Spark Plug access.

[user 2676]

My PHEV is only a few months old and I have a 'service package' to I won't need to remove the plugs etc myself for some years.

However, while checking the oil, coolant etc today, I decided to check access to the plugs.

I THINK I've found them, on the 'front' side of the engine. However, they seem to be 'buried' under all kinds of 'gubbins' which would need to be removed to gain access.

Am I looking in the wrong place or are the plugs really that difficult to remove?

(I'm old fashioned, I always check the plugs each service I do, clean etc.. Normally they don't need replacing but old habits die hard.)

If anyone knows where the oil filter is and the best way to access it, I'd appreciate a hint, please.

Regards
Brian
(Thinking his days of servicing may be over!)

 

[jaapv]

Bear in mind that the engine will run far less than on a conventional car, and often at an efficient RPM. There is little need for fiddling. As the car is unsuitable for DIY service anyway (no computer diagnostic programs, updates, access to the factory service online etc.), user-serviceability is not a realistic issue. If you want something to get your hands dirty, I would advise you to get an Allegro on the side. :lol: Welcome to 2018

 

[AndyH]

My PHEV is only a few months old and I have a 'service package' to I won't need to remove the plugs etc myself for some years.

However, while checking the oil, coolant etc today, I decided to check access to the plugs.

I THINK I've found them, on the 'front' side of the engine. However, they seem to be 'buried' under all kinds of 'gubbins' which would need to be removed to gain access.

Am I looking in the wrong place or are the plugs really that difficult to remove?

(I'm old fashioned, I always check the plugs each service I do, clean etc.. Normally they don't need replacing but old habits die hard.)

If anyone knows where the oil filter is and the best way to access it, I'd appreciate a hint, please.

Regards
Brian
(Thinking his days of servicing may be over!)

I can't personally speak to the spark plugs yet (though the front of the engine should be the right place).**

The oil filter, though is on the front side of the engine, near the middle, hangs straight down, and is super easy to access once the bottom aerodynamic cover is removed. The cover/belly pan is held on with 6x bolts and 4x plastic clips. When you crawl under, bring a 10mm deep socket and ratchet, or a regular 10mm socket and short extension. Also bring a 'straight' or 'flat blade' screwdriver with a blade about 1/8" / 4mm wide. Pry the center out of the plastic pins and the inner 'fingers' will compress - they pop right out.

ETA...** According to the service info for the 2016 model, the coil packs and spark plugs are accessed from the top.

http://mmc-manuals.ru/manuals/outla...ual_2013/2016/16/html/M116300400230300ENG.HTM

Removal steps:
Rocker cover centre cover
ignition coil connector
ignition coil
spark plug

Gap is here: http://mmc-manuals.ru/manuals/outla...ual_2013/2016/16/html/M116300430297301ENG.HTM

On my 2018 US spec model, there's no rocker cover center cover - the entire air filter box is bolted to the valve cover. The coil packs are definitely in there.

 

[user 2676]

Bear in mind that the engine will run far less than on a conventional car, and often at an efficient RPM. There is little need for fiddling. As the car is unsuitable for DIY service anyway (no computer diagnostic programs, updates, access to the factory service online etc.), user-serviceability is not a realistic issue. If you want something to get your hands dirty, I would advise you to get an Allegro on the side. :lol: Welcome to 2018

I agree with your observations re the need for attention but basic oil changes etc. should be ok. (Although we will probably replace the car once the warranty is done.)

As for the Allegro, I was thinking of a bit of tinkering from time to time, not spending the rest of my life in the garage ;-)

 

[user 2676]

I can't personally speak to the spark plugs yet (though the front of the engine should be the right place).**

The oil filter, though is on the front side of the engine, near the middle, hangs straight down, and is super easy to access once the bottom aerodynamic cover is removed. The cover/belly pan is held on with 6x bolts and 4x plastic clips. When you crawl under, bring a 10mm deep socket and ratchet, or a regular 10mm socket and short extension. Also bring a 'straight' or 'flat blade' screwdriver with a blade about 1/8" / 4mm wide. Pry the center out of the plastic pins and the inner 'fingers' will compress - they pop right out.

ETA...** According to the service info for the 2016 model, the coil packs and spark plugs are accessed from the top.

http://mmc-manuals.ru/manuals/outla...ual_2013/2016/16/html/M116300400230300ENG.HTM

Removal steps:
Rocker cover centre cover
ignition coil connector
ignition coil
spark plug

Gap is here: http://mmc-manuals.ru/manuals/outla...ual_2013/2016/16/html/M116300430297301ENG.HTM

On my 2018 US spec model, there's no rocker cover center cover - the entire air filter box is bolted to the valve cover. The coil packs are definitely in there.

