Almost exactly like changing the plugs in my Alfa Giulia. I've got a ten year old XJ I'm considering selling to get a '17 or '18 Ghibli so I've been looking around at the DIY vids to see what I'd be getting myself into. So far, doesn't look like much more than taking care of an Alfa! Thanks!
Thanks for the videos. I bought my Ghibli last year. 2014 model in excellent condition. Well kept. Your video helped me with oil change. Now onto the plugs. Do you still have your Ghibli?
Something I do keep reading is the NGK OEM spark plugs do not come pre-gapped, they are usually smaller. So it’s important you check each prior to installing. Also, I don’t know if my car had the original factory plugs, but only (3) of them were gapped properly, then other (3) plugs were less than 0.4 MM. I know the carbon buildup also misleads. However, like James mine weren’t too bad at all as well. So I wondered if they were previously changed if the person thought they were pre-gapped.
Hi James! Thank you for all your videos, their great! I have a 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS, but it built very similarly to the ghibli. One of my AC actuators is broken on the the passenger side of my car and the ac is not working on that side. Do you have any info on the location of the actuators? I read their are 3 total on the car.
It may just be a software update. I had the same issue when I got my 2014 Ghibli. I brought to the dealership, they installed an update and it resolved the issue. Not right away though. It did take a couple days for it resolve as the computer had to relearn what position the actuator is in. This is a very common issue and in most cases the update fixes the issue. Dealer charged me $180.00.
I was taught, possibly incorrectly, to use a bit of anti-seize compound , especially on aluminum heads,on spark plug threads. Yes/ No? Also I have always used a small rubber hose to pull out and repair-insert plugs, especially re-insert to ensure the plug gap doesn’t close it we’re to fall out of spark plug socket. Do you know how much the coil-packs cost each are and when do they have to be replaced.
Anti seize is good to use. Some regular spark plug sockets with the rubber holder inside will not fit in the plug tube. Mine would not. It was too fat. Besides, it would take more than that to mess up the plug gap based on how hard it was to adjust it. Coil packs only need to be replaced when bad. I dont know how much they are, but you can look it up on scuderiacarparts.com.
Hey James I am planning on changing my spark plugs on my Maserati Ghibli 2016 after you gave me the confidence of how simple it is. Question, can I use an impact driver to remove the torx screws? Or should i just stick to the same method as you doing it manual with a ratchet?
Mine is working fine. This is my daily driver. I won't change something just to do a video. If you pm me on facebook messenger I may have something that would help you out. Search for jamesdiygarage.
Hey James me again i bought mine used an I believe they never changed anything on it so I’m little by little changing and working on it myself your videos are always my go to ✊🏻 so the other day I connected and obd scanner as while I was driving I had a slight spudder and my CEL came on for a second then turned off the obd read cylinder 4 misfire I have read that would be either the spark plugs or even the fuel injectors what would be your recommendation and also in this video I noticed you just changed the spark plugs not the ignition coils when I do the spark plug change should I do both to be on the safe side since I had that misfire iknow a flurry of questions but just want to pick your brain for as much knowledge as I can when it comes to these repairs my Maserati ghibli s q4 is at 41,000 miles got it when it was 38,000 but still has a few changes to go through till I know it’s all up to date what other factors should I keep an eye out for and get to working on before another mis hap ?
A friend who owns a Ghibli came over to my house a few weeks ago to change oil and spark plugs. He wanted my guidance. I let him do all the work. I stood around and drank beer :) When he was finished with it all, he started his car and it was running ruff. I put the OBD scanner on it and it had a Cylinder #3 miss fire. He started to worry, and I asked him to check the coil connector on cylinder #3. He found the connector loose. He connected it all the way until he heard a snap, started his engine and it ran smooth to his relief. For your case, start there, then check to see if the coil pack is seated right, check the spark plug is torqed right, remove the sparkplug and check the gap. If all seems good, put it all back together, clear the code, and if you still have a miss fire on the same cylinder, try moving the sparkplug and coil pack to a different cylinder, clear code and see if the miss fire happens on the cylinder you moved them to. If the miss fire stays on Cylinder #3, it would be either the fuel injector or something more serious. If the miss fire does move to the cylinder you move the spark plug and coil pack from cylinder #3 to, then move the coil pack back to cylinder #3, clear code and see which cylinder the miss fire is on. If #3, it's the coil pack. If cylinder 4 its the spark plug. Good luck.
Oh generally, if you get a miss fire on 1 or more cylinders just after replacing the spark plugs, 85% chance you missed something. Check your work. 14% chance you got a defective spark plug or damaged a coil pack when removing it. 1% chance it is something more serious. So don't worry. LOL.
