O.K. I'm not going to get that carried away!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Do plan on changing plugs and wires so need some info.
What is a good brand of wire and plug???????

I can see it will take a little to get to them if they are under that black plastic on top of the motor.

About how long does this take?
Thanks for the info in advance. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

First you are going to have to stop by the dealer and buy the gasket for the intake plenum. The older years had a fiber gasket there and it tends to split and crack. The newer gasket is steel and reusable. It costs around four dollars.

Another thing is that you can't get new plug wires. Once you get in there you will see what I mean. I am using the Bosch Platinum +4's in my 2000. I noticed a little better take off after installing them, although some of the other guys have reported an occasional stumble in the idle with those particular plugs installed.

Chris Vernon
Golden, Colorado

Go to thread called "30K Service" dated 5/15. It gives the complete procedure for changing the spark plugs.

O.K. I went in and copied the info on "30K Service" dated 5/15 post.

It doesn't look hard, just take some time. I called around last night for plug wires and everyone said you had to go to the dealer. I will stop and get the gasket and new plugs.

What do you use for the anti-seize compound?
Hopefully if the plugs have been changed before they used that stuff also. I hate it when you have a stuck plug. Seems like I have trouble breaking things once in a while.

Right now when we start out sometimes it hisitates or like it starts to go then it bogg's down but then picks up again. I'm hoping the plugs will help that.

Just get any anti-seize compound designed for use on sparkplugs from any auto parts store.

There are only 2 plugs wires and they are dealer only item. You'll see why there are only 2 wires once you remove the plastic cover. Since you have around 90K miles it might be a good idea to change them. I think they run about $12 each.

[ What do you use for the anti-seize compound?

I believe it's a product that's available at most auto stores.

Hopefully if the plugs have been changed before they used that stuff also. I hate it when you have a stuck plug. Seems like I have trouble breaking things once in a while.

My mechanic says that he takes his time taking the plugs out of an aluminium head. <img border="0" alt="[Yawn]" title="" src="graemlins/yawn.gif" /> DON'T force it. <img border="0" alt="[Satan]" title="" src="graemlins/satan.gif" /> Untighten and tighten little bits at a time so it gradually comes out. He also has a spark plug tap to clean the threads if he has problems after the plug is out.

I use NGK platinums as my replacement plug single electrode, they work well for me.
As far as plug wires I think the coil and 2 wires are a unit. You will see when you take off the cover.
It's not hard to do just time consuming. Remember to take your time to ease out the plugs.

Best of luck
Robert

O.K. I went out and checked and there was a little piece of the gasket I could see so I took a knife and scraped it and it is like the paper type gasket. Does this mean there is a good chance these are the original plugs?

I checked with the Kia dealer and of coarse they have to order the gasket.
I also checked on the coils and they said they are around $45.00 a piece.

I guess I'll wait now until next weekend to work on it.....

Your plugs may have been changed and they replaced the gasget with another paper type gasget. I think mid 98 or 99 was the first year the aluminum gasgets were used.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">Originally posted by Explorerguy:
<strong>O.K. I went out and checked and there was a little piece of the gasket I could see so I took a knife and scraped it and it is like the paper type gasket. Does this mean there is a good chance these are the original plugs?

I checked with the Kia dealer and of coarse they have to order the gasket.
I also checked on the coils and they said they are around $45.00 a piece.

I guess I'll wait now until next weekend to work on it.....</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helv, Helvetica, Sans">I find it amazing that the dealer wouldn't have the gasket. How do they perform tune ups on customer vehicles without it?

You shouldn't have to change the 2 coils. Just the 2 plug wires that attach to them.

I was really surprised myself. I would think a mechanic would just put a new one on everytime since they aren't that expensive.

I have found out they don't carry a lot of parts in stock for the 95 Kia Sportage.

They sure have a lot of new vehicles out front so maybe they want to sell you one instead of the parts.

Hopefully I'll dig into it next weekend if we aren't busy.
I looked at it again and I can see the bolts have been taken out before so someone has changed them at least once.
Thanks again for all the good advice. Should make the job a lot easier.