Spark Plugs/Wires Round One
05-31-2008, 01:30 AM
#1
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Spark Plugs/Wires Round One This spring I have decided to do just about all the general maintenance to my 02 Z28 (56K miles) I could think of. Next on my list, TR55s and MSD wires. They probably don't need to be changed but since I have been in the mood this season to work on the car I figured I might as well get it out of the way. I only drive it about 5-6K miles a year now and probably won't have to change them again for another 5+ years.
Round1: I had about 45 minutes to work on the car tonight between the time I put the baby to sleep and the time my wife had to get up and go to work (night shift nurse).
I was about to:
get all my tools together/disconnect the battery
remove 7.5* of 8 spark plugs wires
remove spark plug #3 for fun
remove the passenger side AIR tube
remove 4 coil pack rail bolts and slightly loosened the 5th (but not enough)
*I was also about the snap the #8 plug wire from the boot. Now I am having a hell of a time getting that thing off. I spent about 15 minutes trying to pull and twist at that thing with no luck. I'll probably try to get some vise grips or something on it tomorrow morning when I get back to work.
From what I have noticed the drivers side will be cake. Also, once I get the 5th bolt on the coil pack rail loosened enough to rotate them out of the way the first three on the passenger side look pretty easy too.
I am also not too worried about the #8 plug since I can lay across the engine bay and slide my left arm all the way back and touch the boot. Hopefully I can get the socket on there fairly easily once I get that damn boot off.
I will update tomorrow
Round1: I had about 45 minutes to work on the car tonight between the time I put the baby to sleep and the time my wife had to get up and go to work (night shift nurse).
I was about to:
get all my tools together/disconnect the battery
remove 7.5* of 8 spark plugs wires
remove spark plug #3 for fun
remove the passenger side AIR tube
remove 4 coil pack rail bolts and slightly loosened the 5th (but not enough)
*I was also about the snap the #8 plug wire from the boot. Now I am having a hell of a time getting that thing off. I spent about 15 minutes trying to pull and twist at that thing with no luck. I'll probably try to get some vise grips or something on it tomorrow morning when I get back to work.
From what I have noticed the drivers side will be cake. Also, once I get the 5th bolt on the coil pack rail loosened enough to rotate them out of the way the first three on the passenger side look pretty easy too.
I am also not too worried about the #8 plug since I can lay across the engine bay and slide my left arm all the way back and touch the boot. Hopefully I can get the socket on there fairly easily once I get that damn boot off.
I will update tomorrow
05-31-2008, 08:15 AM
#3
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The amount of time you waste trying to get #8 from the top (likely unsuccessfully) is more then the time it takes to go get a jack, jack the car, remove #8 from underneath, reinstall #8, lower the car, and put the jack back.
05-31-2008, 08:41 AM
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Yeah, when I start up about in about an hour or two I am going to spend about 15 minutes or so trying to get #8 boot off. If I fail I'll just do the other seven and then go #8 from under.
05-31-2008, 11:52 AM
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I am pretty sure I did #8 from underneath the car. All the rest were ok, except the last 1 on the passenger's side I took off the coil pack for and the front one on the passenger's side I took the air tube for.
05-31-2008, 02:11 PM
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TAKE THAT #8!!!!!!
Not as bad as I thought it would be.
Here is a summary of my experience.
Removed AIR tube on passenger side, removed 4 of 5 coil pack rail bolts and loosened the 5th enough to rotate the coil packs out of the way.
TR55s were gapped .059 out of the box and I stuck with that gap.
Driver's Side
Spark Plugs #1, 3, 5, 7: 3/8" driver, 3" extension, 5/8" spark plug socket (#1 would probably be easier with a 1" extension because the ABS lines kind of get in the way)
Overall the driver's side was pretty easy, didn't have any trouble getting the plugs/wires out, new ones in, or getting the plug wires seated.
Passenger Side:
Spark Plugs #2, 4: tools were the same as plugs 1,3,5,7
Spark Plugs #6, 8: same as #2, 4 except I used a 1" extension.
The first 2 passenger side plugs were just as easy to pull and seat as the driver's side. Wires were also easy to seat.
#6 would also very easy once I switched to a 1" extension, using a 3" makes it very tight because there is a AC line that restricts your leverage/grip on the wrench.
Now it was time for #8
Removing the plug was 100 times easier than I expected. I simply laid across my lid and put my left arm along side the exhaust manifold with the tools and reached all the way back to the plug. With some jiggling around I was able to get the socket seated nicely on the plug. I left the wrench there and moved above the engine so that I could pull up on the wrench to break it loose. I then removed the wrench from the extension and socket, got back to my old position, re-seated the socket and extension and used that to finish removing the plug.