@@JamesDIYGarage awesome man always thanks for the tips and for the spark plugs should I change both coil pack n spark plugs or just the plugs should be fine
Just notice something in your video. You said t hff e recommended gap is 0.6 mmr. However, you gapped the plugs using 0.305 and 0.254 gauges together which is 0.56 mm (rounded). So which is it, 0 60 mm or 0.56?
That's right. Change them sooner only if you have to fix a misfire. Changing them at the recommended regular intervals prevents misfires due to bad spark plugs.
Thats the specification from Maserati, no more no less. Any deviation from the specification in either direction can impact engine performance and effeciency .
Having said that, I did not have a gap tool with .06mm so I had to use 2 feelers that got me to 0559mm, or about .004 mm off. Engine performs fine though.
Mine is not as complete as I thought it was, but I am thinking of getting this one. www.ebay.com/i/223574727057?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3Dc11bab87f7be48b1b78d05b05d247f21%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D223510621219%26itm%3D223574727057%26pg%3D2385738
For the spark plugs? 15 foot pounds. The Maserati Service Manual says 18 Nm. But a friend who is a certified Maserati tech told me I should torq a little higher say 20Nm. Thats 14.75 foot pounds so I rounded it off to 15 foot pounds and went with that. So 15 foot pounds.
I did not torq them, I just tightened them good, not too tight as it might break the plastic coil mount. The service manual does not specify a torq for them.
Hey james, not sure if you installed these plugs with a jb4, but they reccomend gapping to .022 which ive done but i have a slight rough idle issue which is barely noticeable but at times is slightly more aggressive. The rough idle has been there since i bought the car but i feel like it has become slightly nore regular. Should i check values of voltage on coil packs? Or maybe replace maps sensors. So many variables but i know the front and rear maps get coated in oil as ive cleaned them a few times already. I regularly fog the intake with seafoam gdi spray. Im stumped because ive heard it could also be a bad BMS sensor affecting the alternator at idle, or someone had possibly moved the butterfly on the throttle body at some point and now needs to be recalibrated. Afaik there is only fuel filter socks on the pumps inside the tank?? Any guesses are much appreciated
@@JamesDIYGarage this weekend when i flush the brake fluid and fill with amsoil i might as well take the plugs out and widen the gap a bit and see if it lessens thx for the ideas. Might need the tighter gap for e30 which i barely use
James DIY Garage Sorry I meant to say if it’s 1/2 inch or 3/8 Torque wrench? You really helped me out doing the maintenance on my car. You’ve saved me lots of money, I’d buy you a beer 🍺 if you were in SoCal
To follow up on your question, the waste gate is internal on these turbo chargers. And you dont really want to be messing around with those since they protect the turbos from over reving.
Almost exactly like changing the plugs in my Alfa Giulia. I've got a ten year old XJ I'm considering selling to get a '17 or '18 Ghibli so I've been looking around at the DIY vids to see what I'd be getting myself into. So far, doesn't look like much more than taking care of an Alfa! Thanks!
Definitely not rocket science. :)
Thanks James! Changed the plugs in my Ghibli today. Went smoothly thanks to your video! Next up oil change.
Thank you. I am happy my video was useful to you. Makes doing these worth it.
Should read my comments posted may 6
Wow... a super easy car to do this work on. thanks for the video!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for the videos. I bought my Ghibli last year. 2014 model in excellent condition. Well kept. Your video helped me with oil change. Now onto the plugs. Do you still have your Ghibli?
Yes, just passed 100k miles.
Something I do keep reading is the NGK OEM spark plugs do not come pre-gapped, they are usually smaller. So it’s important you check each prior to installing.
Also, I don’t know if my car had the original factory plugs, but only (3) of them were gapped properly, then other (3) plugs were less than 0.4 MM.
I know the carbon buildup also misleads. However, like James mine weren’t too bad at all as well. So I wondered if they were previously changed if the person thought they were pre-gapped.
Do you understand the damage you can do by not setting a modern spark plug to the correct torque? DIY sure
Hi James! Thank you for all your videos, their great! I have a 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS, but it built very similarly to the ghibli. One of my AC actuators is broken on the the passenger side of my car and the ac is not working on that side. Do you have any info on the location of the actuators? I read their are 3 total on the car.
It may just be a software update. I had the same issue when I got my 2014 Ghibli. I brought to the dealership, they installed an update and it resolved the issue. Not right away though. It did take a couple days for it resolve as the computer had to relearn what position the actuator is in. This is a very common issue and in most cases the update fixes the issue. Dealer charged me $180.00.
Great job buddy
Very helpful!
Great video
Thank You.
James, great video. Wondering if the tools are given with the car?
No. Those tools I bought. I believe I put links to where I got them and how much in the description below.
