well i just did mine (1st timer) used ngk tr55 i started at 11:30 and durring that time i ate lunch and rac back out to the store for a swivel for plug number 8 and i just got dont at 3:30. so 4 hours w/ a lunch and a trip out to the store. next time ill know exactley how to #8 out and i bet ill be done in 2 hours

 

I got to #8 by removing the passenger side coil packs(all of them come off on the rail). Didn't have to use a swivel, my small 1/4" ratchet fit in there with a breaker bar on it. Took me 6 hours my first time since all my plugs were siezed in and a total bitch to break loose. No need to fool with a swivel. I bet I wasted 3 hours trying various things to get #8 before I figured out to take out the coil packs.

 

I am not sure about you guys but I take out the number 8 spark plug from underneath the car. It seems like there enough space down after you raise the car.

 

Just took out my plugs tonight. Only took 35 minutes and #8 was no problem from the side. No swivel either, 1/4" and small breaker bar! The worst part of it was that sensor on #1.

 

Haw hard is it to change plugs/wires on a LT1 firebird?

Most of the replys that I have read have been about LS1's


Thanks,
Rob

 

with the optispark being down low i had to hook up all the wires from under the front peeking up between the fans and such. putting the wires on even with kooks headers on my cousins 94 z28 was a pain but about 2 hours we had it done. he had a few plugs lossen up, we didnt use any anti-seize nad tighten them down with headers on let me tell u number 6 and 8 always seem to be a pain no matter what engine. getting the right tools working together is a must.

 

I will always change them myself. I had no idea that it was close to $200!!! that is insane!

 

Hey on the LT1, my first time changing plugs, took me 3 hours. Started with drivers side, all four were pretty quick. Passenger side a bit of a PITA. It's 2,4,6,8 on the passenger side right? Can't remember now, but if that's right I got #2 changed from the top, without moving the alternator. I just disconnected the smog tube and bent the metal part back a little bit. #8 took me forever because I couldn't get it threaded, but I did it from the underside of the car. I do have small forearms so others may not be able to do it that way.

 

savethelinoleum: Did you do wires at the same time too?
I have the plugs and wires, but after a recent tranny removal/installation I cant get motivated go lay under the car again. My car has 80k on it. last summer I removed plug #1 and looked at it and seemed to be fine. Im gonna pull it out again and check and see what the gap is. Should I quit bitching and just do it, seeing how they have 80k on them???

 

do it urself and that last one on the passenger side go from under the car. u can easily save those $150-250. there is not to many things u can mess up. from when i did it there is nothing u can mess up. im pretty skinny so i didnt have to many problems. try it out bro u learn a lot when u start doing things urself. tiral and error. but you'll be fine

 

FastazfukWS6: Im not woried about doing the work, I do all the work on my car. I just done rebuilding the internals of my T-56 by myself, after that a simple plug wire change is cake, LOL!!!. Im just trying to get some info so when I do finally get around to doing it, it will all go smooth. The hardest thing that I seen so far is that the plug wires seem to be routed in a heat sheilding at the bottom of the block, other that that it seems pretty straight forward.

 

Rebob5: I actually did NOT do the wires at the same time. It has been simpler for me to do things one at a time and that way I don't run into any problems with running out of time, etc. Look back through this thread for the "adjustable ratchet" tool from stanley/proto. I read a couple of posts saying you should be able to get this type of tool from autozone and from walmart, I think it would have helped me get the #2 and #8 from the top of the motor on the passenger side.

As far as changing the wires goes, I started that (late) today. The drivers side goes pretty quick, the only problem is feeding #7 through a tight spot on the side of the block, but it doesn't take long. On the passenger side, I removed my drive belt to give me better access to the passenger side of the distributor, then I disconnected all four wires, it probably took me 15 minutes or more to get the old wires out. There's a guide for the #4 and #8 wires that I can't seem to get undone, so I ended up pulling the boots off of the wires in order to get them out. It's a real tight squeeze getting all the wires on the passenger side put back in because you're so close to the drive belt, but really not complicated.

