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My review of Spark Plug wire & Plug install.

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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 08:06 PM
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Default My review of Spark Plug wire & Plug install.

Well, let me just say it sucked.

Took me 5-6 hours. Mostly due to following a certain set of instructions. Do not, I repeat do not even try to get the number 8 plug and wire from the top. It is a colossal waste of time and pain. My arms look like swiss cheese now, from trying to do it that way.

Instead jack the car up, take off the wheel slide under the car and it is right there, 10 times easier than doing it from the top. If I did it this way to begin with, I would have shaved off 1.5-2Hours of my time. The one next to it a lil skill but not that bad. And the other front two on the driver side were pretty easy no hassles. Also do not remove or loosen the coil rail, it is not necessary, only remove the air tube. (I think I must of damaged the gasket, as I hear a slight ticking under load, but can't pinpoint where it is coming from.)

And the driver side was a cinch. Took me about 30 minutes for that side all together. Car looks good with fat red wires, and it runs smoother. Well worth the 65 bucks I paid for the wires and plugs. No difference in power that I can tell.

However, if I had to do it again, I would hands down pay someone to do it. It is not worth my time, and skin. I was quoted 120 for the job and should have taken them up on it. My skin is worth more than 120.

I am dead tired from doing this install, this took the same amount of time to install as it did the install of my solid motormounts, Short throw shifter, wastegate, map and tip sensor, stage 2 pcm, and 680cc injectors on my old SRT-4.

I had to call a friend to loosen my last plug because I had no strength left to do so.

But at least it runs great and I am done.

I hope the PnP TB is easier to install than this....
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 09:45 PM
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I've done eight plug changes, all from the top, I remove the number six and eight coil packs and that makes it alot easier for no. eight plug removal, it also helps if you have swivel plug socket, I am able to get on top of the battery with my knees on it to get that nasty plug its takes me a hour to a hour and a half to change them out, first removal of those plugs sucked, it was like five hours of so. Good news is, you did it, nice job.
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 09:54 PM
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Take both coil packs off and it's 100% easier IMO.
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 10:05 PM
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or just buy some long tubes and just change em out when you take your headers off like I did and it takes you like 5 min to do the plugs....
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Old Aug 9, 2006 | 10:15 PM
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after the first couple times, itll only take ya 1-2 hours without taking coil packs off, i know how you feel on the swiis cheese, then u go take a shower and get soap all in ur cuts
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 01:31 AM
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Originally Posted by SSDoubleK
I've done eight plug changes, all from the top, I remove the number six and eight coil packs and that makes it alot easier for no. eight plug removal, it also helps if you have swivel plug socket, I am able to get on top of the battery with my knees on it to get that nasty plug its takes me a hour to a hour and a half to change them out, first removal of those plugs sucked, it was like five hours of so. Good news is, you did it, nice job.

To be honest though, there is really no reason to remove the coils for me. I can very easily reach up and get the one from the bottom of the car, it is alot easier to jack the car up, and slide under than remove the coils and deal with more crap lying around everywhere.

But I guess what everworks. I heard some of the earlier cars that it is impossible to get from underneath.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 01:36 AM
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Originally Posted by BLACKNREDSS
after the first couple times, itll only take ya 1-2 hours without taking coil packs off, i know how you feel on the swiis cheese, then u go take a shower and get soap all in ur cuts
Yah, talk about burn city. I went through 10 pairs of mechanic disposable gloves kept ripping them. They saved my hands a few times. Almost no cuts on my hands its all on my right outer forearm.

Originally Posted by 01FormulaTA
or just buy some long tubes and just change em out when you take your headers off like I did and it takes you like 5 min to do the plugs....
Still don't think I will do LT's. I will have a PnP Tb coming, and I know have a dump. I was trapping 106-107 before dump and TB so I am guessing I should get around 2more MPH hopefully. Got near 9whp from the dump and the PnP has proven 8-10whp from where I am getting it. Plus I am adding some DR's.

My goal is 12's if I hit 12's I am done.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 06:49 AM
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I just did my plugs last weekend. First stime for a LS car ever. I did the #8 first and just like was suggested from underneath. I did not remove the wheel though, no need to as it is not in the way. That plug took a while wopping 10 minutes.


I then pulled the passanger side coil packs, after they are out of the way it was a inch. The drivers side I did nothing more than remove and replace the plugs.

In total I spent maybe 2 hours doing mine on the first time.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 07:23 AM
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To answer your question about the TB...yes, it is 100X easier than plugs. 30 min max.
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 07:30 AM
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Originally Posted by zspot98
Take both coil packs off and it's 100% easier IMO.


#8 plug takes me about 5 minutes this way (I've changed plugs on these cars quite a few times, though).
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Old Aug 10, 2006 | 08:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Ubergeist
But I guess what everworks. I heard some of the earlier cars that it is impossible to get from underneath.
This is true from what I have seen. My 02 M6 is very easy from underneath (atleast it was before the headers) but my bro's 99 auto has no space even for my skinny arms to get up there from the bottom.
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