Hey guys doing a little spark plug renewing here and i got all the spark plugs out except 1. I can not get the #1 spark plug out (i believe thats what it is) it is the one closest to you on the left when looking in from the front of the car. There is tons of stuff aorund it... how do i get it thanks
mitchell

 

swivle socket attached to the plug socket? Thats how i get to mine. Isnt all that hard that way.

 

yeh, what he said

 

Screw that... remove all the EGR/Smog crap, and it's a BREEZE!

 

Yeah, it's hard to get to without a swivel and extension. but it will come out.:lala:

 

What's in the way on those 90-92 cars? Is it just the alternator? Or an AIR pump? I'm glad I don't have to deal with that on my 2.8, but I'm just wondering what's different in that spot?

 

Tom,

The Alt. bracket is in the way. There is only a small arch way for access. It's only about 1 inch - 1 and 1/2 inch wide. Makes putting the plug wire back on a major PITA!!! There's no room room to push it back on.

I am currently working on cutting a way some of the bracket in order to make it easier. If you have ever seen the bracket you will see that there is way more meat on the thing then is needed. My current problem is the thickness makes it hard to cut or grind a way. I might just mark ware I want it cut and take it to a machine shop.

What I currently do is just use a 6 inch extension and wigle it into place. If you use a u-joint on the entension it will flop around and there is no room to put your finger in there to guide it.

 

I'd have to look at a 92 engine, but on my 89 there's also alot of stuff in the way. I come in underneath the bracket however with a regular deepwell socket and 2 (or maybe i used a 5) in. ext. Then there's just enough room to stick the rachet on and loosen it until i can turn it by hand.

Puting the new one in I still use the regular deepwell (sparkplug sockets stay on the plug and the ext pulls out, then i have no way to pull out the socket) and turn it gently by hand until i know it's going in ok. Then stick the rachet back on.

But if the 92 is different than the 89, then nevermind.

 

socket
swivel
6" extension
ratchet
you doing some cussing
pull it out with needle nose plyers



Or just remove the EGR and smog pump for good

 

Ugh, that's a bummer. Hey, would it be faster to just remove the alternator? At least you wouldn't have to worry about putting tension on the v-belt, since it's serpentine.

And would using a wrench on the spark plug socket be easier? Most spark plug sockets are cut for a wrench at the back...

 

Now i really want to see a 92. my No1 plug is buried deep in there, but the hardest part is pulling the plug wire off it. There's no way to get my hand around it, and i don't like pulling the wire itself. I had one come apart once.

 

Actually if it is the alternator, that would mean all 87-92 serpentine belt v6's are affected... my year was the last year of v-belts, so I've got a different alt bracket than 87-up- and I don't have that tensioner, either.

Hey did you guys see these? http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/...atalogId=10101 Never saw them before this weekend... helped a friend change the rear shocks on his girl's VW. I didn't know the coil springs were over the shocks, so we needed an external spring compressor. He knew Another guy who was a mechanic... the guy had a ton of tools, and he showed me his setup (wow)- and he had just bought these swivels. Then last night I came across 'em in my JCWhitney catalog!

 

Actually, if you're talking about the front plug on the passenger's side of the car, that's cylinder #2. #1 is the front driver's side, followed by #3, #5, and #7 on the dirver's side. #2, #4, #6, and #8 are the passenger's side (with #2 being in front).

Now, that being said, I've got one of the swivel sockets like the JCW link advertises, and that helps a whole lot on several of the plugs. Also, coming at some of them from underneath the car is a lot easier on several cylinders as well (even with headers).

One other useful tool I picked up, which you could easily make one as well, is a cut off spark plug socket. It's basically a standard spark plug socket that has had the front opening cut off to shorten it so the top tip of the spark plug actually comes up flush with the ratchet end of the socket. This means you can not put a ratchet on this plug. But if the socket you shortened is one of the sockets that has an outside hex end on it (needs to be this type!), you can get an open ended wrench on it to loosen or tighten the plug. Kind of a confusing description on my part, but hopefully you can understand what I'm describing. Works particularly well if you don't have much room to work with, especially if changing that plug from underneath the motor.

Hope all this helps a little bit.

Have a Great Day!!!

- Vern

 

Sorry, #1 on the 60 deg V6 is front passenger side (in the US at least).


To get the boot on & off the #1 plug I use a large flat blade screwdriver and come in from the front on the engine.

To remove boot: carefully push up on the heat shield, this will bring the boot off with it.

To push boot on: guide the boot into place by the wire and use the flat of the screwdriver to push the boot down and onto the plug terminal.

RBob.

 

Sorry, I thought he had a V8. My Bad.

Guess I should have paid more attention to his screen name, huh?

 

I have thought about just removing the alt., but I think the rearmost lower bolt that holds the alt bracket down is connected to some thing else. Not sure though I will have to check again. I may even get some pics of the evil bastard!

The cut off socket wont help. the dam thing is waaaaayyyyy down there.

Sence I drive so much I burn thtough wires as fast as I do plugs. So I have no help for getting the wire off. I just grab and rip. If the boot stays I use needle nose pliers to pull it off. Sounds crude, but when you are going to replace it no need to wory about what sort condition you leave it in.

 

I used 2 ext. 2" that will just do it