Coils & Plugs Change out

[ManMN]

Coils & Spark Plugs change out.

In order to change the Coils & Spark Plugs for ’04 CayenneS , the torque arm must be swing out of the way and the bracket on the on the valve cover (passenger side) must be removed. Is this an accurate statement?

I bought this car used at 76K mile last year. This week, I wanted to inspect the coils due to the “crack” issue that I have read and perhaphs change the plugs while I’m at it. During the procedure, I only could remove the (2) upper bolts on the bracket where the torque arm is secured to, the (2) lower bolts apparently were stripped/damaged from the previous owner, at least that’s I what I think what happened; I can only turn the bolts with the ratchet but could not take them out.

As this is my 1st Porsche, I thought there might be a special tool to remove these bolts. So I put everything back & took it to the dealer. I asked the dealer to change out the coils & plugs (which I supplied). They agreed, and the work is done a day latter.

When I came home, wanted to know if the dealer has tighten the lower bracket bolts, well, of course, the bolts are still loosen! That means that they only replaced (7) sets of coils & plugs!!! (@$#*^&).

I’m going back to talk to the service manager. I want to have a concrete evident to support my theory. What do you think?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

ManN

[CaptnCrash]

Coils & Spark Plugs change out.

In order to change the Coils & Spark Plugs for ’04 CayenneS , the torque arm must be swing out of the way and the bracket on the on the valve cover (passenger side) must be removed. Is this an accurate statement?

I bought this car used at 76K mile last year. This week, I wanted to inspect the coils due to the “crack” issue that I have read and perhaphs change the plugs while I’m at it. During the procedure, I only could remove the (2) upper bolts on the bracket where the torque arm is secured to, the (2) lower bolts apparently were stripped/damaged from the previous owner, at least that’s I what I think what happened; I can only turn the bolts with the ratchet but could not take them out.

As this is my 1st Porsche, I thought there might be a special tool to remove these bolts. So I put everything back & took it to the dealer. I asked the dealer to change out the coils & plugs (which I supplied). They agreed, and the work is done a day latter.

When I came home, wanted to know if the dealer has tighten the lower bracket bolts, well, of course, the bolts are still loosen! That means that they only replaced (7) sets of coils & plugs!!! (@$#*^&).

I’m going back to talk to the service manager. I want to have a concrete evident to support my theory. What do you think?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

ManN

Always demand the return of your old parts especially if you provided the new ones. Won't work with warranty items but in that case who cares. Having a return bag will answer these and other questions pretty quickly.

--CC

Edited June 13, 2011 by CaptnCrash

[deilenberger]

Sounds like you didn't use the triple-square (12 point) "spline" driver that's needed for the bolts. To get the torque-arm out of the way, you remove the bolt going through it on the engine end, loosen the bolt on the body end and then swing it up out of the way. The bracket mounted to the engine.. this unbolts, but you DO need the special drivers to remove it. The bolts may appear stripped out, but the design has a very shallow (and many) recesses in it, which requires the special wrench/driver to remove. Trying to do it with torx or allens isn't gonna work.

BTW - if the bottom bolts were stripped out, chances are excellent it's the threads in the valve cover that are stripped, not the bolts (the bolts are steel, the valve cover is aluminum.) While it's sloppy on the part of the dealer not to drill and helicoil the stripped out threads it's also an expensive job, and they may not have wanted to do it without your express consent (the other choice is to replace the valve cover - very large $$$.). The mechanic may have just tightened them up as much as he could and left it that way, which means the bracket may have been R&R'd, and all your plugs and coils may have been installed.

Edited June 13, 2011 by deilenberger

[hahnmgh63]

As deilenberger said, the bolt use a tool known as Triple Square or XZN. Some attempt to use a Torx socket which may somewhat fit but will not grab enough teeth, or very well and will strip the bolts. Europeans use Hex head, Torx, and Triple Square where American and Japanese stuff tends to just be the first two. You can get a decent set of Triple square at Kragens or Autozone discount autoparts places, they are right next to the Torx stuff usually.