I can do any small maintenance work on my 6 but I never did plugs or wires. Oil/filter changes, Fuel Filter, Air Filter, PCV Valves no problem. Never got around to plugs. Is it easy? Any special tools? About how much time? How about the Cap/rotor? How do I get to it?

I was thinking AC Delco Rapidfire plugs and Accel Wires.

 

Yep, it's cake; you can either buy "custom" wire sets, which come with both ends (cap and spark plug) already attached and are meant for your engine, or you can get "universal" sets that only have the spark plug ends attached- you cut and crimp the wires to the length you want/need.

Cap/rotor comes off with two (if I recall correctly) 3/16" cap screws, one at the "front" of the cap, and one at the "back". The rotor just pulls off- and if you've never had it off, it'll be HARD to pull off. (it bakes on there from the heat) If the rotor is really stuck on and you're pulling as hard as you can, you could always take a hacksaw to the rotor! Lay the blade on top of the rotor (not from the side), and cut straight down. That way the rotor would "split" down the middle. You could nick the distributor shaft and it'd be OK.

With the plugs, use air to blow out any dirt that piled up around the plug ends before you remove the old plugs. I've heard some 87-up guys say they have a rough time getting to the #1 (front passenger side) plug.

When you thread the new plugs in, be careful not to cross thread! They should spin in with your fingers. If you use a wrench to spin them in, and it starts to get tough, STOP, don't force it!!! The threads are machined and if you have to force things, that means you're cutting your own threads.

And don't over tighten the plugs. Spec is something like 15 ft/lbs- very light. I spin them all the way in by hand and snug them up with the ratchet.

Buy a tube of silicon dielectric grease, and slop it over the white insulator of the plug before you slide the wire on.

BIG TIP: FIRST, before you take anything off, make a drawing showing where each wire comes from your cap to each spark plug. That way if you screw up the firing order you can just look at your drawing. And it's best to replace just one wire at a time so you don't screw up the firing order in the first place.

 

Thanks man, Very informative

 

I'd recommend using a V8 universal wire set (Taylor on Redraif's...available at our local speed shop, and they have a wide selection of colors), designed for an HEI-style distributor (male terminals on the distributor cap). That way, you can not only cut the wires to the length you want for cleaner routing, but just in case you have a plug wire issue later (say, an exhaust manifold gasket blows and burns the wire), you have two extra wires to work with rather than having to buy a whole set for 1 wire. Some manufacturers sell plug wire in a roll, too, so thats an option as well, but the selection is uusally more limited.
Accel caps and rotors are the best I have found BTW.

 

Phone around for prices of parts.
Accel sells a "Custon Super Stock Set" all premade.
Borg-Warner preminum plus cap & rotor are made of brass contacts, too, as is Accel.
I LOVE ACCEL STUFF BUT the Borg Warner stuff goes for several dollars less.
Take off OLD CAP and then reinstall new cap WITHOUT PLUG WIRES ATTACHED.
Leave OLD ROTOR on for now.
GO ONE PLUG WIRE from old cap to new cap.
THEN
Go start car
It starts?
GOOD!
Remove cap, remove rotor, cap & rotor done & no plug wires goofed up!
Next is simple.
ONE OLD plug wire OFF, match length to new, when done all six, go start car.
IF done right, all is good
Next is then change the plugs.
What have ya done?
Made car hot to keep checking yes, BUT ya NOT GOOFED UP plug wires nor cap & now it's time for plugs.
Get extensions, plug socket & also same size in a deep socket.
One plug at a time, then start car. ya done.
Yeah crap can get into the plug hole but do your best to NOT let that happen.
IF ya never "did" this, this is one way, to take your time & make sure the car always starts.
Cause ya know something?
IF YA GOOF UP THE PLUG WIRE ROUTING, guess, what? The car won't start!
Pep Boys is great source for low cost parts & ya should have them your neck of woods.
I love Accel plug wires (LIFETIME warranty!!!!)
I love Borg Warner Cap & rotor (cause same as accel but less costly)
I love Bosch Platinum plugs (about $2 or less, each).

 

Standing in front of the car facing it.

Do the right side first. Easier to do the harder left side after.
Might need to assemble the toos one at a time. Slip the socket on, then the small extension then the rachet. Then once lose pull the rachet and use fingers. There are a few tight spots that it can get tight if its all in one piece, in and out.


Pull the old cap off with wires attached. Put on new cap, then chage 1 wire at a time. Pull the old wire off on both ends one at a time. Just length match up the old and new wires but plug new wire into the new cap.

One at a time is the key.

 

karl, have you ever considered typing in complete sentences. normally i can understand you well enough, but i have no idea what you are saying here?

one thing i would recomend is getting a set of plug boot protectors,
like these
they will protect the ends of your wires closest to the exhaust end from getting burnt to a crisp. i have them protecting my TAYLOR 11.4 MM race wires.

 

Been moving my home.
Pretty darned tired.
Typographical & grammatical errors will happen!
What I mean is that by constant checking engine to start, by time ya get to the spark plug part, plugs will be hot to touch. If you "know what you are doing" change the plugs first, due to they are easier to handle when cold.
I once screwed up change over of plug wire order on my distb cap.
It sucked.
I called for help.
I learned hard way to make sure plug wires done right on cap.

 

ahhhh..... yeah the last time it did that i had the order off by one, it wouldent fire so i moved it all.