View Poll Results: Best/fastest method?
Remove coil packs & get them all from the top.
42
56.00%
Leave the packs on & get #8 from the bottom.
33
44.00%
Voters: 75. You may not vote on this poll
#8 Plug From Top Or Bottom?
Thread Starter
TECH Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 445
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From: Tampa Bay
#8 Plug From Top Or Bottom? I'm going to change the plugs for the first time this week. What is easier; taking off the coil packs and taking out all the plugs from the top, or leaving the packs on and getting the #8 plug from the bottom. I'm probably not going to have access to a lift, and I do have headers. Let me know which you think is the faster/easier method, and about how long it takes you to change them. Thanks.
Got mine from the top with a flex head ratchet. No problem at all once the coil pack is off and the AIR tube removed from the passenger side. Now getting that back coil pack bolt....That was a BITCH. Everyone will tell you just leave it off 5 is more than enough to hold the packs on and it will make the next plug swap much easier.
yup don't put the last coil pack bolt on the pass. side back in...i only have 3 coil pack bracket bolts holding mine in...they do the job and there aren't any rattles under the hood from a "flopping" bracket
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,550
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Go from the top. I used to remove the coil rail on my '00 car, but my '98 does not have a coil rail (the coils are individually bolted directly to the valve cover) so removal is not really necessary. The rear coil sits more flush with the valvecover without the rail so I just leave it in and work around it. Maybe next time I'll try taking out #8 coil just to see if it's any easier that way.
But either way, I'd always go from the top.
But either way, I'd always go from the top.
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if you have headers do it from the bottom.. jacking my car up to get under it took me longer than taking the plug out, it was extremely easy once you are under it, just get the right angle..
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If you have a chance to get one of these it makes the spark plugs easy as hell to get out. I picked mine up at Menards for 20 bones its a stanley. For the record I like being on top 
http://www.stanleyproto.com/default....rsible+Ratchet
http://www.stanleyproto.com/default....rsible+Ratchet
Total job took me and a buddy about 4-5 hours. We stopped for dinner and cool down breaks as it was nearly 90 and very high humidity. I'm betting I could do the whole job again now in under 2 hours straight. I do not have headers and got to all of my plugs from the top. I also replaced my wires as well. First time is the hardest I think. Make sure you use antisieze on the new plugs and I found it easiest to remove the AIR tubes and coil pack on the passenger side.
Oh, and there are 2-3 pine tree fasteners that hold down the hood weather strip on the cowl. Pop those ******* up if going from the top otherwise getting to number 6 and 8 will turn your arm into hamburger. I'd also suggest getting a pivoting head or "flex" ratchet as it made the job easier. I had gear wrench's, indexing ratchets and in the end a 3" extension, 3/8" univeral and the long 3/8" flex head ratchet was the best for getting at 8. The indexing ratchet helped get the coil pack bolts but only a carftsman box end 10mm wrench was able to get that back coil pack bolt. You get about a 16th turn and it takes a while to get that off. Getting number 6 and 8 seemed to be easiest when standing in front of the car and leaning over. Forget about getting those from the side.
Oh, and there are 2-3 pine tree fasteners that hold down the hood weather strip on the cowl. Pop those ******* up if going from the top otherwise getting to number 6 and 8 will turn your arm into hamburger. I'd also suggest getting a pivoting head or "flex" ratchet as it made the job easier. I had gear wrench's, indexing ratchets and in the end a 3" extension, 3/8" univeral and the long 3/8" flex head ratchet was the best for getting at 8. The indexing ratchet helped get the coil pack bolts but only a carftsman box end 10mm wrench was able to get that back coil pack bolt. You get about a 16th turn and it takes a while to get that off. Getting number 6 and 8 seemed to be easiest when standing in front of the car and leaning over. Forget about getting those from the side.
