# Some light maintenance **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 13, 2025, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109 "2025-02-13T02:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stinky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Stinky1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Stinky1)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/1 "2025-02-13T02:06:01Z")
I’m finally getting around to something I’ve been planning to do since I got this 12 mazda 3 skyactiv 3k miles ago. I did the oil change today (it was fresh when I got it) and want to replace the plugs, not that theres any evidence it needs it but just to get it out of the way in case and I want an excuse to get acquainted some more with it. Are the NGK laser iridium plugs a good choice for this? I also picked up some genuine mazda M-3 ATF from the dealership for my power steering since I was in there asking about something else and it was only $10. Their coolant however was $30 so I went to walmart and got this coolant for $12. The manual says FL22 but this seems to match up with their OEM fluid in everything but the dilution which was 55/45 which I’m sure isn’t a big deal. It says it meets the standards of ASTM D3306 and JIS K2234. This the right fluid? ![coolant](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/c/dc024bfbcd44482d4dda7c1b2da2088e2846731b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/2 "2025-02-13T02:37:00Z")
Mazda isn’t listed, I’d get the coolant from the dealer. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/3 "2025-02-13T02:56:28Z")
> [@Stinky1](#): > > replace the plugs, not that theres any evidence it needs it but just to get it out of the way in case and I want an excuse to get acquainted some more with it. Are the NGK laser iridium plugs a good choice for this? The NGK ILKAR7L11 (94124) is the correct OEM and only spark plug you should use… gap is 0.044" and recommended every 75K it looks like… _NGK_ _Comments: 75,000 mi OE Mfr Recommended Service Interval;Actual OE Manufacturer;Gap 0.044";SkyActiv Eng_ What ever you do, do not buy from ebay/amazon on the spark plugs, lots of counterfeits out there… ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/4 "2025-02-13T03:03:35Z")
Don’t switch from the OEM plugs. People sometimes come here with issues after switching to something “better”. ---
**Author:** ![Stinky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Stinky1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Stinky1)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/5 "2025-02-13T03:11:00Z")
these are actually the exact plugs I was gonna get from rockauto. They are $20 a piece at autozone, crazy lol. [More Information for NGK 94124](https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5922090&cc=1502924&pt=7212&jsn=516)) ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/6 "2025-02-13T03:13:30Z")
> [@Stinky1](#): > > They are $20 a piece at autozone, crazy lol. Napa list price is $30.94 each… But you only need to replace them ever 75K miles… ---
**Author:** ![oldnotdeadyet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@oldnotdeadyet](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldnotdeadyet)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/7 "2025-02-14T19:37:57Z")
My 2007 Mazda 3 has 205,000 miles and the plugs have never been replaced. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Stinky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Stinky1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Stinky1)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/8 "2025-02-14T21:23:49Z")
@oldnotdeadyet That was my mom’s philosophy with oil changes lol ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/9 "2025-02-14T23:35:49Z")
Excessive plug gap due to hi miles can lead to coil death. I’d change plugs @200k. Whew ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/10 "2025-02-16T14:49:25Z")
> [@lion9car](#): > > Don’t switch from the OEM plugs. What do you mean by OEM plugs? ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/11 "2025-02-16T15:28:13Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > What do you mean by OEM plugs? I see that I didn’t phrase that well. I meant not to change to a different type of plug when replacing them. ---
**Author:** ![Stinky1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Stinky1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Stinky1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/12 "2025-02-16T20:57:54Z")
![plug](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/c/3c791c37430fc8c6ba75842803ec208bb0f9c692.jpeg) All the plugs I pulled looked like this. Doesn’t look too bad IMO but I’m not familiar with interpreting these either way. I’m a little curious about the white stuff between the ground strap and electrode. The slight idle vibration from before is gone and in general it just feels smoother to me. Runs like a sewing machine. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/13 "2025-02-18T20:45:04Z")
I thought you were talking about tail lights. I turned my signal light on the other day and it started to rapidly flash. A certain sign that one light is burned out. I verified when I hit home and even had the bulb in stock. Since then I have noticed several cars with rapidly flashing turn signals. I just thought everyone knows this but I guess not. ---
**Author:** ![jdmere](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jdmere/32/3002_2.png) [@jdmere](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdmere)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/14 "2025-02-18T20:46:34Z")
did you check the gap? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/15 "2025-02-18T23:46:35Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Since then I have noticed several cars with rapidly flashing turn signals. I just thought everyone knows this but I guess not You must be joking. Many people don’t even read the owner’s manual. They know how to get in, belt up, and drive. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/16 "2025-02-19T00:55:14Z")
Or, as one person told me, many years ago, “All I know is if you put gas in the tank, it goes”. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/17 "2025-02-19T03:05:41Z")
> [@Stinky1](#): > > I’m a little curious about the white stuff between the ground strap and electrode. The build-up of deposits is the reason iridium spark plugs are replaced, the tips on good quality iridium spark plugs do not wear. > [@bing](#): > > Since then I have noticed several cars with rapidly flashing turn signals. I just thought everyone knows this but I guess not. They didn’t know that you have bulbs in stock or your business hours. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/18 "2025-02-19T03:08:41Z")
> [@oldnotdeadyet](#): > > My 2007 Mazda 3 has 205,000 miles and the plugs have never been replaced. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s possible for something to work poorly without actually breaking. Your fuel mileage may be suffering. They’re easy to diagnose. I have the Chilton’s for my pickup. It has a page of color photos of plugs with defects caused by different problems. They’re easy to replace. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/19 "2025-02-19T13:26:36Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > They’re easy to diagnose. I have the Chilton’s for my pickup. It has a page of color photos of plugs with defects caused by different problems. They’re easy to replace. what is there to diagnose . . . ? The guy’s plugs have 205K on them The gap must be a mile wide Replacing them is the only proper thing to do ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109/20 "2025-02-19T17:03:33Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > what is there to diagnose . . . ? He knows they have 205K on them. He has demonstrated that isn’t enough evidence for him. I told him how he can check for free. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/some-light-maintenance/199109.md?page=2)