Volvo Spark Plug Replacement - Restore Power! (S60, S80, XC60, XC70, XC90)

If fuel economy starts to decrease, the vehicle looses a bit of peppiness, or you get the occasional misfire, it is definitely time to replace the spark plugs. Volvo suggests replacing the spark plugs every 60 thousand miles. Fortunately, spark plugs are pretty easy to replace on most cars, and Jason is here to show you how to replace your spark plugs in your Volvo XC60.

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[EricJones-bovc]

Very well done. I changed plugs in my S60 today, and this was very helpful. This is the kind of info that keeps me coming back to FCP Euro!

[redbustourguide]

Getting my Volvo sparkplugs off your website :) Thanks for all your instructional videos and whatever else I need for my car.

[SuperJ]

This video was helpful as I decided to replace all my ignition coils and spark plugs after my number 4 coil blew its top. I know this video is for spark plug replacement, but there isn't much out there that was helpful to me for my 2011 S60 T6. I bought parts from FCP (Delphi coils and Denso plugs), ensured the plugs were gapped at 0.035 per FCP, torqued everything down, and after getting everything installed, my vehicle still would not start. So, in case this helps others, the extra thing to check if your car dies after blowing an ignition coil is the 20A fuse for the coils (F35). My fuse was blown (could hardly see the break visually, but confirmed with DMM).

My car is now operational, so thank you FCP, but acceleration is lacking now, whether it's at a stop light or cruising on the freeway, when I hit the gas, it just doesn't move like it used to. I'm not excited to uninstall everything I just put in, but if I need to, then I will. I think the first things to look for would be dielectric grease interfering with connectivity (I did not cake this stuff on, but maybe a tiny bit is causing a problem somewhere?), and physical damage to the spark plugs. On other forums, people suggest that the plugs can get damaged in transit, but that just doesn't seem likely to me. The overall package looked fine, and the plugs are in their own little boxes, so there's some cushion there.... but who knows.

Anything else I can look into?

Edit August 2023: Regarding the old plugs in my car, four were around 0.036 to 0.037, but one was around 0.044 and another was about 0.050. I wasn't sure if they all went in with those gaps, or if something can affect the gap over time. I just thought it was interesting that two were quite different from the others. So, how much of a different does spark plug gap make? If you had to error one way or another, is it better to be a little bigger or small? Does a mil or two really make a difference?

Edit 09/08/2023: I'm still working through some things (specifically the less power issue) and I am concerned the Turbo is not functioning properly (I could hear a rattly noise momentarily after a cold start near the turbo location). Also, as a bonus, my car gave me a PO420 code a couple weeks ago. A mechanic did some kind of test on the cat and said it was functioning OK and suggested I replace the downstream O2 sensor. I replaced that last week (a bit of a pain) and so far the CEL has not come back on (but in other forums people have said it could take a while before it comes back on if it actually is the cat).

Edit 06/24/2024: For what it's worth, I found out why I had a lack of power. I destroyed my cat and my turbo (the bigger issue here) because I did not stop my car even though it was screaming at me with flashing red messages to stop! I thought a couple more miles wouldn't hurt so I pushed through (my Sienna had a coil go just a few months prior and it didn't seem that big of a deal). Based on the input of two different mechanics, it seems that while I was driving with the blown ignition coil that fuel was getting into my exhaust system which apparently created a lot of extra heat which then ruined things. I replaced the turbo and cat (both from FCP) in January and my car is happy once again! I cut the exhaust pipes so I could ship just the cat (well, both cats actually) to a recycler. The "honey comb" thing inside was mostly broken up (chunks loose inside) and quite dark in places. This was the most expensive repair I've dealt with.

For anyone who hasn't replaced their ignition coils yet, you may want to get a spare and keep it (and a socket wrench) in your trunk just in case.

[hyunsyu]

Thank you! Followed your clear instructions to replace the spark plugs on my 2010 XC60.

[ceesklumper]

I was half expecting two tips: take care not to cross-thread the plugs as you install them, and take care to fit the coil pack 'sleeves' over the plugs, as it's easy to slide them past the plugs without that being apparent, in which case of course that cylinder won't fire (don't ask how I learned about that one).

[kevinmckenna]

On a left hand drive, is the #1 cylinder on the drivers side closest to the belts?

[LuisGonzalez-lgxy]

If the spark plugs are too tight and can not be removed with normal force, what is your advice on removing them? besides letting the engine cool down for days an apply a bit more force, nothing seems to let me unscrew 2 of them.

[jeffsimm]

is there much of a difference for a 2018?

[rdjmillan]

Thank you for the video. Do you know what is the gap spec?

[koizangamaliel]

Please Can you help me my Volvo XC60 don't start the engin

[cw]

I have a XC 90 2013 I just wanna know what kind of spark plug and air filters I need to buy please and thank you

[jimmybnd]

Hi - the video and some of these comments say to torque them to 28nm but the product linked above on FCP says "Tightening Torque: 22 Nm" (Volvo Spark Plug Kit - Genuine Volvo 31286359)...which should it be, 22 or 28?

[texasboy]

And I have a 2008 Volvo s80 and its saying slow down or reduce speed and car begin to shake and stall out what could be my problem

[texasboy]

Is there a such thing as putting spark plugs in to tight

[liangjianghong]

please list all the tools needed, Thanks

[Sir_Dab]

What do you mean “torque them down to 28mm”. Isn’t a torque wrench measured in foot pounds?

[I_HateClickBait]

Misleading title. It says it covers the XC 70 but it does not.

[PredatorOmnivore]

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