Installing the new plug was also pretty easy. I took the rubber grommet that I took out of the spark plug socket and reinstalled it. I then put a little dielectric grease on the ceramic part of the plug so that it would slide in and out of the grommet easily. Went back to laying across the lid again, snaked my left arm and plug to the back of the cylinder head and was able to thread the plug on my first try (lucky me, well kind of, I initially tried to just thread the spark plug by itself but I couldn't get the plug to thread with my fingers, not enough grip)
Seating the wire took a little time but mostly because I initially wasn't pressing it straight on. I took out the wire and it had a slight bend in the boot, I straightened it out, added some more grease and it snapped right into place. I was also able to seat the wire on the coil pack by pressing against the loose coil pack with my right hand and boot with my left hand.
I then reinstalled the AIR tube (forgot to use my new gasket) and installed some coil pack bolt loosenly, went out for some spirited driving and didn't notice any misfiring, car felt good. I do have an exhaust leak in the AIR tube from using the old gasket.
Tomorrow I will go back to work and make sure all the wires are seated correctly (which I'm pretty sure they are), clean up the AIR tube and use new gasket and tighten doing the coil packs.
In conclusion (feels like I'm writing an essay)
DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY LS1 plug/wire change and go buy a 1" extension, it is no officially my favorite tool!
Another tip is to use an old plug to help you get a feel of how you need to seat/thread each spark plug so you don't go banging new plugs into the manifolds and heads.
Not as bad as I thought it would be.
Here is a summary of my experience.
Removed AIR tube on passenger side, removed 4 of 5 coil pack rail bolts and loosened the 5th enough to rotate the coil packs out of the way.
TR55s were gapped .059 out of the box and I stuck with that gap.
Driver's Side
Spark Plugs #1, 3, 5, 7: 3/8" driver, 3" extension, 5/8" spark plug socket (#1 would probably be easier with a 1" extension because the ABS lines kind of get in the way)
Overall the driver's side was pretty easy, didn't have any trouble getting the plugs/wires out, new ones in, or getting the plug wires seated.
Passenger Side:
Spark Plugs #2, 4: tools were the same as plugs 1,3,5,7
Spark Plugs #6, 8: same as #2, 4 except I used a 1" extension.
The first 2 passenger side plugs were just as easy to pull and seat as the driver's side. Wires were also easy to seat.
#6 would also very easy once I switched to a 1" extension, using a 3" makes it very tight because there is a AC line that restricts your leverage/grip on the wrench.
Now it was time for #8
Removing the plug was 100 times easier than I expected. I simply laid across my lid and put my left arm along side the exhaust manifold with the tools and reached all the way back to the plug. With some jiggling around I was able to get the socket seated nicely on the plug. I left the wrench there and moved above the engine so that I could pull up on the wrench to break it loose. I then removed the wrench from the extension and socket, got back to my old position, re-seated the socket and extension and used that to finish removing the plug.
Installing the new plug was also pretty easy. I took the rubber grommet that I took out of the spark plug socket and reinstalled it. I then put a little dielectric grease on the ceramic part of the plug so that it would slide in and out of the grommet easily. Went back to laying across the lid again, snaked my left arm and plug to the back of the cylinder head and was able to thread the plug on my first try (lucky me, well kind of, I initially tried to just thread the spark plug by itself but I couldn't get the plug to thread with my fingers, not enough grip)
Seating the wire took a little time but mostly because I initially wasn't pressing it straight on. I took out the wire and it had a slight bend in the boot, I straightened it out, added some more grease and it snapped right into place. I was also able to seat the wire on the coil pack by pressing against the loose coil pack with my right hand and boot with my left hand.
I then reinstalled the AIR tube (forgot to use my new gasket) and installed some coil pack bolt loosenly, went out for some spirited driving and didn't notice any misfiring, car felt good. I do have an exhaust leak in the AIR tube from using the old gasket.
Tomorrow I will go back to work and make sure all the wires are seated correctly (which I'm pretty sure they are), clean up the AIR tube and use new gasket and tighten doing the coil packs.
In conclusion (feels like I'm writing an essay)
DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY LS1 plug/wire change and go buy a 1" extension, it is no officially my favorite tool!
Another tip is to use an old plug to help you get a feel of how you need to seat/thread each spark plug so you don't go banging new plugs into the manifolds and heads.
Last edited by vjo90rs8; 06-02-2008 at 02:29 PM.
