Hi all! From this article you will learn how to replace spark plugs for a Nissan Qashqai 2.0 liter. All work was performed on a 2008 Nissan Qashqai with a 2.0 liter engine and 141 hp. Gearbox - variator. To begin with, it should be said that this procedure is not the simplest, but if you have basic knowledge and free time, then everything can be done independently. Typically, Nissan Qashqai owners go to a service center to have their spark plugs changed. This is the simplest solution to the problem. But if you are not used to overpaying for someone else’s work, then you are welcome to contact us. We will tell you everything and show you clearly. And all you have to do is follow our instructions and perform all the steps on your car. So, let's go.
What is required to replace spark plugs on a Nissan Qashqai?
1. Free time. The whole job takes about half an hour of free time. 2. Basic set of tools. 3. Straight arms. 4. New spark plugs. If you don’t know what spark plugs you need, you can turn to the Internet for help or to salespeople at a spare parts store. We used DENSO Iridium Tough spark plugs labeled VFXEH20. These are iridium-platinum spark plugs that cost a lot of money. As of 10/25/16, the price for one candle was about 1000 rubles. Since candles in Qashqai are not very easy to change, it is better to immediately buy high-quality ones so that you don’t “touch” them for the next couple of years. However, if you are not ready to spend money, you can always find cheaper analogues, of which there are now a great many in any online stores:
Replacement frequency
Technical documentation for the crossover reports that for 1.6 and 2.0 liter engines, spark plugs are changed at the same frequency, approximately 30,000 km. It is recommended to perform the same actions every two years, even if the car has not driven a sufficient distance. Original products can last not 25-30, but 45-60 thousand km, however, in this case, uninterrupted operation of the engine is not guaranteed.
To determine the replacement period, you can focus not only on the timing and mileage, but also on the condition of the car. You can determine that it is time to change the spark plugs by the unstable operation of the power unit, its difficulty starting and a decrease in the dynamic characteristics of the car. It is worth paying attention to fuel consumption - if it is increased, replacement is also necessary.
Progress of work on replacing spark plugs Nissan Qashqai
1. Using a 10″ socket, unscrew the decorative engine trim and move it to the side.
8. Now you need to unscrew the spark plug itself. For this, a special 14″ spark plug wrench is used. We unscrew the old spark plug and screw a new one in its place. We perform a similar procedure on the remaining three spark plugs. 9. Put everything back together in reverse order. If the intake manifold gasket has become stiff, you can replace it at the same time to prevent air leaks when the engine is running.
That's all! At this point, the replacement of spark plugs for Nissan Qashqai 2.0 can be considered complete. In addition, we recommend watching a video that clearly shows everything.
Spark plugs for Nissan Qashqai: general information
As standard, Nissan Qashqai cars are supplied with a proprietary set of spark plugs with part number 22401CK81B from NGK. A direct analogue of products from the same brand is PLZKAR6A-11 or NGK 5118.
Spark plugs for Nissan Qashqai do not differ fundamentally depending on engine size or vehicle generation. For Nissan Qashqai 1.6 and 2.0 cars, these ignition system elements have the following parameters:
- thread length and diameter – 26.5 and 12 mm, respectively;
- heat number – 6;
- key size – 14 mm;
- The material of the central electrode and the working surface of the side electrode is platinum.
Practice shows that in recent years, cases of counterfeit spark plugs for Nissan have become more frequent. Original PLZKAR6A-11 products must meet the following characteristics:
- smooth electrodes;
- the distance between the central and side electrodes is 1.1 mm;
- non-removable o-ring;
- a small platinum solder on the side electrode (opposite the central one);
- slightly beige insulator;
- original NGK spraying between ceramics and metal.
In addition to products with a platinum electrode, branded iridium spark plugs are produced for Nissan Qashqai. Their article number is 22401JD01B, manufactured by Denso. A direct iridium analogue of the product from the same manufacturer is sold under the number FXE20HR11.
The recommended standard for replacing ignition elements on Nissan Qashqai 1.6 cars is 40 thousand kilometers, on Nissan Qashqai 2.0 - from 30 to 35 thousand kilometers. It is noteworthy that these figures apply to spark plugs with platinum electrodes, which have a longer service life. For standard, ordinary spark plugs, the recommended standard is 15 thousand kilometers. The same interval is recommended for regularly checking the performance of spark plugs.
In practice, the real service life of iridium and platinum products reaches 90 and even 100 thousand kilometers. But even taking into account this advantage, you should not neglect checking the elements of the ignition system.
What then?
So, all the manifold bolts are unscrewed. Now you can take it out after first removing the oil dipstick. Then we will see the ignition coils. You need to remove the connectors from them and unscrew the mounting bolts. The ignition coils must be removed in order.
Then we take the spark plug head at 14 in our hands. We unscrew the spark plugs themselves. If the key is not magnetic, you can remove them with a rubber seal from the ignition coil. New candles are screwed in to replace the old ones. Pay attention to the tightening torque. Candles should not be turned by force. The carving in the head is very delicate. To accurately calculate the torque, you need to tighten it with a torque wrench. The force should be about 19-20 Nm. If there is no special key, you need to tighten it with one hand. There is no need to use force here.
It also happens that the candle is bitten at first. In such a situation, you need to unscrew it. Otherwise, the threads in the cylinder block can be damaged, and in the worst case, some of the chips will get into the combustion chamber. After installing the spark plugs, assembly of the units is carried out in the reverse order.
