Replace Spark Plugs and Wires on 2004 Vue 2.2L

[pk1023]

Hey everyone,

So here I am. I am trying to get more engine savy with my 2004 Vue now that I own it outright.

I recently decided I wanted to put Bosch Iridum tipped plugs in my 2.2l engine at 65k miles.

I went the Autozone and picked up the 4 plugs and asked for 4 plug wires. The girl checking me out said, the coil and plug type right? I said, yeah sure but I really ddin't know what she's talking about.

Can somebody steer me around replacing these? I know the sockets are deep and they are meteric. I know I remove the air intake and cover it. I know that I remove the ecotech plate and the sockets are below that.

But the thing I expected to be plug wires with boots just like on my old 302 90 Mustang are these strange tube like devices with a small spring in the bag.

I know I have to be carefull, I know if I break a plug (the porcelin part) I am in for a heafty repair cost.

I also know that I have to torque the plugs to right amount when I set them.

Could somebody give me a short intro to doing this, step by step and what to watch out for?

I mean I know there's risk here, but there was risk before I finished my basement by hand by myself. And that turned out so good that a guy appraiseing my house said he thought I had it done!

[twosaturns]

the ecotec is the world's easiest plug change. as you've figurd out, you take the coil pack off the cam cover. the spark plug boots are part of that assembly, no need to replace. replace plugs, reinstall coil pack, done. you can put a little bit of dielectric grease inside the boot if you like, couldn't hurt.
lots of differences from your mustang; no distributor, no plug wires.

[Tom92SCm]

Yep. You're gonna spend more time removing other stuff just to get to the plugs than you will actually removing/installing the plugs.

As far as how to do it, basically you remove the air intake tube from the throttle body and airbox making sure to unplug/remove any sensors in the tube as you go. Removing the intake tube itself is pretty easy and straight forward- a couple hose clamps at each end and a "pin" that helps to stabilize the tube to the motor. With the top of the motor exposed, unplug the wire harness going into the top of the ignition control module (ICM). Remove the bolts holding in the ICM (there's either 4 or 6). Carefully pull/pry the ICM up. The boots will have taken a pretty good hold to the plugs overtime so don't be too surprised if this seems harder than you expected. At this point, it's probably a good idea to shoot some compressed air down into the spark plug wells to clear out any dirt/sand that may have settled in the spark plug wells. Remove spark plugs. Install new plugs. Torque? It's not very much. Like as in my torque wrench that has a low setting of 25 ft-lbs is WAY too much. Then re-install everything you took off.

The engine may benefit from resetting the ECU after doing this, but you don't need to. To reset the ECU, pull the negative battery cable off the battery, hit the brake pedal several times and reconnect the battery.

Also, if your battery is the factory original, it probably says on the top that it's a 5 year battery. Looking at the calendar, it's been 5 years. Indy gets some cold winters. You may want to think about replacing the battery before winter as a precaution. I just replaced mine. My battery was showing no signs of needing to be replaced, but with my upcoming road trip (in June) and the VUE being my wife's car and kid transporter, replacing it before it needed it sounded like good preventative maintanence.

[pk1023]

Thanks guys for the detailed reponses. I am feeling pretty good about doing this myself now.

One last question, do the spark plugs need a deep well socket that is meteric, or is a stanard 5/8ths spark plug socket just fine?

What about removal, should I buy a socket with a gormet or just use an old spark plug boot off another car like is recomended in other forums?

[Tom92SCm]

I don't know on the size. There are 2 common sizes for spark plugs, I think the VUE uses the smaller of the 2. I wanna say it's a 16mm, but check the new plugs to be sure.

And you don't need a spark plug socket, but it will make life a little easier. It definitely needs to be a deep well. To get the plug out of the spark plug well without a spark plug socket, you'll need to use an old spark plug boot, a piece of rubber hose or a grabber. Or some other method.

