Changing Spark Plugs - 4 Hrs?
 

I had the worst plug experience ever ! 4hrs and only got 6 done. That was difficult and I am tired and my arms and hands all beat up? Just can't get them very easily. Back one on the pasenger side and second to the last on driver side I gave up on for now. 91 RS 305 TPI.

with practice and tricks it can be done in under an hour.

Put headers on and ditch the a/c. I can remove old plugs, gap new ones, and install them in under 10 minutes.

did you try to do them underneath the car? I can do a set on a stock engine with A/C in under 30 minutes.

What xpndble said.

Go from the bottom and all should be solved :-)

later
Jeremy

Even with my long tube hedmans plug changing isnt much fun, but its definately not a 4hr job!


But i got out the torch and custom bent one of my old 5/8 wrenches which made it ALOT easier to get to a few of them plugs.

I feel your pain and frustration, first time I changed them was 7 hours :doh: I have no AC and I have headers, I had to cut and modify a socket to get one plug out but time and pratice will make it an easier job. I am down to 15 minutes to change plugs :D

Sounds like changing spark plugs on an LS1 lol...

I was about to get out my chain saw and cut the things in my way off the motor! I cant get under the car due to ground effects so low and have no ramps and will not use them.
I do not like to get under a car because 2 yrs. ago I found a man laying under his car on the street. It was running and in reverse and the front tire was parked on top of his head. His head was almost flat, and we had to lift the car off his head and pull him out by the legs in a pool of blood. Needless to say he died a horrible death. So please all remember saftey and no car is worth your life. BE CAREFULL!

The easiest way I have found is to actually access half of the plugs from underneath the car. Get under there and see what you can do next time. Also, it helps to remove some of the crap such as the smog system or the AC to give you easier access. I was able to do them in about an hour this way.

Ramps really do make it alot easier. Especially on the passenger side.
I didn't have ramps either, so I made some out of 2x6's. They are very strong and, when used properly, very safe.

Absolutely true!

Hope this helps.

If you want to work on your own car, you must invest in some basic tools to do the work correctly and in a safe manner. A floor jack and at least two, if not four, sturdy jack stands are one of the basics. Ramps are not a good option if you have wide tires (such as the 245 / 50/ 16's on the IROCS). You can't say I'm never getting under a car because I saw someone get crushed one time. You have to understand the risk and do what you can to eliminate or greatly minimize it. If you jack up the front of the car and support the front end with 2 or 4 jack stands, you'll get all of the plugs changed in less than 30 minutes with few scrapes and scratches.

I agree. However, I made my ramps wide to compensate for the wide tires ;)

Good point!

become friends with a mechanic that owns his own garage and lifts it helps a lot

The best method I've found, without raising the vehicle(although that would speed up the job) is to use a socket with a hex on the end or a typical sparkplug socket. After I've gotten the one's that allow a wratchet in there, I use an open end wrench on the end of the socket. Plugs usually take me about 20 min with the car raised, but no more than about 40 min with the car on the ground. I realize that getting a spark plug socket on those rear plugs feels impossible in some of our cars, so there is a stubby that is available from summit and jegs.

That is exactally what I use, I have a nice set of ramps but because my car is lowered I could never drive it up them. I change them from up top and I have it down quick.

I must disagree. I have the 245 50 16s on my IROC and found that those rhino ramps work just fine. also work pretty well on the 02 SS's 275s

Yep, the rhino ramps do accommodate fat tires, but you'll never find me underneath a car on rhino ramps......structural integrity is very poor.

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My first time took me a few hours but the back ones are best gotten from under the car.

Or go the no AC, AIR, and get headers route, now my back hurts from leaning over too much to change them.....plus all I need is a 9/16 offset box end wrench.....but my car is all "stock" ;)

I've still got the A/C and AIR, but I do have headers, which I find makes it easier. Even with the cramped compartment, though, I still find ways to get to them from the top. Granted, my hands usually don't come out in the same condition that they went in.

First time took me prolly 1-2 hours last time i did it on my gf's car about an hour. It also makes it worse when the plug wires are either original or god knows how old and they dont pull off...Needless to say i was planning on replacing wires/plugs/cap/rotor anyway i took the measures necessary :D.

I did i think half from the top half from the bottom. All from the top would take forever and im not sure if id be able to get them all from the top. You must have proper tools to work on cars, even the simple stuff ud be suprised how many tools u may end up using...

Good luck.