bensallen Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I am new to the forums but have a 2008 Forester with 111K miles. I had noticed over the last several months a pretty good drop in gas mileage along with some hesitation and a very slight stumble at idle. I had been deployed to Corpus Christi TX for several years and didn't have my tools with me so I paid a shop (who supposedly had a former Subaru mechanic) to put belts, hoses and plugs in the car at 85K. After reading on several forums about the challenges some had faced in replacing plugs on their's I decided to take the plunge. I bought plugs and wires and went at it this morning. I was surprised, after reading other stories, how easy it was. I was done in less than an hour. It was far easier than any V-8 or V-6 I'd ever done. As anybody knows, who's done this, when removing the front plug on the driver's side you have to put the socket on a short extension and start it in the hole and then add another extension. After doing that I pushed it in and was turning it by hand to engage the socket on the plug and it kept turning! After several turns I pulled it all back out thinking there must have been something in the socket keeping it from going on the plug. To my amazement the plug came out! It was not even hand tight! That and looking at the plugs which all looked like the one in the pic I'm convinced the shop in Corpus ripped me off and didn't replace the plugs. I don't think that plug in the picture I included is a plug with only 36,000 miles on it! Could be wrong but I don't think so. I also cleaned the maf sensor so now I'm anxious to see what that does for my mileage! Any comment, as always, welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 not sure it matters but that would be 26,000 miles, not 36,000 miles right? hard to tell by the pick but i don't immediately think "ah, that's an ancient plug", it's dirty but these newer plugs are harder to see wear on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensallen Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 You are absolutely right! My bad on the math. I was looking at the shape of the center electrode since it was so much different than the NGK plugs I put in. That plug number returns to a platinum plug and I've read that Subaru's don't like the platinum plugs but don't know. I googled the plug and it does have that tapered, almost pin shaped center electrode. The car does seem to idle smoother and have more throttle response so I guess I'll see on the mileage. That loose plug sure couldn't have been helping that tho! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 They never torqued it. The crush ring is still bowed up like its brand new. The crud around the threads could be from exhaust gases being forced out through the threads. I always match the plug part number with what's listed in the owners manual. Most of the newer soobs specify NGK laser platinum plugs. As long as you used those you're good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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