2019 CX-5 Turbo Spark plug change at 32000 miles

[Catch22]

CPO 2019 CX5 2.5 Turbo Signature, 33580 miles

- bought vehicle at approx 3000 miles, to my knowledge today's was this vehicle's first spark plug change.
- NGK DILKAR7M8, checked gaps using spark plug gap gauge (coin shaped not wired) and also Lisle Feeler Gauge - all were 0.030"
- installed according to Paul's Travel Pictures (Mazda CX-5 Spark Plugs Replacement Guide - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 - Skyactiv-G 2.5L I4 Engine - Picture Illustrated Automotive Maintenance DIY Instructions)
- I did not have to disconnect electrical from the coils.
- Access "Top Plate": I only had to remove the 4x 8 mm bolts. Also there's this annoying hose that needs to be removed for access (red circle is where I detached hose from; had to use a couple of hose removal tools - see pics). After installation I put hose back on but also secured it with a hose clamp
- no CEL after 10 miles, subjectively, the vehicle feels smoother

Check out these photos - tools and also the original spark plugs. I drive pretty spiritedly, but am quite surprised at the wear after approx 30000 mi in my possession.

Based on what I'm seeing I plan to change in 25000 miles.

I'm going to stop by Mazda service to show them. Any other thoughts?

 

[HyFlyer]

...I drive pretty spiritedly, but am quite surprised at the wear after approx 30000 mi in my possession.

Based on what I'm seeing I plan to change in 25000 miles. ...

It's hard for me to tell looking at pics on my phone but what is it about your used plugs that makes you want to change them early? Where's the wear? Center electrode? Ground electrode? Both?

 

[Catch22]

Both center and side/ground electrodes appear "ashen ed" and have white crusts at the tips. Additionally there's black-orange-brown wear near the junction of the ceramic insulator and shell

 

[HyFlyer]

If that's one of the plugs coming out with 30k miles, it looks to be in great shape to me.

That brown area on the ceramic insulator near the metal base of the plug is called corona stain. It's the normal accumulation of dirt and oil due to the static charge generated by the high voltage.

R&R sparks plugs on a Mazda skyactiv-G is one of the easiest projects for a DIY Saturday afternoon. No harm in replacing them early.

 

[Catch22]

If that's one of the plugs coming out with 30k miles, it looks to be in great shape to me.

That brown area on the ceramic insulator near the metal base of the plug is called corona stain. It's the normal accumulation of dirt and oil due to the static charge generated by the high voltage.

R&R sparks plugs on a Mazda skyactiv-G is one of the easiest projects for a DIY Saturday afternoon. No harm in replacing them early.

Thanks for all that great info! I'm a fan of preventative maintenance and plan to keep this vehicle long term

 

[GFrosty]

Can't recall the mileage at which I changed these but, on a prior '96 Mazda Miata I had, this is what the electrodes looked like on the plugs. Needless to say, performance was a bit sketchy, then the car "woke up" and ran quite smoothly once the new set was installed. That was the first plug set on that car. Have kept ahead of things, since then, and the cars run better for it.

Did the CX-5's plugs at 80Kmi, though they weren't nearly as bad as the Miata plugs shown above. It's approaching 40Kmi since the last change, so I'll check them soon, replacing if needed.

 

[skid00skid0]

Just as an FYI, the plugs you took out, look great. The gray ash is completely normal, it is deposits from gasoline. There's very little erosion of the center and side electrodes.

Where did you buy the new plugs from? Amazon/ebay/other cheap places often sell counterfeit plugs. Rock Auto, the dealer, are safe to buy from.

 

[Catch22]

Just as an FYI, the plugs you took out, look great. The gray ash is completely normal, it is deposits from gasoline. There's very little erosion of the center and side electrodes.

Where did you buy the new plugs from? Amazon/ebay/other cheap places often sell counterfeit plugs. Rock Auto, the dealer, are safe to buy from.

O'Reilly - they had a 20% off sale on ship to home . Also checked the gaps and all 4 were good to go

Total price for 4x NGK: $63.97

 

[Catch22]

This was my first spark plug change experience ever, and I just want to say that I appreciate all of the courteous and non-judgemental feedback!

 

[HyFlyer]

Good Job @Catch22 both on DIY maintenance and taking the time to write it up here. It's good to learn how to do all the maintenance items that you can with your car. It's satisfying (IMHO) to do the jobs yourself. It's cost effective, fun and you know the job was done right by your own two hands.

I think Mazdas' are very owner friendly for maintenance items such as fluids, spark plugs, filters, brakes, belts, battery etc and even more involved work like a water pump, alternator, AC compressor, belts, radiator, etc seem to be readily accessible should the need arise.

 

[sm1ke]

Nice job, and thanks for the writeup! Plug changes are very easy on this motor. It seems it may be a bit easier on the CX-9 as there is no hose to remove, if I remember right.

 

[weitau]

I used to own a V6 Lexus ES330 with 140k miles. The thought of removing the intake manifold to get to the rear 3 plugs turned me off so much that I sold the car. On Siennas, one would replace perfectly good rear ignition coils for new ones while doing a plug replacement just to avoid taking the intake manifold off again.

4 cylinder cars are a breeze! I agree with everyone that the CX5 is very DIY friendly.

 

[TBD]

A little hint from my plug changing experience, I bought the NGK's from O'reilly's and pretty much followed the posts and a couple YouTube vids and it went fairly smooth till the car wouldn't start, I thought it might be plugs (having read a few posts about boot leg plugs) so installed the old one's and it started, but was only running on 1 or 2 cylinders. Took off the coil's and reinstalled 2 or 3 times put some dielectric grease on the boots and no go, took the boots off again and put the plugs in the boots and it kept pushing the plug out about a inch. cleaned the dielectric grease off and it stayed in, so reinstalled the NGK's and same thing, I'm getting pretty hot now, took the coils out and this time I disconnected the wiring and just put the coil in and it allowed me to wiggle it enough to seat the plug into the boot, that did the trick it fired right up. I didn't disconnect the coils initially because I saw numerous posts that there was enough slack in the wire to leave it connected,but there wasn't enough to wiggle the coil around, although there was enough to just put it in the hole. My milege after a couple 20 mile trips (Denver) went up to 30 when it hardly went over 27 before I'll see if it levels off. The car has 42000 miles on it.
On the Turbo the plate covering the 2 center plugs, I took off 4 8mm bolts (a few videos showed taking 3 bolts out but the 4th on the left end made a big differance) and the 10 mm on the back that holds the heat shield that allowed me to hold the plate back to get to the coil 8mm bolts.