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Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Spark Plugs Replacement Guide
How to check or change the MIVEC 2.0L I4 engine's spark plugs in a 3rd generation 2011-2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

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2015 Outlander Sport 2.0L I4
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Remove Three Bolts
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Turn Counterclockwise
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the third generation (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in checking or changing the spark plugs in the MIVEC 4B11 DOHC 16V 2.0 liter inline four cylinder engine.

Owners of other Mitsubishi vehicles such as the Lancer, Outlander, Mirage, ASX, RVR, Galant, I-MIEV, Montero, Eclipse, 3000GT, Endeavor, Raider, Diamante, Attrage, Carisma, Colt, Grandis, Magna, Pajero and the Space Star may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The OEM iridium tipped spark plugs in this 2015 Outlander Sport were the NGK DIFR6C11 (1312) or "DIFR6C 11".

A few other compatible replacement spark plugs with their part numbers are as follows: Denso (5304) IK20, Denso (4504) PK20TT, Denso (4702) IK20TT, Autolite APP3923, Pulstar be1h10, ACDelco 41-801, Champion RC10WYPB4 (9001) and Mitsubishi 1822A069.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a 10mm socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet, a 5/8" spark plug socket, an extension bar, a 3/8" drive ratchet and a tube of dielectric grease.



 
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Remove 3rd 10mm Bolt
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Three 10mm Bolts
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Lift Off Plastic Cover
The first two steps are to open the hood and then locate the rectangular shaped plastic access cover on the top of the engine.

Loosen the three bolts on the plastic spark plug access panel by turning them counterclockwise with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Set the three 10mm bolts aside in a safe place.

Lift the plastic cover straight off the top of the engine and set it aside with the three bolts.

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Ignition Coils Exposed
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Press Release Tab
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Slide Off Power Plug
Press down the release tab on the grey plastic electrical connector before sliding the power plug straight off the base of the ignition coil housing.
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Loosen Counterclockwise
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10mm Bolt Removed
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Lift Out Ignition Coil Housing
Loosen the single bolt holding the ignition coil in place by turning it counterclockwise with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Set the 10mm bolt aside in a safe place.

Rotate the ignition coil back and forth a few times to make sure that the rubber dust boot at the end is not stuck or "frozen" to the top of the old spark plug.

Lift the ignition coil housing straight out of the spark plug well and set it aside in a safe place.

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Spark Plug Well
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5/8" Spark Plug Socket
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Loosen Counterclockwise
Attach the 5/8" spark plug socket to a 6" extension bar and the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Lower the socket down in to the well and attach to the top of the old spark plug.

Then carefully loosen the old spark plug by rotating the wrench in the counterclockwise direction.

Try to avoid using excessive force to loosen the old spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic portion of the plug.

If you have trouble loosening the old spark plug, spray a small amount of penetrating oil such as PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench or Kano Kroil and wait at least 15-30 minutes before attempting to loosen it again. If you don't have any penetrating oil, try spraying some WD-40 or warm up the engine for a few minutes to help expand the metal engine block.



 

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Spin Out By Hand
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Lift Out Old Spark Plug
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Inspect Old Spark Plug

Once the spark plug has been loosened, detach the ratcheting wrench from the extension bar and spin it out the rest of the way by hand.

Lift the extension bar and the old spark plug out of the well.

Pull the old spark plug out of the socket and inspect it both ends of it.

If the electrode end of the old spark plug appears to be ashy white, the plugs might have been exposed to high temperatures such as overheating or they may be the incorrect heat range for your driving conditions or environment.

If the electrode tip of the old spark plug is grey or covered in dark black soot, the engine might be burning oil and should be inspected by a professional mechanic.

I recommend buying the OEM spark plugs which are the NGK DIFR6C11 iridium.

(An optional step is to apply some anti-seize grease to the threads on the spark plug. Most spark plug manufacturers recommend that you should not use anti-seize lubricant grease since it can lead to over tightening. Although some mechanics believe that using anti-seize grease on the spark plugs will help prevent them from becoming stuck or "frozen" in to the cylinder head if they are not removed again for another 100,000 miles.)

If you have a spark plug gap gauge, check that the new spark plugs are gapped to the manufacturer's specification listed on the box. They should be pre-set from the factory, so don't worry if you don't have a gap gauge.

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Spin In New Spark Plug
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Tighten Spark Plug Clockwise
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Apply Dielectric Grease

Push the new plug in to the 5/8" spark plug socket.

Your socket should have a rubber insert or a strong magnet to ensure that the new spark plug remains in place.

Carefully lower the spark plug down in to the well and spin it in by hand in the clockwise direction until it makes contact with the cylinder block.

(If you used anti-seize grease, be extra careful to avoid over tightening the spark plugs.)

Attach the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to the extension bar and continue tightening the spark plug in the clockwise direction.

If you are re-installing the old spark plug, tighten it to just a small fraction of a turn past hand tight.

If you are installing a brand new spark plug, tighten it to just past the point when you feel the new crush washer collapse.

Do not over tighten the spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic body or stripping the aluminum threads.

Double check that the new spark plug is tight before moving on to the next steps.

Apply a small amount of dielectric grease to the rubber dust boot at the bottom of the ignition coil.

The dielectric grease will help keep out moisture or dust and help prevent corrosion from forming.

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Lower In Ignition Coil
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Rotate Back & Forth
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Spin In 10mm Bolt
Lower the ignition coil down in to the spark plug well.

Rotate the ignition coil back and forth a few times to help spread the dielectric grease.

Line up the bolt hold in the ignition coil housing with the corresponding hole on the top of the engine.

Spin in the 10mm bolt a few turns by hand to prevent it from becoming cross threaded.

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Tighten Clockwise
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Push On Power Plug
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Lower Plastic Access Panel
Tighten the ignition coil bolt in the clockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet until it is snug.

Try to avoid over tightening the bolt to prevent from cracking the plastic ignition coil housing.

Push the electrical connector straight on to the base of the ignition coil until it clicks securely in to place.

Lower the spark plug access cover back in to place over the top of the engine.

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Spin In 10mm Bolts
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Tighten 10mm Clockwise
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Spark Plugs Replaced

Spin in the three 10mm bolts a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the 3 bolts in the clockwise direction with the 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet until they are snug.

Start the engine and listen closely for any strange sounds that may indicate a problem such as a disconnected power plug or a loose spark plug.

If you replaced the spark plugs, be sure to record the change in your SUV's service records.

For more, check out all of my 2011-2017 Mitsubishi Outlander DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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