Nice find! Still will probably do it with the bumper off. I already have that down to a science! lol But will look and see if this is possible with my tools for sure. I am afraid of stripping one of those coil hex screws!

I probably need plugs this year - been a while since I put the last ones in.

 

yes! bumper off.. did the pics have the bumper on?? never looked at "em! .. still, those diy's instruction sheets are invaluable.. sometimes it just tells me.. dont even bother trying lol

 

It seems if you don't have a lift it would be easiest to take of the bumper and intercoolers. Then you just fold up the exhaust heat shield and you have open access to the coils and plugs.

If you do it without removing the intercoolers from underneath, it will be tight and difficult the first time, easier the next time. But will you still own it in 30K miles?

 

Great info! Thanks everyone!

 

Nice find on the bumper on procedure for plugs. Having done the plugs the standard way twice doing the bumper off method, I'll probably just continue to do it that way since I've got that process down now. If you've never done plugs before, the bumper off method will be much easier as you'll be able to see everything clearly. If I had the right tools and had done plugs the regular way several times, I might attempt it without taking everything off but my guess is it would take me just as long to do it with the bumper on with stops to go to the store to get new tools and potential cussing due to stripping out bolts. The other thing to consider is there will be less space with a stock exhaust (and in my case a Europipe exhaust) is that the cats take up a lot of space which would make the bumper on method even harder. Taking the bumper and intercoolers off is a great way to see how your car is put together. It's not as arduous of a task as it seems.

 

funny you mention that.. first time i had bumpers off.. and/or door panels.. some of the *mystique* of my car seemed to vanish then there are the shared 986 parts