Comments on doing this job? A friend is asking if I want to do his spark plugs.

 

Lots of thread on DOHC stuff but few remarks on SOHC.

It's not too bad, the plugs are angled, and the openings are on the top of the valve cover.

 

EDIT: Oh, and this is referring to a 00-04 legacy/outback. I assume others are similar, but not sure what stuff/plastic subaru might have moved/added.

 

For the passenger side you'll want to pull the air intake snorkel/plastic, that'll give you plenty of room. Driver side I get away with just unbolting the washer tank and moving it out of the way. (Might need to unclip the wires for the washer pumps though, sedan has 1 motor, wagon has 2). (It's a bit tight, but not too bad. Some people will say to pull the battery, but I don't feel like going through that much effort.)

 

I'm pretty sure I use just a long extension, and no u-joint. I like to use the sockets that have the rubber inserts for removal/insertion, and start threading the plug in by hand.

 

Biggest pain sometimes is pulling the darn plug boots! (Here's hoping the gaskets are still good and you don't find a pool of oil in the plug well!)

Edited December 7, 200916 yr by nickb21

It's not too bad, the plugs are angled, and the openings are on the top of the valve cover.

 

EDIT: Oh, and this is referring to a 00-04 legacy/outback. I assume others are similar, but not sure what stuff/plastic subaru might have moved/added.

 

For the passenger side you'll want to pull the air intake snorkel/plastic, that'll give you plenty of room. Driver side I get away with just unbolting the washer tank and moving it out of the way. (Might need to unclip the wires for the washer pumps though, sedan has 1 motor, wagon has 2). (It's a bit tight, but not too bad. Some people will say to pull the battery, but I don't feel like going through that much effort.)

 

I'm pretty sure I use just a long extension, and no u-joint. I like to use the sockets that have the rubber inserts for removal/insertion, and start threading the plug in by hand.

 

Biggest pain sometimes is pulling the darn plug boots! (Here's hoping the gaskets are still good and you don't find a pool of oil in the plug well!)

 

+1

 

After doing the head gaskets on the wifes '98 Outback I really appreciate my SOHC motor so much more. It is a PITA just to pull the plugs. No big deal really. I won't have to do them again for about 5yrs. By then it should be gone for the next one.

Gary,

 

You don't mention year or model.

 

But all the SOHC's that I've done (up to 2006) are much easier than any of the DOHC's.

Any tips on H-6 sparkplug removal? 2003 LL Bean. Thanks.

Any tips on H-6 sparkplug removal? 2003 LL Bean. Thanks.

i'm curious about that too since i have the same engine. this is pretyy well documented ont he subaruoutback forum, might want to check there?

 

as an update to my friend - he had a clutch failure - poor guy has gotten the run around like crazy on that trans/clutch and i didn't time to do a clutch job for him. Anyway - his clutch failed so he ended up having the plugs done at the same time the clutch was fixed.