 

I'm just putting this info in here for future "searches"

Regarding replacing the wires on the lt1... I did it over the wkd, it took me about 4 hours! I made some mistakes. I bought the 8.5mm MSD wires and that was a mistake. They don't fit real well into the guides for the stock 7mm wires, and on the passenger side especially, that is pretty important. The drivers side of course is easy, I dont really know how long it took me but it was real quick. On the passenger side, I removed the serpentine belt to give me easier access to the plugs at the optispark, that definately made it easier. NOTE: On the tensioner pulley, use a 13mm socket to turn the nut clockwise and that will bring the pulley down so you can take the belt off. Don't make the rookie mistake of taking the pulley off, that cost me a LOT of time...

On the passenger side I took all of the wires out at one time and then worked them all in at the same time. You'll notice that at the 90 degree turn your wires should be run through a guide that looks like a four-lane-track, my wires REALLY did not fit in there. That space is really tight, so when you take the wires out take note of which wire is running in which track because if you're not careful, you may end up with your #2 cylinder wire not reaching. The process that worked for me was:

Connect all the wires at the "spark plug" end first. Feed the #4 cylinder wire through the four lane guide first, then work your way down (#6, #8, #2), I tried to work back of the motor to front (#8, 6, 4, 2) and I didn't have enough slack for the #2 wire because I didn't route the wires into the proper tracks and everything got jammed up. All of your wires will have plenty of length except that #2 wire.

***Update*** My brand new #7 wire burned/melted/cracked. The (brand new) spark plug was also covered in black soot, I dont know if the plug or the wire failed first but it caused a PO307 misfire. I think that part of the reason the wire failed is because it is routed between the exhaust manifold and the side of the block. I replaced the plug, and I bought some exhaust heat shield and wrapped the wire up in that. When I put the wire back on I ran it on the outside of the exhaust manifold. It doesn't look as clean but more air will pass by it there so I don't think I'll have a problem anymore. Do yourself a favor and run it on the outside to begin with. The wire should be plenty long enough.

Note: you will need some high temp electrical tape or some other means to prevent the wire from grounding on the exhaust manifold.

 

 

I keep reading all about how #8 is so hard to get to. I did that one in 5 minutes in and out. Now, #6 what a little bastard he is.

 

change them your self, or you should not own a car

 

Everyone bitches about how hard the LT1 cars are. They obviously have never done and LS1! LOL
I just did and LT1 with Hooker LTs in about 45 minutes. I can do my LS1 in an hour now. 1/4" rachet with a 1/4-3/8 adapter on it. I really don't know what all the fuss is about. I know it's a PITA, but it beats spending money.

 

I just changed my spark plugs for the first time yesterday and it took me about 20 minutes.

 

Did a plug and wire change on my 95 formula today and thank god its done. First I removed the serpentine belt and starter to make things easier. Driver side is cake. All plugs are visable from underneath and there is plenty of room to remove the old wires. #7 is the worst one on the driver side. The wire is inside a metal sheilding, but you just remove the (2) 3/8 bolts holding it on, slide it out, install the new wire in the sheild and install the rest of the wires.

Now on to the spark plug change from hell.....

The passenger side SUCKS. I did the plugs from the top, except for #8 which was done from underneath. After I removed all the old boots from the plugs I changed the plugs out 1 by 1. Not really really bad but still hard.

Now the wires...

The stock wires were routed beheind the power steering pump pulley and they were also routed beheind one of the lines that connect to the power steering pump which made it very hard to get the new 8.5mm wires back into the stock locations. I had to remove the (2) 10mm bolts that hold the PS pump to the block in order to have a little more room to snake the new wires beheind the line from the PS pump. When I routed the wires back to the opti I went 8,6,4,2. They were all fine except the #2 wire was too short. In order to get #2 to reach I had to remove All the passenger side wires, and start over. first I routed/connected the #2 plug and worked my way back to #8. My hands look like I just got done punching a concrete wall for a hour. I will say that removing, rebuilding, and installing my T-56 was easier than changing the plugs and wires on my LT1

Well after 6 hours I can say I think I have done MY LAST LT1 plug/wire swap. Hopefully the next plugs/wires I will have to change are on my Corvette

 

hey me and my dad changed mine out we found it easier to jack the car up then use another jack to lift the engine up about 2-4 inches helps out alot on those back two on passinger side