Thank you.

I suspect what I saw on the front of the engine wasn't the plugs. I could see something which looked like a it may be a plug for a coil pack in that area.

However, I also have a large air filter on top of the engine which, I suspect if I removed it, I'd expose the plugs.

Oil filter sounds easy to get at. My previous car (2006 Honda CRV, which I adored), the oil filter was a real pain. Not as bad as my Mazda/Miata MX5 but that was a cramped little car.

The engine bay of the PHEV looks quite daunting. I can't see myself doing anything beyond basic checks and servicing, if even the latter.

Regards
Brian

 

[AndyH]

Thank you.

I suspect what I saw on the front of the engine wasn't the plugs. I could see something which looked like a it may be a plug for a coil pack in that area.

However, I also have a large air filter on top of the engine which, I suspect if I removed it, I'd expose the plugs.

Oil filter sounds easy to get at. My previous car (2006 Honda CRV, which I adored), the oil filter was a real pain. Not as bad as my Mazda/Miata MX5 but that was a cramped little car.

The engine bay of the PHEV looks quite daunting. I can't see myself doing anything beyond basic checks and servicing, if even the latter.

Regards
Brian

My pleasure, Brian! I did my first oil change and it's really easy. The body pan comes down easily - remove the fasteners, slide it back about 3/4 of a inch. The oil filter's vertical. A couple of tablespoons of oil runs down the side of the filter - it might be a candidate for punching a hole in the oil filter can before removing it. The Outlander's ground clearance and the filter location made the oil change very easy.

On my car, there's enough of a gap on the left (as looking from the front of the car) so that part of the coil pack is visible under the air filter box.

I've done work on a couple of cars that have had the original spark plugs in place in the aluminum head and they were a challenge to remove without damaging the threads. I plan on removing, cleaning, and replacing the plugs at least once - maybe around 50,000 miles. Other than that, I figure I've got about 98000 miles to go before I have to worry about belts, coolant, and hoses.

 

[maby]

Has anyone seen a service schedule for the PHEV yet? Now that ours is out of warranty, I would anticipate doing the services myself other than those which include the replacement or adjustment of major components.

 

[Harald]

Has anyone seen a service schedule for the PHEV yet? Now that ours is out of warranty, I would anticipate doing the services myself other than those which include the replacement or adjustment of major components.

Depending on the usage of the car, the need for maintenance should be quite different.
Some users are (almost) never charging the battery via the cable while others almost never operate the ICE...

 

[jaapv]

Has anyone seen a service schedule for the PHEV yet? Now that ours is out of warranty, I would anticipate doing the services myself other than those which include the replacement or adjustment of major components.

Didn't you get a five-year guaranty?

 

[maby]

Has anyone seen a service schedule for the PHEV yet? Now that ours is out of warranty, I would anticipate doing the services myself other than those which include the replacement or adjustment of major components.

Didn't you get a five-year guaranty?

I got the so-called guaranty of five years on the battery, but everything else was just on the three years which was standard in the 2014 model.

 

[jaapv]

We got a 5-year option.

 

[maby]

We got a 5-year option.

It was an option here, but when I looked at the content and the price, I came to the conclusion that it was not worth it.

 

[Tipper]

Warranty became standard 5-years in the UK for 2015 cars, I presume the rest of the world did too.

Interestingly this is only advised in a' sticker' in the service book for my car and the original wording for 3-years warranty is still in the book text. At purchase, an ex-Mitsubishi management car 6 months old, I checked the 5 years statement with the selling dealer and it was stated on the car's purchase paperwork.

With respect to DIY servicing as the engine is intermittently used with many 'cold' starts I would suggest additional oil changes would be beneficial even though the car manufacturer's and engine oil suppliers would say not! As to spark plugs modern electronic engine management and ignition systems mean the plugs last for donkey's years. I haven't changed plugs for many years now and have only done so on my 1995 MG RV8!

 

[AndyH]

Has anyone seen a service schedule for the PHEV yet? Now that ours is out of warranty, I would anticipate doing the services myself other than those which include the replacement or adjustment of major components.

This is the 2018 North America booklet with the two maintenance schedules:
http://www.catcoinwallets.com/images/posts/EV/2018MY_PHEV_Maintenance.pdf