Install the manifold only after the laying surface has been thoroughly cleaned. Tightening must be done from the center to the edges in turn. Also, do not forget to install the gasket on the throttle assembly and connect the coils. At this point, the replacement of spark plugs on the Nissan Qashqai has been successfully completed.
After assembly, you need to do a test run. If the car refuses to start, most likely the coils were connected incorrectly. They need to be swapped. If the spark plugs are replaced correctly, the Nissan Qashqai should start with half a turn. At idle, operation should be stable, and under load (while driving) there should be no jerking.
Signs
It happens that the candle turns out to be of poor quality or defective. In such a situation, its resource will be several times less. How can you tell if a spark plug is faulty? In case of malfunction, it will periodically pass a spark. In fact, the driver may notice the following signs:
- Reduced engine power (because one or even several cylinders are not working).
- Increased fuel consumption. The mixture that gets into the chamber does not burn due to the lack of a spark, but simply flies out into the pipe.
- Long engine starting (both cold and hot).
- Dips when pressing the accelerator pedal sharply.
- Unstable engine operation at idle, “triple”.
If at least one of these signs is observed, this is already a reason to think about the serviceability of the spark plug. But we also note that similar symptoms may be due to the ignition coil. To make sure the spark plug is working properly, you need to unscrew it, connect the wire and lean it against a metal part of the engine (for example, a valve cover). Next, you should ask an assistant to turn the starter. If there is no spark, this indicates a faulty spark plug. They need to be replaced as a complete set.
Let's get started
On a Nissan Qashqai car, replacing the spark plugs yourself must be done after the engine has cooled down. So, open the hood and remove the decorative engine cover. It is held on by two bolts, which can be found at the edges of the emblem.
Then access to the collector and other elements will open. But you need to start by dismantling the rubber pipe, which is located between the throttle valve and the air filter housing. How do you continue to replace spark plugs on a Nissan Qashqai? Then the collector itself is removed. It is held on by several bolts.
The first five attach the manifold at the very bottom to the head of the cylinder block. And the sixth bolt connects the manifold to the valve cover. It can be found near the oil filler neck. The seventh screw is located under the throttle assembly. It is recommended to remove such a unit first. How is the throttle secured? It is installed on four bolts.
After unscrewing them, carefully separate the throttle body gasket. Then you can safely unscrew the last manifold bolt.
Spark plug selection
The original spark plugs used by Nissan on these engines are NGK PLZKAR6A-11, not cheap (about 1200 rubles per set) and very specific - long skirt, small hexagon size (14 mm).
Their functional analogues (that is, spark plugs from other manufacturers that have a platinum or iridium coating): Bosch 0242135524, Champion OE207 (platinum), Denso VFXEH22 or FXE20HR11 (iridium). In any case, a set of candles will cost more than 1000 rubles: candles of the same size without platinum or iridium are simply not produced.
Since when replacing you will have to dismantle the throttle and intake manifold, on cars with a decent mileage it is worth buying their gaskets (having hardened over time, they will no longer seal tightly again). For the throttle, the original number is 16175-JG31A, for the intake manifold - 14035-ED800.
Replacing spark plugs on a Nissan Qashqai: installation guide and troubleshooting
Do you know what spark plugs are for and why they play an important role in engine performance? How to correctly replace spark plugs on a Nissan Qashqai and why does their failure cause problems with the entire propulsion system?
In order to answer these questions, it is necessary, first of all, to understand: what are spark plugs? Spark plugs are a device that ignites the working mixture and is the main element of the smooth operation of the engine. The failure of at least one spark plug makes it impossible to further operate the engine.
What to choose?
Today you can see a variety of spark plugs on the shelves of automotive stores. The dealer recommends using original products. This is NGK PLZKAR6A-11. It is worth noting that the original model has specific characteristics - a long skirt and a small hexagon size (14 millimeters).
The cost of the original kit is high, so many people install analogues. These include platinum candles “Bosch”, “Champion”, as well as “Denso”. Is it possible to use iridium spark plugs on a Nissan Qashqai? Experts note that such elements work absolutely adequately on a Japanese engine. Among these, it is worth noting the products FXE20HR11 from.
Can I use spark plugs without platinum or iridium coating? Unfortunately, in the case of the Nissan Qashqai, you won’t be able to save money. The fact is that ordinary spark plugs simply will not fit into the engine, since they have a different standard size.
Photo instructions for replacing spark plugs in a Nissan Teana car
Remove the protective cover on the Nissan Teana by unscrewing 4 bolts (indicated by arrows in the photo):
Here we see 4 ignition coils. They need to be unscrewed using the key set to “10” and pulled out:
Now you can see the spark plug itself:
We use a special key, unscrew and pull out the spark plugs:
We change all 4 spark plugs and put everything back together in reverse order.
Replacing spark plugs on any other Nissan models: Note, Maxima, Almera, Tiida, X-Trail and others, the replacement principle is the same
Tools
Since such an operation involves dismantling the throttle and intake manifold, we will need a set of 8-10 sockets with an extension and a ratchet. You will also need a 14mm spark plug wrench (preferably with a magnet) and a torque wrench.
You will also need a minus screwdriver. By the way, you can make a spark plug wrench with your own hands. To do this, you will need a 14mm tubular wrench. A long bolt is welded to its end. And then the key can be rotated with a regular head with a ratchet wrench.