[SaturnTech122]

hardly ever have to replace to coil boots on the ecotec, be wary with the bosch plugs they will sometimes not agree with the ignition system, also torque spec is 13 ft lb on the plug, much more than that and youll crack the head

[Phinxter]

Thanks guys for the detailed reponses. I am feeling pretty good about doing this myself now.

One last question, do the spark plugs need a deep well socket that is meteric, or is a stanard 5/8ths spark plug socket just fine?

What about removal, should I buy a socket with a gormet or just use an old spark plug boot off another car like is recomended in other forums?

Well here's my opinion... Unless the plugs are fouled your wasting your money replacing your plugs until 100k. And when you do replace them use what came in the engine i.e. AC/Delco. I own a Saturn and it gets them. I own a Ford and it gets either Motorcraft or Autolite and a Plymouth and it gets Champion. You might save yourself a headache if you follow that formula.

[Tom92SCm]

Well here's my opinion... Unless the plugs are fouled your wasting your money replacing your plugs until 100k. And when you do replace them use what came in the engine i.e. AC/Delco. I own a Saturn and it gets them. I own a Ford and it gets either Motorcraft or Autolite and a Plymouth and it gets Champion. You might save yourself a headache if you follow that formula.

3 of my 4 "100,000 mile" plug were worn well out of spec at just over 50,000. While the VUE wasn't running rough or having any other associated problems, I have a theory that ignition control module failures are caused by people running their plugs to the 100,000 mile service limit. Just a theory though. And spending an extra $30 on plugs to potentially save a couple hundred on a ICM doesn't sound like a waste of money to me.

[twosaturns]

I feel the same. I changed mine at about 60K and they were visibly worn. they were in there 5 yrs, that's long enough.

[Phinxter]

3 of my 4 "100,000 mile" plug were worn well out of spec at just over 50,000. While the VUE wasn't running rough or having any other associated problems, I have a theory that ignition control module failures are caused by people running their plugs to the 100,000 mile service limit. Just a theory though. And spending an extra $30 on plugs to potentially save a couple hundred on a ICM doesn't sound like a waste of money to me.

I disagree with your theory. The module controls the coils, switching them on and off. When they are supplied power the coils produce a magnetic field. when they have that power shut off the field collapses to the path of least resistance, the spark plug. The module is nothing more than a fancy set of ignition points or are you too young to know what those are.

Just for kicks today I was replacing a set of plugs in a 2004 Vue 3.5 with 95k miles. I actually used a gauge to measure the electrode gaps in the old and new plugs. Not any difference was found.

[Tom92SCm]

I've actually owned 3 cars that had distributors.

I know how the ICM operates, but when that plug wears and the gap opens up, the resistance increases, possibly to a point where the spark plug is no longer the path of least resistance. Now my 4 cylinder engine was never running rough or exhibiting any problems but like I said- 3 of my 4 plugs were either worn out of spec or never correctly gapped to spec. I've owned the VUE since new but never pulled the plugs to check until I replaced them. And maybe the ecotec motor is harder on plugs than the 3.5L Honda. All I know is that I've read post about people replacing their ICMs at about 100k miles that had their factory plugs still installed. Maybe there is a connection between the two, maybe not.

[bestharry]

No offence to anyone but I second Tom92SCm for his theory and can easily relate it to few of the plug wire failures and ignition coil failures related to worn out plugs. Infact, In my volvo 850, I got misfire on one cylinder and after checking it in dark, I could see a the spark on the wire leaking to ground. For temperory trial, I reduced the gap in that plug and the misfire went away which explains that when the gap in plugs increase beyond specs, it could result in leakage to any other 'least resistance' path.

[pk1023]

Guys, I did it! With a little help from my Dad! :)

We changed them last Friday and it's been smooth sailing ever since. I put in the Bosch Platium +2 plugs, even with the possible ICM issues. If I have trouble, I plan to just use a nice pull a part place here in town.

Other than that, it was a good and easy job!