Motoring Discussion > Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs Accessories and Parts
Thread Author: hawkeye Replies: 10
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 12:06 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - hawkeye
In an effort to reduce my domestic responsibilities a while ago I entrusted the servicing and MoTing of Mrs H's Citroen C3 to a local independent. They would pick the car up when we were on hols. and return it with a bill. Things went pear-shaped when they rang her when we were abroad and said the car needed discs and pads and a pair of tyres to pass its MoT. I disagreed about the brakes and intervened and the relationship with the garage went terminal.

Put some tyres on, skip a year or two and the car really was due discs and pads and also due for new long-life spark plugs this week. So the parts duly arrived, but what's this? The last time I looked at a spark plug (on a Briggs-engined mower) it had a hexagon to put a socket on. But the new plugs have a 12-point collar which doesn't match anything I have in my tool box.

Next stop, an email to the supplier chiding him for sending me 'BMW-style' plugs. I got short shrift there and a firm reminder that PSA supply engines to BMW for the Mini. Apologies then.

Off to Halfords and the purchase of the correct socket. Gone is the rubber collar to drag the plug out of its deep recess and it its place a civilised magnet. It's ages since I bought a new tool and it's quite brought a smile to my face. The old plugs were in finger-tight; the new ones have gone in finger-tight plus half-a-turn as shown on the packet.

I'm just reflecting that we've had the car 8 years and I've been caught out by not having the right tool. Anyone know why the change from hex to 12-point? Is it weight-saving, easier to manufacture or just being arkward?
Last edited by: hawkeye on Thu 7 Jun 18 at 12:07
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 12:28 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - bathtub tom
You'll probably need a new tool for the oil filter when you replace the car: tinyurl.com/yd5fqo5r
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 13:01 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Lygonos
>> You'll probably need a new tool for the oil filter when you replace the car

I can normally get the oil filters off with my Kung-Fu hand-grip, but occasionally resort to a tripod looking thing that is surprisingly annoying to get to grip onto the filter but once it does works every time.

tinyurl.com/yddfe58f

Mine isn't from Halfords but is similar to that.
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 13:10 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Robin O'Reliant
>>
>>
>> I can normally get the oil filters off with my Kung-Fu hand-grip, but occasionally resort
>> to a tripod looking thing that is surprisingly annoying to get to grip onto the
>> filter but once it does works every time.
>>
>> tinyurl.com/yddfe58f
>>
I've got one of those.

Like you say it works brilliantly, but it involves copious amounts of language while you try to get it to bite initially.
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 23:59 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - hawkeye
>> You'll probably need a new tool for the oil filter when you replace the car:
>> tinyurl.com/yd5fqo5r
>>

I've done the oil filter a couple of times. Its a paper thing that looks like a fuel filter element which lives under a plastic dome with a 27 mm hex nut moulded on top. Easy and accessible.
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 12:58 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Lygonos
>>Anyone know why the change from hex to 12-point?

No idea - maybe enables them to use a narrower tube?


>>Gone is the rubber collar to drag the plug out of its deep recess and it its place a civilised magnet

Good idea - prevents the collar staying on the plug and needing to fish it back out (or it falling into the tube)


Did the plugs on the FRV at 118,000 miles (meant to be changed at 100,000 as they are Iridium jobbies) couple of weeks ago.

Original plugs not too bad - small amount of loss of the negative electrode but gap very similar to the new plugs.

£64 for 4 plugs not cheap though.


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New Thu 7 Jun 18 13:36 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Stuartli
£64 for the replacement cost after a total of 118,000 miles of the plugs' use IS cheap. A lot cheaper than many other items or components....:-)

Even windscreen wipers can cost a fortune for true quality products and they certainly won't last that many miles...
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 19:46 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - martin aston
I am considering doing my own plugs on the Civic as Honda fixed price is £160. I havent changed a set of plugs in thirty years (I had company cars) but new-fangled sockets apart is it as easy as it ever was?

Are seized plugs an issue with the long service intervals as I doubt mine are finger tight?
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 19:54 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Lygonos
The FRV has the 1.8 iVTEC engine so presume identical to the 1.8 Civic.

There is a small domed nut (were quite rusty on the FRV) that holds each of the 4 coil packs in place (the big fat plug lead).

Undo the nut, squeeze the little clip that holds each coil pack to its lead, and remove coil pack from spark plug.

Spark plug socket on 6" extension reached the plug fine.

All 4 plugs were quite tight but came out without excessive effort.

All 4 new plugs finger tightened then gave them 1/8 of a turn with the socket (I don't have a torque wrench) since they have a little washer, rather than the tapered type that usually need 1/16 of a turn.

Despite being 118,000 miles and 8.5 years was very easy, and saved £100 in under an hour.


This is the 2.0 iVTEC but FRV one is pretty much identical:

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Honda_R20A_Engine.JPG

www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/ are a good supplier of genuine Honda parts when you want something Eurocarparts or similar can't supply - I use genuine Honda ATF and coolant in particular.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Thu 7 Jun 18 at 19:58
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New Thu 7 Jun 18 21:15 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - Lygonos
ps the spark plugs were 'normal' hexagon collared jobs

www.coxmotorparts.co.uk/honda-shop/genuine-honda-fr-v-1-8-petrol-spark-plug-set-iridium/
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New Fri 8 Jun 18 08:22 
 Citroen C3 - VTi 95 - just discovered new fangled spark plugs - martin aston
Lygonos, thanks for such a detailed reply.....virtual pint owed!
Reminds me of the £60 plus I saved by changing my own air and pollen filters in under 15 mins using Cox parts. Honda service pricing is a mystery with quite good deals on more complex or messy stuff like gearbox oil, brake fluid and even a service under their older cars scheme (with free breakdown cover). Against that they want a rate north of £200 per hour to do jobs like filters and plugs.
Apologies for thread drift.
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