05-31-2008, 09:46 PM
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Also, just as an FYI the last coil pack bolt is a PITA. There is a heater core hose the runs almost right over the top of it but I was able to get it loose with a 1/4" driver and deep 10mm socket. You really have to push the wrench against the hose in order to seat the socket properly. Once you get it loose enough you can reach back and use your fingers the rest of the way. Also, definitely get a new AIR gasket. Id had a leak but after I re-removed the AIR tube I used a gasket scrapper and wire brush to clean up the tube and manifold and now it seals perfectly.
Last edited by vjo90rs8; 06-02-2008 at 02:30 PM.
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06-01-2008, 01:38 PM
#8
nice writeup. i plan on doing plugs and wires within the month and ill be sure to check back on this. i also did hear numerous times that a 1'' extension is good to have. this might even be sticky worthy 
06-02-2008, 01:35 AM
#9
The damn plugs on the 3.8L V6 are worse than ours!! Like 3x worse!
I did my plugs and thought it was a pain, well i thought wrong!
Good job man, taking off those coil packs makes it a lot easier to get your left arm in there, especially with the Spear Bolts
I did my plugs and thought it was a pain, well i thought wrong!
Good job man, taking off those coil packs makes it a lot easier to get your left arm in there, especially with the Spear Bolts
06-02-2008, 09:49 AM
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Took about 2.5 hours from start to finish.
I think I spent about 45 minutes just trying to get my broken plug wire boot off the #8 plug and trying to get the 5th coil pack rail bolt loosened. If I had to do it again I would say about 1.5 hours.
I think I spent about 45 minutes just trying to get my broken plug wire boot off the #8 plug and trying to get the 5th coil pack rail bolt loosened. If I had to do it again I would say about 1.5 hours.
06-02-2008, 11:08 AM
#12
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Get some headers and get rid of that air **** if emissions permit. I didn't have to remove the coil packs either. Driver side is cake the passenger back two are the worst but just run your arm between the headers and coil packs and your golden especially if your a lefty. I used an autozone spark plug socet and a joint as an extension so I could bend it around as needed. My first time ever doing spark pluggs and took about 45-50 mins. I didn't even mess with trying to get to number 8 from under bc it seemed like just the same pain in the *** as from the top. Just thread them by hand till hand tight and tighten a LITTLE more with the wrench they don't need to be hella tight so if your not a lefty you don't need to hee-man tighten them anyhow.
01-30-2009, 03:38 PM
#13
just knocked out spark plugs today (98 t/a). all plugs were taken out from the top. AIR was removed on both sides and coil pcks removed on PS only. 1in extension is your friend and so was the shaft of a old lacrosse stick to break those damn plugs loose. DS took appprox. 30 min at an easy pace, PS about 3 hours. Atleast next time i shouldnt have to spend 2 hours breaking all the plugs loose.
02-01-2009, 06:07 PM
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TAKE THAT #8!!!!!!
Not as bad as I thought it would be.
Here is a summary of my experience.
Removed AIR tube on passenger side, removed 4 of 5 coil pack rail bolts and loosened the 5th enough to rotate the coil packs out of the way.
TR55s were gapped .059 out of the box and I stuck with that gap.
Driver's Side
Spark Plugs #1, 3, 5, 7: 3/8" driver, 3" extension, 5/8" spark plug socket (#1 would probably be easier with a 1" extension because the ABS lines kind of get in the way)
Overall the driver's side was pretty easy, didn't have any trouble getting the plugs/wires out, new ones in, or getting the plug wires seated.
Passenger Side:
Spark Plugs #2, 4: tools were the same as plugs 1,3,5,7
Spark Plugs #6, 8: same as #2, 4 except I used a 1" extension.
The first 2 passenger side plugs were just as easy to pull and seat as the driver's side. Wires were also easy to seat.
#6 would also very easy once I switched to a 1" extension, using a 3" makes it very tight because there is a AC line that restricts your leverage/grip on the wrench.
Now it was time for #8
Removing the plug was 100 times easier than I expected. I simply laid across my lid and put my left arm along side the exhaust manifold with the tools and reached all the way back to the plug. With some jiggling around I was able to get the socket seated nicely on the plug. I left the wrench there and moved above the engine so that I could pull up on the wrench to break it loose. I then removed the wrench from the extension and socket, got back to my old position, re-seated the socket and extension and used that to finish removing the plug.
