K12 Plug Type

[jse]

Anyone know what plugs are fitted to the K12 from the factory? Are they copper or platinum? Don't want to cut all the cable ties etc. to remove the air cleaner if I don't need to touch the plugs for five years.

 

[Fordy]

it depends on what spec you have but i have mostly seen them on the 1.4 version but take one out and look at the electrode if it looks kinda like that /\ they are platinum and also so you have to change the platinum plugs after so many miles aswell as the five years i will find out the mileage tomorrow for you

 

[jse]

Thanks Fordy. The model is 1.2 SE.

 

[masterbiker]

Why would you need to cut cable ties to remove the air cleaner?

 

[jse]

Various breather tubes and other odds-and-ends are attached to the air cleaner using cable ties. I think they will need to be cut in order to remove the cleaner. The ties are of the non-reusable variety with spacers to avoid chafing. It may be possible to displace the cleaner sufficiently to get at the coils/plugs without complete removal but I doubt it. The service manual is ambiguous on the type of plug fitted but it looks as though all models have platinum-tipped plugs, meaning that they only need replacing at 54,000 miles or 5 years and not 18,000 miles.

 

[masterbiker]

If I am thinking of the same air cleaner that you are, you don't need to remove any the misc pipes etc. The panel filter is inside the right hand side underneath the top plastic cover. there is an air box that unclips, with two metal clips, and then drops down to reveal the air filter.

What I don't get is if you are trying to remove the spark plugs or the air filter?

 

[masterbiker]

You can see the clips I was talking about from the picture of my DIY induction kit. The whole plastic box (that the drainpipe is glued into) comes compleatly off and the air filter is in there.

 

[jse]

I need to know whether the plugs are platinum or not so that I know whether I need to replace them yet. To find out, I need to get at the plugs and to do this I need to remove the whole air cleaner/throttle flap assembly.

 

[masterbiker]

right I get ya. I will have a poke about in my micra to see if I can help.

 

[masterbiker]

If all the hoses, clips etc. are the same (as mine) you should just be able to squeeze the two pointy bits together and then slide them further down the hose then pull them off. I can't see anything that I would consider a one use part. I haven't taken anything appart though so I can't help you with anything that is underneath all that plastic as I don't have enough time to take it appart to have a look.