I am ATTEMPING to give my 97 T/A a tune up. Ive already got a new opti on it, and im attemping to take out the plugs and wires. This number 8 is gonna drive me up the wall. I can just barely reach the plug from the top but i cannot get the boot off the plug with my hands. Ive looked from the bottom and i probably could take off the y pipe to get to it, but so far all the bolts ive tried to take out on the pipe are seized solid. I dont want to deal with broken bolts at all, as im limited to some tools. Is there a trick to doing a simple tune up on these cars?! /Rant

 

remove starter to gain access...? man its so easy with headers and a tubular k-member.. i changed em all in 30min yesterday..

 

have you layed on your intake and shoved your arm down in there yet? ( the superman)

 

The starters not really blocking the access to it, more the ypipe. And my cars completely stock. Yea ive spread eagled right across the engine. I can just get the tips of my fingers in there. The dipstick stops me from going any further from the top it seems

 

you must have fat arms and short fingers lol. I can do #8 easy on a stock manifold car. dont really know what to tell you if removing the starter doesnt help you.

If you arnt bleeding yet, then you arnt doing it right, that much i know is for certain on a plug change for an lt1.

if all else fails, seriously, find someone with girly forearms and long fingers.

 

Naw im a pretty skinny guy. I must have shorter arms than you cause i can barely get to it. And yes, its drawn blood already.

EDIT: I did just make some progress though. Reason i couldnt get the boot off is cause it mustve been stuck on there real good, cause i just pulled as hard as i could, and it seperated the wire from the actual boot. But now the boot has come off so i can actually get the socket on there now

 

IIRC, when I did mine(94 T/A) on a lift, I just shoved my arm in there as far as I could from the bottom and did it pretty much blind. It really is a PITA

 

I just changed all the plugs on my 94 z. Driver side I got from underneath. The pass side I got from the top. I did not remove starter ( seeing how I went from the top). And I did remove the alternator. With some effort and cursing you will get the 8 plug.

 

I think I've found a new sig quote!! It's funny because it rings so true!!

Also, defaultexistence calling the trick with laying on the intake "the superman"...I love it!!!

But yeah, when I changed mine with stock exhaust, I removed the starter just so I could reach up in there and get the boot off and place the socket on the spark plug. The spark plug socket had a hex-shaped head on top of it which allows you to put a socket on top of it if you want. Then I did the superman and reached down with my rachet which had another socket on it which fit over the end of the spark plug socket, then removed it like that.

Once you are done with this, if you still have some skin left on your forearms that you want removed, change the plug wires.

 

I just re-read your original post and saw that you are changing the wires as well. Let me know if you need the link to a place that sells neosporin in bulk.

 

If you didn't you should try twisting the boot first to break it free from the plug and then try to pull it off. When my car was stock I'd always get the passenger side from the top.

 

Hit the studs with PB....and if u can brush wire them clean...and then use an air gun to drive those nuts off and drop that ypipe.

You will never do it any other way after that trust me.
You can get all 8 plugs out in about 20 minutes. The only one you have to get to from the top after that is #2.
#8 is a walk in the park with no y-pipe. And for re-installation its even faster.

Dont forget to put anti-seize on the damm plugs and dialectric grease on the wire ends...this will prevent things from ever becoming a problem to disassemble again.

 

I could get it to twist but it wouldnt come off till it actually broke. I think this cars never had a plug change with 214kms on it...and i have no air tools lol. I did get the plug out from the top with a swivel and a couple extensions. Thanks for the help everyone

 

elbow grease and breaker pipe sleeved over the ratchet will do it too.
You need that y-pipe OFF!....i really dont understand how ALL these "informational" websites....dont make that a sticky.

Anyway your half way done now. But truly the trick is to knock down the ypipe.
I am even considering never getting headers due to the stock manifolds making this so easy once the ypipe is off.

My last spark plug swap took 1hour....and I took my time including dropping the pipe....but yea I did that with air gun.

 

I'm shocked it was #8 giving you grief, on stock cars I'm always swearing at #2!

 

5/8 plug socket and weld a 3/4" wrench to it and bend it........it does wonders...........i had to make my own wrench to get the #5 plug out of mine now......with 1 7/8" stahl pattern headers there is justttt enough room for the plug to come out.........just get creative.....you may have to cut up a few tools but hey thats hot rodding

 

If thats the one up front by the a/c lines then i agree 100%. normally i can do the other 7 plugs in under an hour maybe under 45 minutes, then good old number 2 comes around and ***** me over for 1-2 hours.

 

yup #2 gives good head....

 

"superman" LMAO been there done that!!!
num. 2 should be easier from the bottom. I absolutily hate the #5 plug. I can barely fit my hand between the mani. and the fender. Cant wait to put my long tubes on.

well I do have an ac delete and egr makes things easierlol.

 

I will be doing this next time I change plugs. great idea.