Tune-Up

[Whitewhale]

First time changing plugs on my 03/5.3. Two questions, do the metal heat shields around the plug/wire get re-used?

Second, is there a trick to getting these old plug wires off the plus? Very tough, first one I did broke.


Thanks,

 

[Sepiroth]

The heat sheilds can be reused but, IMHO, they do little good. What I have always done to remove wires is twist and pull.

 

[Yuke2K]

Same here. The stock wires are great...but after 100K miles, mine were a little brittle - ended up messing the #3 wire up. I didn't completely break it, but cracked the coating prety bad. Spent $60 or so on a new OEM replacement set and was all set.

Twist to break the seal, then twist and GENTLY pull until the wire breaks loose from the plug. Thats about all there is to it.

 

[ac1975]

How hard is it to change the plugs on these engines? Is it pretty much like a normal plug change? I've done them on most my cars. '97 QX4, '98 BMW 528.

 

[dye4metal]

plug change is pretty generic, the plug on driver side is a little hard to get to with the steering column, atleast was for me.

 

[Jake007]

Suggest changing all spark plug wires at this age. I would consider that part of a good tuneup at 100K miles.

 

[Yuke2K]

Suggest changing all spark plug wires at this age. I would consider that part of a good tuneup at 100K miles.

Not entirely necessary if you're strapped for cash. Unless the wires are chaffed, cracked, or rotted, they are good to go. If you have the extra $60-$70 laying around, a set of Bosch or Delco wires never hurt.

As for changing the plugs, it's helpful to have a couple different length extentions for your ratchet just to give you options, and a breaker bar is nice for stubborn plugs that haven't been changed in a long time, or ever. Other than that, it's pretty straight forward.

 

[ac1975]

Thanks. I pulled a plug today (pretty easy). Will post a pic in another thread. Don't want to hijack this one.

 

[GMTECH56]

If you do end up buying new wires keep the old ones. I have a whole box of used wires so if I'm doing a tune up and there is one that's being a pain, I can just get pissed and rip it off b/c I know I have another in the box.

 

[bahollis]

I got a pair of spark plug pliers at a "going under" sale at Pep Boys. It has a specially shaped end to grip the wire boot so you can pull it out by that, and not the wire. I had to buy it to change my wife's plugs on her 01' Grand Prix GT. (half the plugs are on the firewall side of the sideways mounted engine)

They are cheap, and they work pretty well. Especially if you've never removed the plugs and the boots are stuck.

Bh