I was taught, possibly incorrectly, to use a bit of anti-seize compound , especially on aluminum heads,on spark plug threads. Yes/ No? Also I have always used a small rubber hose to pull out and repair-insert plugs, especially re-insert to ensure the plug gap doesn’t close it we’re to fall out of spark plug socket.
Do you know how much the coil-packs cost each are and when do they have to be replaced.
Anti seize is good to use. Some regular spark plug sockets with the rubber holder inside will not fit in the plug tube. Mine would not. It was too fat. Besides, it would take more than that to mess up the plug gap based on how hard it was to adjust it.
Coil packs only need to be replaced when bad. I dont know how much they are, but you can look it up on scuderiacarparts.com.
If I'm right, you should do corrective video so all that copied your selection of gauges can make the change
I think they can do the math. I showed what the manual calls for.
Can you please add the link of the 14mm spark plug socket? I want to buy the same on you purchased from Amazon. Thank you
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072HJV6VG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hey James, great video! Do you know if the gap and torque on the plugs is the same for a 2017 SQ4?
I believe so.
Hey James I am planning on changing my spark plugs on my Maserati Ghibli 2016 after you gave me the confidence of how simple it is. Question, can I use an impact driver to remove the torx screws? Or should i just stick to the same method as you doing it manual with a ratchet?
I would just use a rachet. They wont be tight.
You can also use metric allen wrench. Just did it nyself. I myself. Coul bolts are 5 sided like allen wrench.
Yeah, do not use impact on any Spark Plug or Ignition Module work on these cars. You’ll cause yourself some extra work 😂
Do you have or can you make a video on your fuel filter change? Thank you.
Mine is working fine. This is my daily driver. I won't change something just to do a video. If you pm me on facebook messenger I may have something that would help you out. Search for jamesdiygarage.
Good video !!!!! Very helpful
Thank You.
Our coil pack bolt is a #5 hex not a 30t
You are correct, I was using the wrong tool, but it worked.
Hey James me again i bought mine used an I believe they never changed anything on it so I’m little by little changing and working on it myself your videos are always my go to ✊🏻 so the other day I connected and obd scanner as while I was driving I had a slight spudder and my CEL came on for a second then turned off the obd read cylinder 4 misfire I have read that would be either the spark plugs or even the fuel injectors what would be your recommendation and also in this video I noticed you just changed the spark plugs not the ignition coils when I do the spark plug change should I do both to be on the safe side since I had that misfire iknow a flurry of questions but just want to pick your brain for as much knowledge as I can when it comes to these repairs my Maserati ghibli s q4 is at 41,000 miles got it when it was 38,000 but still has a few changes to go through till I know it’s all up to date what other factors should I keep an eye out for and get to working on before another mis hap ?
A friend who owns a Ghibli came over to my house a few weeks ago to change oil and spark plugs. He wanted my guidance. I let him do all the work. I stood around and drank beer :) When he was finished with it all, he started his car and it was running ruff. I put the OBD scanner on it and it had a Cylinder #3 miss fire. He started to worry, and I asked him to check the coil connector on cylinder #3. He found the connector loose. He connected it all the way until he heard a snap, started his engine and it ran smooth to his relief. For your case, start there, then check to see if the coil pack is seated right, check the spark plug is torqed right, remove the sparkplug and check the gap. If all seems good, put it all back together, clear the code, and if you still have a miss fire on the same cylinder, try moving the sparkplug and coil pack to a different cylinder, clear code and see if the miss fire happens on the cylinder you moved them to. If the miss fire stays on Cylinder #3, it would be either the fuel injector or something more serious. If the miss fire does move to the cylinder you move the spark plug and coil pack from cylinder #3 to, then move the coil pack back to cylinder #3, clear code and see which cylinder the miss fire is on. If #3, it's the coil pack. If cylinder 4 its the spark plug. Good luck.
Oh generally, if you get a miss fire on 1 or more cylinders just after replacing the spark plugs, 85% chance you missed something. Check your work. 14% chance you got a defective spark plug or damaged a coil pack when removing it. 1% chance it is something more serious. So don't worry. LOL.
@@JamesDIYGarage awesome man always thanks for the tips and for the spark plugs should I change both coil pack n spark plugs or just the plugs should be fine
@@mh2046 Just the plugs. Change coil packs only if needed.
Just notice something in your video. You said t hff e recommended gap is 0.6 mmr. However, you gapped the plugs using 0.305 and 0.254 gauges together which is 0.56 mm (rounded). So which is it, 0 60 mm or 0.56?
The shop manual indicates 0.5 to 0.6 MM. So if you ended up at 0.56 MM then you should be good.
Maserati says change spark plugs at 35,000 miles but what do you think? Thank you.
