Well I've changed spark plugs on Lt1's w/ manifolds, shorties, LT's...finally got the hang of it pretty good! Only took about 3 hrs start to finish. So now i got an LS1 think it was gonna be just as hard!...well i was wrong, took me right at two hours! I thought this was gonna be a nightmare but it was a breeze! I can't believe people have some many problems with changing them! Of course the drivers side took about 25 mins start to finish and the pass took about 1 hr, the rest of the time was taking the coil pack off the pass side and gapping the plugs! Taking the coil packs off was crazy easy...even that dreded last bolt...hell it i put it back it b/c it wasn't hard at all... #8 didn't give me an fuss at all either! not trying to brag but everything went great and smooth if you have the right tool. All i had was a stanley 80 piece car set and craftsman ratcheting wrenches!

So my TR-6's are in and ready for some spray...hopefully this spec III will hold it!

sorry for the long rambling but i'm really loving my LS1 now and can't imagine how easy it woulda been with headers!

 

you must have small girlish hands. j/k

I find I can swap the plugs much more quickly with the help of small ambidextrous asian children.

 

Congrats.......and it will get even easier the next time. I've finally got it down to about a 1/2 hour(not incl. gapping plugs).

 

Once you do a couple of times and maybe make yourself a tool for the passenger side, you will be doing it in around 30-45 minutes.

 

Two hours? Wow that's a long time. It takes me 30 min. But the 1st time I did it I spent a long time on it probably around 3 hours.

 

I don't remember how long it took me for the first time, but if you are changing them in two hours then I wouldn't call that easy. I can get those things out and back in, in about 30 minutes or less. The tr-55's come pre-gapped so I just check the gap to make sure they are all right. This last set I gapped at .050 and they seem to work a little better. Here's the quickest way I've found out how to do them on a 98 formula. First get you a 3" ext. and a 5/8" plug socket. Pop off all of the plug wires on the driver side, take the plugs out and put in the new w/some anti-seize. Now on the pass. side is where the tricks come in. Take off wires 2, 4, 6. Now take off the last two coil packs. Take off wire #8. Now take out plugs 2, 4, 6. To get number 8 and sometimes #6 I stretch across the car with my palm faced towards the motor. I then reach behind the engine and put the socket on (I can't remember if I use the extension on 6 and 8) Then I attach the wrench. (I do this for a couple of the plugs, I just can't remember which ones) I take it out and put all of the other's back in with the anti-seize. Now the process is in reverse. I usually take the plug wires and attach them back on for 2 and 4. Then I put #8 wire on the plug and leave it dangling. I then attach the coils back and plug in the #8 to the coil with same "behind the motor" technique. Then I put on wire #6. Then do the pass. side and I'm done. Garunteed way to get it done in < 30minutes.

I almost forgot. The biggest time saver is after I have broken the plug loose with the wrench, I take it off and spin the socket or socket/extension with my hands to take the plug out, and to put it back in until snug. Then I take the wrench and tighten it.

 

well i thought it was quick compared to the first time i did a LT1...took about 5 hours...guess i'm not as good as i thought! LOL...i used a reg spark plug socket w/ a stubby 19m to fit on the end of that! Works great!

you guys doing it in 30 min are you taking the coils off?

 

Yup.....I've got the newer center bolt coil pack rail. I use two small bolts on each side to hold it on. 30 seconds and all the coil packs are off. It makes the plug change way easier.

 

LT1s & LS1s are both fun to change, anyway.
The only thing I've ever moved on an LS1 for a plug change is to disconnect the pass side AIR hose from the check valve and get it the F*** out of the way, that is after the first plug change that took me 2 hours.
Pre-headers I got it down to about an hour, including sitting on my butt checking the plug gaps. I don't try to set any speed records, I just get it done. What else matters, LOL.

 

i just bought new plugs for my header install. I got AC Delco ones. I gapped them all to 0.060. Is that correct? never done it before.

 

Here is a link to how I change mine-
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296918/9

 

That will work. That's the stock gap from the factory.

 

why are you guys taking off the coil packs?? ive never takin off the coils and i can still do them all in under and hr. just gotta get the passanger side plug all the way in the back from the bottem..damn headers.

 

i think that's the funniest thing i've ever read on this site. wooo. that was good.

anyways... my trick for changing spark plugs on the passenger side (#6 and #8) is to actually get into the engine compartment. i knee on the motor... one knee on the intake, and another on the radiator support. then i just do it upside down - just a lot better positioning for my hands.

oh yea... not have air injection, and removing the coil packs make it a lot easier too. i'm ripping out my a/c and my heater core - so after that changing plugs will not be any probablem for me. oh i can't wait.

 

trying to make my car go faster is like polishing a turd... no matter what i do to it, ... it's still a turd.

 

how often do you guys change your spark plugs?

 

Pontiac says 100k miles...but way before that.

 

If you take the coil packs off you don't have to get it from the bottom.

with headers and no AIR anymore, I can do it in 15 minutes now including taking the coil packs off. My hands/forearms are to big to slide in there with the packs on anyway.

Dan

 

I feel like a retard, now. I didn't take off anything when I changed the plugs, and it took about 4 hours, and a lot of cuts, scrapes, and bruises on my forearms. Of course, having forearms like Popeye has doesn't help, either.

 

Got mine down to about 30-45 minutes.