Changing plugs and wires? Here are a few tips.
01-27-2007, 01:58 PM
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Changing plugs and wires? Here are a few tips. All of us LS1 F body owners are well aware of the situation under the hood, especially when it pertains to doing the "dreaded" plug/wire change. Well, there are alot of posts online that offer great instruction on performing this. Look it up on here, you will probably turn up more than a few different write ups.
Well, my goal isnt to retread on a popular complaint, rather to add a few tips to people that will make this job MUCH easier.
The removal of the AIR crossover tubing is well known and documented. A 10mm socket with extension makes quick work of it and gives you a world of extra space. Thats all you will really need to relocate to accomplish this side, but in the event of losing the gasket from that said tubing, a dab of RTV silicone will seal it up and keep your car from making that loud ticking noise.
A little anti-seize never hurt anyone, and neither did Dielectric grease in the boot end. Not necessary, but it makes sliding it on way easier.
Now the harder side, well, this is a tip that will work wonders for BOTH sides. Find yourself a small length of hose, no more than 3 inches. It needs to be about the size of your vacuum line for a brake booster or something. But anyway, cut it into a 3 inch length, and slide the ceramic end of the plug into it, enough so that it can hold onto the plug and you wont drop it. Now, take it and thread the plug into the cylinder head as you would, you will find that it is MUCH easier to do this and you can angle it in a way that it will thread perfectly everytime, for every plug, even the dreaded #8. This will possibly save you hours of trouble fiddling with a socket and trying not to drop it down into the abyss.
This leads me to the next tip, if you cant find a length of hose, you can save yourself much anger, by simply cutting up a piece of cardboard, and placing it under the manifold in a fashion that it blocks access to the motormounts under the car. Now if you drop the plug while threading it in, it will bounce off the cardboard, and catch it self next to the manifold or fall on the floor, Not inside the motormount. Believe me, I have seen it a bunch, on the #4 cylinder and I have seen people scream and yell over this. save the vocal chords and knuckles and do this step first. Your friends will thank you.
There are alot more, but I always seem to forget them, whenever I remember some, I will post.
Hope this helps someone.
Well, my goal isnt to retread on a popular complaint, rather to add a few tips to people that will make this job MUCH easier.
The removal of the AIR crossover tubing is well known and documented. A 10mm socket with extension makes quick work of it and gives you a world of extra space. Thats all you will really need to relocate to accomplish this side, but in the event of losing the gasket from that said tubing, a dab of RTV silicone will seal it up and keep your car from making that loud ticking noise.
A little anti-seize never hurt anyone, and neither did Dielectric grease in the boot end. Not necessary, but it makes sliding it on way easier.
Now the harder side, well, this is a tip that will work wonders for BOTH sides. Find yourself a small length of hose, no more than 3 inches. It needs to be about the size of your vacuum line for a brake booster or something. But anyway, cut it into a 3 inch length, and slide the ceramic end of the plug into it, enough so that it can hold onto the plug and you wont drop it. Now, take it and thread the plug into the cylinder head as you would, you will find that it is MUCH easier to do this and you can angle it in a way that it will thread perfectly everytime, for every plug, even the dreaded #8. This will possibly save you hours of trouble fiddling with a socket and trying not to drop it down into the abyss.
This leads me to the next tip, if you cant find a length of hose, you can save yourself much anger, by simply cutting up a piece of cardboard, and placing it under the manifold in a fashion that it blocks access to the motormounts under the car. Now if you drop the plug while threading it in, it will bounce off the cardboard, and catch it self next to the manifold or fall on the floor, Not inside the motormount. Believe me, I have seen it a bunch, on the #4 cylinder and I have seen people scream and yell over this. save the vocal chords and knuckles and do this step first. Your friends will thank you.
There are alot more, but I always seem to forget them, whenever I remember some, I will post.
Hope this helps someone.
