I own a 2003 Mazda Tribute ES 6 cylinder with 60k. I have noticed lately that my miles/gal. seems to be decreasing. I thought that I would attempt to replace the plugs myself however I don't know where they're located!! Can't even find the spark plug wires. Can I possibly be that ignorant? Are there some major engine parts that I must first remove to have access to the plugs? I figured that about $20 for a set of plugs will be all that it'll cost me. Have no idea what it'll cost me me to take to a shop. Can someone please tell me if this is a fairly easy 'do it yourself' job and if so how do I go about replacing the plugs myself? Appreciate any step-by-step guidance you can offer me.Thanks, Jim

I don't know your vehicle.

The spark plug wires in general have disappeared or they are very short. With distributerless ignition, you only need 1 coil per 2 plugs. The coils fire at the same time, one btdc at the end of the compression stoke and the other in the exhaust stroke.

The plugs are buried DEEP in the valve cover area. So, you look for little coils.

You might find a couple of snap on covers to expose the engine.

You need to use anti-size compound on the threads and torque the plugs.

These are just general guidelines. Put on a new pair of glasses and look again. Look at the top of the engine.

I've driven two rental cars in a week and neither had a traditional ignition key. Both had instantaneous MPG meters. One was a hybrid and the other had a CVT transmission.