a Pista) I'll order plugs and update the thread.... I am waiting for a new directional ECU to be installed so I am hoping for next week....

    Btw, the dealer has some stunning Pista's in stock, as well as an amazing custom 812... Yowza
     
  17. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

    Jan 19, 2021
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    My dealer wants $2000 to do this. $600 for 8 plugs and then $1400 in labor to change them!!!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    I'll do it for $1950 :D

    Just kidding. I do not actually want to work.
     
  19. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

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  20. fazooley

    fazooley Formula Junior

    Apr 15, 2005
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    Here's Dan's Video Tutorial. Dont look too bad if your handy, which im admittedly not LOL. Some good tips and great step by step. The whole video is 9 minutes long so not too much work

     
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  21. up4speed

    up4speed F1 Rookie
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    I do a lot of my own work, and I have to say, for some reason, the 458 was the absolute hardest spark plugs that I've ever changed in my life!! The interesting part is that it's a VERY straight forward job (not like my CX-9 where I have to remove the plenum) however, the coils were so stuck (only about 9,000 miles on the car), some of them were almost impossible!! I couldn't find the right combination of pry bars to get the coils off. Other than that minor detail, it wasn't too bad. The crazy part is that I do all my work without touching the body of the car (I'm super anal with the finish), so I'm sure that made it much harder. It took me a total of about 10 hrs!!! 9 hrs of fighting, and 1 hour of actual work, lol I was bruised all over, and my hands hurt for over a week, and were swollen. I'm not kidding!
    For comparison, I replaced the plugs on my 360, which is essentially the same work, and engine layout. That was a very easy and pleasurable job that took slightly over an hour start to finish. Big difference.
    If you happen to figure out a good tool/pry bar to take the coils off, please share with us.
     
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  22. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

    Jan 19, 2021
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    Yes- if anyone has recommendations on what pry bar to use please post it!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  23. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    Normalguy can't wipe off some of the road dirt from that engine bay seeing as it was all taken apart? Otherwise a good video.
     
  24. craze

    craze Formula 3

    Mar 5, 2021
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    Michael
    Would plastic trim removal pry tools work?
     

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