Got Me SOM

iTrader: (2)

Consider me devirginized! Took me a tad over 2 hours. I could probably do it much faster if I had to do it again. Boy that last plug I believe its #8 back by the firewall is a summamambitch! Getting the plug back in was a killer! I almost dropped the cat converter so I could get more room but I figured out a way to get it in after much struggling. Lots of cussing and I got a few scratches on the knuckles but its done and I am proud that I did it myself.
The thought crossed my mind to let someone else do it when the going was getting rough but I persevered and made it thru. The old plugs didn't look that bad but compared to the new NGK's they looked kinda ratty. My car has 19,000 miles and I suspect it had the original plugs in it.

How in the hell are you supposed to get at that last bolt for the coil packs on the passenger side. If I had a real short box wrench or maybe a gear wrench I think I could've gotten it. Its damn near impossible to get out.

I guess I picked up some more power. Its really hard to see, it seems like it pulls harder on top. Could be all mental who knows.

If you're getting ready to do this be prepared to spend at least 2 hours. Have a little pen maglight handy it helps locate the holes so you can see where the plugs go and where certain bolts are for the coil packs. Definitely have a swivel, and if you have a 1 inch extension that would help too.

Is it worth the money to change out the wires?


Headers are next but I'll only do it myself if I have access to a lift, screw working on the ground, BLEH!

MadIceV8

iTrader: (12)

Dude I thought you sold your camaro before leaving IL? Glad to see you still have it , when the heck did you do the converter? Is your 13.1 after you did the 3800?

Oh yea I just did Pacesetter Headers. No lift, just got the car a good 2-3 feet off the ground with some big *** jack stands. Not easy lifting my car since its only 3-6 inches off the ground normally!

Got Me SOM

iTrader: (2)

Well I landed a job right away in Florida and decided to keep her, for now. I did the converter just before I left. I took it to the local track which has track similar to a ice rink and spun first and second real bad on the F1's.
The car's definitely a lot quicker than the time you saw me at 41. I just put on drag radials now it spins a little but for the most part hooks pretty good on the street.

More mods are coming, people are starting to call me out. hehe

XtinctHawk02

Why did you change your plugs only after 19k? I though they last longer than that.These plugs are meant to not be changed until, by GM specs 100,000 miles.
Why did you changed them soooooo early?

Onyx Z

iTrader: (3)

Doing plugs and wires is a lot easier if you take off all the coil packs and all the EGR/AIR crap. Of course I do have a 98 w/o the coil pack racks and with EGR, but I'm sure it's still easier regardless. Headers also help a lot when changing plugs, A LOT more room to work.

Ryan

MadIceV8

iTrader: (12)

Because the GM plugs are gapped all over the place and they seem to not fire as well after 20k miles. I replaced my plugs and wires when I did LT headers a month ago and I also has 19,000 miles. The car runs much smoother.

XtinctHawk02

Ahhhhh--- never knew that.
I'm not looking foward to the day I have to do mine.

Mean Machine

i changed my plugs after about 40k. i waited way to long to do it, mostly because i heard it was a major pita. it was a lot easier than i thought it would be. i unbolted the air tubes and swung them out of the way....piece of cake. i got # 8 from underneath. it was one of the easier plugs. oh yeah, out of 8 plugs, i think i had 8 different gaps. a couple were missing the platinum pucks. if you drive like an old woman you probably can get 100k out of the stock plugs.

slik98z

how difficult is it to change plugs on a 98 z28? I got some colder plugs for the nitrous use. I had a buddy at a shop change to some copper plugs when i installed mynitrous kit, but the dumbass put in the same heat range as the stockers. so i wanna put these buggers in but im fearing the install. i hate when **** takes forever to do something that should be kinda simple.
thanks
T

Onyx Z

iTrader: (3)

All you have to do is take off all the EGR/AIR tubes and crap and all the coil packs, then you should be able to get all of the plugs out from the top. At least that's what I did, but of course I have headers and those make plug changes a lot less of chore.

good luck
Ryan

98Z-6Speed

It appears the consensus is if you have headers, #6 & #8 are easy to get from underneath. If you have the stock manifold/cats then you have to go from above, and #6 is tough but #8 is a biiiiiiiiiiiaaaaatch. It took me about 20 minutes to do the entire drivers side. It took me around 2.5 hours to do the passenger, including 40 minutes just to get #8 out. Make sure you move the AIR pips and remove the coil packs on the passenger side. O ya, make sure you have new gaskets for the AIR tubes available, they are really cheap. They tick like crazy if the old gaskets are bad.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Welcome to the club! (spark plug changer's club).

Laying on the ground to do a header install is half the fun!

1RawTA

iTrader: (1)

why would u remove the coil packs to get the plugs out? the packs are on the valve cover and how would they get in the way? also what stuff do u have to remove when u install headers?

sunsetz28

iTrader: (1)

I have 44K on my 01 Z28. I've been procrastinating changing them out. I tried one time but failed misserably. I even had it on a lift. I couldn't pull some of the wires off because they were on real tight. I was afraid of ripping the wires apart. I guess I'll change them when I do my fuel filter.

01SSM6

i wanted to paint my valve covers..and saw how far back the engine went said to myself...my fat hands aren't fitting back there...i dont see how some of you guys do it...hahah here i am complaing about plugs in the LS1 when i built and installed the 462 in the chevelle

Raben

iTrader: (5)

I need to replace mine sometime. It's just everytime I raise the hood and look at the passenger side winking back at me. . .I decide to shut the hood and go back to watching TV and drinking a nice cold one lol!


There's just too much crap on that side to do a simple plug change But someday I'll go ahead and do it. I have 75K miles on the stock plugs hehe, with nearly all the bolt ons done so she's been driving hard hehe plus dyno tuned

new plugs and wires badly needs to be done but when my lazy **** decides to take that challenge it'll get done. Although my hands are too big.

slik98z

well **** i might as well go get me some pacesetter headers...who has them in stock? how much they going for, if i gotta scrape my damn knuckles replacing some spark plugs i might as well cut em up installing some headers so i can go faster and sound meaner..right?

98Z-6Speed

LOL you'll find out when you try to do it. I thought the same thing you did, until coil pack #4 almost took my ring finger completely off trying to break #6 loose.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

i can do my plugs in about 30 minutes :shrug:, LT's and having small hands help.