That's right. Change them sooner only if you have to fix a misfire. Changing them at the recommended regular intervals prevents misfires due to bad spark plugs.
I know it’s been a while, and I don’t have time to go through the comments. Did you have to change the coils?
Not normally. Change coils only if they are in bad condition, rusted or not working. Mine were in great condition so I did not change mine.
Do you not disconnect the battery when you do plugs and coils?
Out of caution yes.
Would this be the same method for a base model Maserati Ghibli 2016? Thank you either way
Yes. Same sparkplugs, same torq etc.
Hi James! Where did you get the repair manual for your car?
It was given to me by a viewer. That is why I give it away freely.
So is 0.6 mm for clearance the maximum allowable clearance or mininum allowable clearance as specified by the manufacturer ?
Thats the specification from Maserati, no more no less. Any deviation from the specification in either direction can impact engine performance and effeciency .
Having said that, I did not have a gap tool with .06mm so I had to use 2 feelers that got me to
0559mm, or about .004 mm off. Engine performs fine though.
Where do you get a copy of the shop manual that tells you all the torques and guides?
Mine is not as complete as I thought it was, but I am thinking of getting this one.
www.ebay.com/i/223574727057?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3Dc11bab87f7be48b1b78d05b05d247f21%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D223510621219%26itm%3D223574727057%26pg%3D2385738
Where do you get a copy of the shop manual that tells you all the torques and guides
I got mine on Ebay, but I don't see it anymore. Maybe they got caught by Maserati lol
? Should I change my spark plugs I have 30,000 miles on my car
Did you buy the car used? How many miles on it when you bought it? Is it running good?
Where did you get that spoiler
Ebay, years ago.
How to get job in maserati
I don't know, I dont work for Maserati. I work for a local governement.
How can i get a shop manual?
PM me on my jamesdyigarage facebook page.
@@JamesDIYGarage I just did boss! Please check your pm
I dont know. I have not heard anyone wanting louder turbos.
Do you know if the 0.6mm gap and 18Nm torque is the same for the 2016 SQ4?
Not sure I will find out for sure. Stay Tuned.
I have it from a reliable source. The engine blocks are all the same. So the spark plugs, gap and torque are the same as well. :)
What torque value are you using?
For the spark plugs? 15 foot pounds. The Maserati Service Manual says 18 Nm. But a friend who is a certified Maserati tech told me I should torq a little higher say 20Nm. Thats 14.75 foot pounds so I rounded it off to 15 foot pounds and went with that. So 15 foot pounds.
Thank you!!!!
Do you use any torq for coil screws?
I did not torq them, I just tightened them good, not too tight as it might break the plastic coil mount. The service manual does not specify a torq for them.
Hey james, not sure if you installed these plugs with a jb4, but they reccomend gapping to .022 which ive done but i have a slight rough idle issue which is barely noticeable but at times is slightly more aggressive. The rough idle has been there since i bought the car but i feel like it has become slightly nore regular. Should i check values of voltage on coil packs? Or maybe replace maps sensors. So many variables but i know the front and rear maps get coated in oil as ive cleaned them a few times already. I regularly fog the intake with seafoam gdi spray. Im stumped because ive heard it could also be a bad BMS sensor affecting the alternator at idle, or someone had possibly moved the butterfly on the throttle body at some point and now needs to be recalibrated. Afaik there is only fuel filter socks on the pumps inside the tank?? Any guesses are much appreciated
Any codes?
@@JamesDIYGarage no codes. Just cat codes since it has downpipes. The issue existed before they came out of the car as well
@@athickjuicysteak6176 I just installed OEM plugs with OEM recommended gap. Seems to work just fine. No issues. Still has the extra power.
@@JamesDIYGarage this weekend when i flush the brake fluid and fill with amsoil i might as well take the plugs out and widen the gap a bit and see if it lessens thx for the ideas. Might need the tighter gap for e30 which i barely use
What size torque wrench is that?
0 to 80 ft lbs
James DIY Garage Sorry I meant to say if it’s 1/2 inch or 3/8 Torque wrench? You really helped me out doing the maintenance on my car. You’ve saved me lots of money, I’d buy you a beer 🍺 if you were in SoCal
@@thewiseguy7100 it was a quarter in drive. Sorry. Hehe.
Should have used 0.559 mm and 0.038 mm = 0.597
Don't think I had those sizes. I got it as close as I could. And it runs great.
Is there a way to make louder turbo noises? After market bov/waste gate?
To follow up on your question, the waste gate is internal on these turbo chargers. And you dont really want to be messing around with those since they protect the turbos from over reving.
Can you please add the link to the spark plug socket? I know you said amazon but theirs many 14mm spark plug socket, and different prices
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072HJV6VG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1