Installing the new plug was also pretty easy. I took the rubber grommet that I took out of the spark plug socket and reinstalled it. I then put a little dielectric grease on the ceramic part of the plug so that it would slide in and out of the grommet easily. Went back to laying across the lid again, snaked my left arm and plug to the back of the cylinder head and was able to thread the plug on my first try (lucky me, well kind of, I initially tried to just thread the spark plug by itself but I couldn't get the plug to thread with my fingers, not enough grip)
Seating the wire took a little time but mostly because I initially wasn't pressing it straight on. I took out the wire and it had a slight bend in the boot, I straightened it out, added some more grease and it snapped right into place. I was also able to seat the wire on the coil pack by pressing against the loose coil pack with my right hand and boot with my left hand.
I then reinstalled the AIR tube (forgot to use my new gasket) and installed some coil pack bolt loosenly, went out for some spirited driving and didn't notice any misfiring, car felt good. I do have an exhaust leak in the AIR tube from using the old gasket.
Tomorrow I will go back to work and make sure all the wires are seated correctly (which I'm pretty sure they are), clean up the AIR tube and use new gasket and tighten doing the coil packs.
In conclusion (feels like I'm writing an essay)
DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY LS1 plug/wire change and go buy a 1" extension, it is no officially my favorite tool!
Another tip is to use an old plug to help you get a feel of how you need to seat/thread each spark plug so you don't go banging new plugs into the manifolds and heads.
Not as bad as I thought it would be.
Here is a summary of my experience.
Removed AIR tube on passenger side, removed 4 of 5 coil pack rail bolts and loosened the 5th enough to rotate the coil packs out of the way.
TR55s were gapped .059 out of the box and I stuck with that gap.
Driver's Side
Spark Plugs #1, 3, 5, 7: 3/8" driver, 3" extension, 5/8" spark plug socket (#1 would probably be easier with a 1" extension because the ABS lines kind of get in the way)
Overall the driver's side was pretty easy, didn't have any trouble getting the plugs/wires out, new ones in, or getting the plug wires seated.
Passenger Side:
Spark Plugs #2, 4: tools were the same as plugs 1,3,5,7
Spark Plugs #6, 8: same as #2, 4 except I used a 1" extension.
The first 2 passenger side plugs were just as easy to pull and seat as the driver's side. Wires were also easy to seat.
#6 would also very easy once I switched to a 1" extension, using a 3" makes it very tight because there is a AC line that restricts your leverage/grip on the wrench.
Now it was time for #8
Removing the plug was 100 times easier than I expected. I simply laid across my lid and put my left arm along side the exhaust manifold with the tools and reached all the way back to the plug. With some jiggling around I was able to get the socket seated nicely on the plug. I left the wrench there and moved above the engine so that I could pull up on the wrench to break it loose. I then removed the wrench from the extension and socket, got back to my old position, re-seated the socket and extension and used that to finish removing the plug.
Installing the new plug was also pretty easy. I took the rubber grommet that I took out of the spark plug socket and reinstalled it. I then put a little dielectric grease on the ceramic part of the plug so that it would slide in and out of the grommet easily. Went back to laying across the lid again, snaked my left arm and plug to the back of the cylinder head and was able to thread the plug on my first try (lucky me, well kind of, I initially tried to just thread the spark plug by itself but I couldn't get the plug to thread with my fingers, not enough grip)
Seating the wire took a little time but mostly because I initially wasn't pressing it straight on. I took out the wire and it had a slight bend in the boot, I straightened it out, added some more grease and it snapped right into place. I was also able to seat the wire on the coil pack by pressing against the loose coil pack with my right hand and boot with my left hand.
I then reinstalled the AIR tube (forgot to use my new gasket) and installed some coil pack bolt loosenly, went out for some spirited driving and didn't notice any misfiring, car felt good. I do have an exhaust leak in the AIR tube from using the old gasket.
Tomorrow I will go back to work and make sure all the wires are seated correctly (which I'm pretty sure they are), clean up the AIR tube and use new gasket and tighten doing the coil packs.
In conclusion (feels like I'm writing an essay)
DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY LS1 plug/wire change and go buy a 1" extension, it is no officially my favorite tool!
Another tip is to use an old plug to help you get a feel of how you need to seat/thread each spark plug so you don't go banging new plugs into the manifolds and heads.
02-03-2009, 10:40 PM
#17
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I think the part of the passenger side that took me the longest was messing with the coil rail bolts. I couldn't get to the last one, so I said the hell with it and left the coil rail where it was and re-tightened the other bolts. I didn't have any trouble getting to the plugs with it there, and number 8 was easy from underneath.
And yeah, that 1" extension really comes in handy here.
And yeah, that 1" extension really comes in handy here.
