Tips on Changing Spark Plugs & Wires

[peter]

Awww, wouldya looky here at IHATEMYBIKE's pretty paper towels. But my, their sooooo pretty. Got any with pink elephants and bunnies?

Wih my 5" body lift, replacing the plugs on my big block takes me app. 20 minutes, working throught the wheelwells. 30 minutes if I opt to remove the front tires rather than just jack up the whole front end and turn the tires outta the way. Always thought that plug changes would be a bear after the swap (A La Chevy Monza), yet it's the easiest thing to do on this truck

[kings-x59]

old post, but I just ran across it.
Peter, you are the only other person I've come across that apparently knows what a PITA it was to changes plugs on a chevy monza. My sister had one when I was in highschool. Her monza 2+2 had the V8 in it. I did her plugs one time. I had to unbolt the engine mounts, put a block of wood under the oil pan and jack the engine up to get to the back two plugs.

[ihatemybike]

Awww, wouldya looky here at IHATEMYBIKE's pretty paper towels. But my, their sooooo pretty. Got any with pink elephants and bunnies?

Yes, they have butterflies, but they also have dragonflies and thus are cool.

[GEJ]

The only thing if I live long enough I am going to mod on Ole Yellar's body is the damm dog house and how it is connected.I can not or will not live with GM's design.Going to fashion some sort of quick connect fasteners so getting to the engine will not be such a PITA!!.

Tomorrow the LT is getting plugs,wires,cap,rotor and to take off the dog house was just not fun.I set the stage for a friend and me to do this cheating using his lift.But to find the top screw on the passenger side took some doing.Some backwards GM brainy engineer with a "promise" on a Friday afternoon came up with that idea and just wanted to finish his work in a hurry.Talk about lack of focus!!.Grrrrrrrrrr.

[ihatemybike]

Undoing the engine cover aint so bad, as long as you have at least 22" worth of extensions for your wrench. Sure it's doable with 12", but getting the wrench out 22" allows you to spin it 360 and gets the bolt taken care of much quicker.

[GEJ]

Undoing the engine cover aint so bad, as long as you have at least 22" worth of extensions for your wrench. Sure it's doable with 12", but getting the wrench out 22" allows you to spin it 360 and gets the bolt taken care of much quicker.

Going to make it easier.Should be like opening a hood on anything else.Couldn't see the right screw head because of carpeting for nothing.Don't want to sound like a newbie,but I forgot how much I hate that system.

[GEJ]

Man-pretty lazer light show off the wires. Just went out to start it in the dark and seems all the wires on the passenger side of the engine are lite up. For sure time for a change.

[phr1$k37]

Man-pretty lazer light show off the wires. Just went out to start it in the dark and seems all the wires on the passenger side of the engine are lite up. For sure time for a change.

I would ask for a video but that aint gonna happen. Never seen that many go at once. Only one :p The spark arcs were long, loud and bright enough for me to know I have a problem haha.

[2002Safari]

Harbor Freight has "Wobblie" extensions for much cheaper than Sears. I've found using the "Wobblie" extension makes pulling all 6 plugs easy.

I'm needing to change the plugs on my Safari. It has 110k miles on it. Not sure if the plugs, cap, rotor, and wires have ever been changed. It's an AWD with 3.73 gears and does 17.5 on my shorter runs, but I do drive it easily as I prefer to limit my gas company support.

[potskie]

Undoing the engine cover aint so bad, as long as you have at least 22" worth of extensions for your wrench. Sure it's doable with 12", but getting the wrench out 22" allows you to spin it 360 and gets the bolt taken care of much quicker.

Those bolts on the doghouse are designed to be removed with the factory lug wrench......... Use the standard screwdriver like end and viola! The bolts have a slot in them just for that end of the lug wrench.

I have never once used anything but the factory lug wrench to remove the doghouse ( engine cover)

Also gary the trick is to use the factory lug wrench and aim it straight down the indentations on the cover they go from front to back where the bolts are.

[ihatemybike]

Those bolts on the doghouse are designed to be removed with the factory lug wrench......... Use the standard screwdriver like end and viola! The bolts have a slot in them just for that end of the lug wrench.

Good tip

[chemist]

There's already enough pics, so I won't bother posting any. I finished this job Sunday night. This is all going to sound pretty basic, but I write it for folks who have never had the pleasure of this job.

To get the wheel well covers off, I used the claw a carpenter's hammer. A rubber mallet worked to put them back on. The passenger side was easy. I pulled with wires on the passenger side with pliers since I was replacing them. My buddy who happens to be a tech told me to replace the wires since they were over 100,000 miles--yes that meant pulling the doghouse off. I only did one wire at a time to avoid confusion--replacing each wire as I pulled each plug, and bouncing between the wheel wells and the interior engine compartment.
* The two plugs on passenger side closest to the wheel came out with just a 5/8" spark plug socket and two long extensions.
* The passenger side plug nearest the

The drivers side was hard. I used pliers to get the plug closest to the front. The others were pulled from underneath using a long screw driver.
* The one plug near the front of the van came out with just extensions.
* The other two have the socket with a unversal attached from under the van. Then the extensions were attached from the wheel well.
--- Note: Cross threading those back two is a risk. It's hard to get in there, but make sure they are seated and turning feely prior to applying rachet.

edit: this one's really basic, but I forgot to mention it. When you pull the extentions out of the spark plug socket, the socket will in all likelyhood stick to the spark plug. A pair of needle nose pliers or really small vice grips is helpful here.

[TheHarv]

Seeing all these pictures really make me appreciate the lack of road salt and other winter moisture in So Cal.

[wkw94astro]

Changed plugs and wires in my 2004 today (2wd). It took ~5 hours. About the same as my '94?

Gloves to avoid busted knuckles help, and several extensions. The jack handle for the doghouse screws is a nice find.

Anti-sieze and dielectric grease are important.

Those little plastic clips are a big pain for sure (holding he wires). And, removing the little plastic clip holders for the wheel well plastic/rubber is a pain because they tend to break even with the right tool.

Anyway, it's still not easy.

The van does idle a bit smoother and has less hesitation. The plugs and wires looked a little worn, but not too bad. They had 80kmi on them.

Kevin

[blacknome]

I am having a " I hate my van " day today.

Jumped in this morning to go to work and it would crank over and put-put-put but no start. After about 6 tries the battery started to run down and even with a boost it would not start. So I broke out the "quick start" and still no fire.

So I took wifeys car to work today and picked up a new battery on the way home. New battery and still no joy. I can smell the gas and it want's to fire but will not start.

So a trip to crappy tire later and I am laying on my back in the driveway in 6" of snow swapping out the plugs and wires. What a major 100% PIA. Fingers are cold and numb, my ass is soaked.

I drove a 1976 Monza SPyder for 2 years and swapped the plugs out in that and I could do 5 of those in the amount of time I have spent so far. Until now I have 3 hours into changing 3 plugs !!!

So the van is an '03 AWD and sitting in 6" of snow. 127000 kms and it looks like the plugs, wires, and battery are all original. The plugs I pulled are soaked in fuel and the electrode is worn down to a narrow spike in the middle.

So I have given up for tonight and Friday after work I will attempt the last 3 as I need the van to haul 5 kiddies around this weekend.