Recommended spark plug socket?

[handsmann]

Now that I'm not sitting waiting for the police to knock at my door looking for a hooky DG engine, I'd like to see what my/our money has bought and whip the NGK BP6ETs out to see what story they tell about the state of the engine.

Unless someone has made a rubber plug socket I think I'll struggle to get to them, especially the front offside plug. Do members have a preferred tool or any sneaky tips to get at them please? Fortunately they have only been in since February so I don't expect them to resist too much. Famous last words...

Thanks

Chris

[thecyrusvirus]

I changed the plugs on my 1.9dg yesterday.

Offside front one, cylinder 1, (when looking from the back of the van) I had to remove the air filter box (one screw to release the jubilee clip on the hose to the carb and another to the fresh air intake) and then a flip catch to release the plastic body from the van. Then it just tilts out

All the others were pretty easy to get to - I think I used a short extension bar on my spark plug socket

[handsmann]

I changed the plugs on my 1.9dg yesterday.

Offside front one, cylinder 1, (when looking from the back of the van) I had to remove the air filter box (one screw to release the jubilee clip on the hose to the carb and another to the fresh air intake) and then a flip catch to release the plastic body from the van. Then it just tilts out

All the others were pretty easy to get to - I think I used a short extension bar on my spark plug socket

Fantastic - thank you thecyrusvirus. I have a new air filter on the way (Halfords let me down) so I might as well check the plugs while I'm changing the filter.

Much appreciated.

Chris

[itchyfeet]

Forget Halfrauds, if you prefer to shop locally rather than buy your parts on line look for GSF or Eurocarparts, the latter being cheaper to click and collect than walk in

[handsmann]

Thanks for the tip. I keep seeing GSF mentioned and only just realised they have numerous branches - one near us in South Manchester surely... I'll take a look at both. I'm guessing that to get all the bits you need, you sometimes have to shop around.

Time to say bye-bye to the skin on my knuckles - where's that Swarfega?

Chris

[itchyfeet]

I say if you must buy locally because GSF have a reputation for selling some parts of low quality, if they are branded like Febi or Bosch for example they will be good
many of us prefer to think ahead and buy our bits the week before from on line suppliers who only stock good quality parts or OEM, the same brand that VW fitted

Favourites are
http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.vwheritage.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

just kampers are another major online supplier but some people have had their fingers burnt there with poor quality too so be careful
http://www.justkampers.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some parts are obsolete so bear in mind second hand suppliers like
http://www.wagonbuild.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.t25direct.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
there are also regular breakers on here so wanted section here is good

finally Eurocar parts have an online shop often the cheapest for things, get you oil there cheaper than anywhere else with free delivery, its bonkers out there
http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SamsBus2012]

GSF in trafford
Eurocarparts in trafford and stockport.

[Verne]

Given the choice, I'd use GSF

It may be sour grapes from competitors, but I regularly hear that ECP are branding cheap and nasty parts as 'Premium' brands, which is why they can beat everyone else on price.

[SamsBus2012]

Both GSF and ECP stock "good" brand service parts. ECP currently have "sale" so some better branded parts cheap when ordered online - though must admit never heard of some of the brands they stock - no doubt China's finest. Can't be any worse than the GSF budget mirrors i bought which disintegrated on contact with large flies or twigs! As ever, you get what you pay for so as others have said, stick to reputable brands

[handsmann]

Superb - thank you all for this wealth of experience and information. I'll doubtless make some bad buying decisions, but hopefully not many - and I won't waste people's time moaning about them on here.

Hope to see some of you (or all of you) at Tatton Park this Sunday. Whether I change the coolant or not, I want to get Gwynfor down there (my wife's idea - it's Welsh for "the great white one"). I'm assuming we can't give phone numbers or reg numbers on the forum and I don't think I can send a private message until my club membership is confirmed.

I'll more than likely be wearing my "Old Guys Rule" t-shirt and looking VERY excited so please tap me on the shoulder and let's have a chat.

Cheers

Chris

[itchyfeet]

Antifreeze you say
dont waste your money on g12 this is equivilant as said in the listing, you need 50% so 8 litres
Cheapest in small bottles, who would have thought that
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-a ... &0&cc5_866" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
£21.44 all in
can do it evey two years for that no problem

[Smosh]

I changed all my plugs on my 1.9 on sunday with everything in place!?

just go behind the airbox, with a medium extension. Work out which way you are turning it before you try it. Small turns. Make sure you use you fingers to thread it back in. Dont cross thread it!

[thecyrusvirus]

Smosh, you must have more nimble fingers than me! Didn't matter which way I oriented the ratchet or which extension bar I put on I could not get a decent turn on the plug in number 1 without removing the airbox.

[handsmann]

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-a ... &0&cc5_866
£21.44 all in
can do it evey two years for that no problem

Now I'll admit to having bought 2L of this http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine ... nt-conc-2l" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; at the price shown here for doing top-ups, before I took a look at the system and decided (ha ha) that topping up the old stuff that was in there would be a waste of money. Oh, the irony.

The learning curve is so steep - I think I'm going to fall off (new tagline anybody?).

Thanks again for all the advice and encouragement folks...

Chris

[itchyfeet]

Yeh Halforeds eh
head stud corrosion is a well known issue with waterboxers so you need to keep a high 50% mix for corrosion resistance not freezing and re do it evey two years...

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/bleed ... 29710.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We all went through the learning curve, wiki is good to trawl through in spare time but i like just reading about problems and the answers on here, even doing a bit of research with the manual if i dont understand the answer. I dont have the fault now you can bet i will have one day.

you can bookmark interesting posts so they are easy to find, look them up in your user control panel



cheers
Paul