Did the spark plugs on the 98 today. Just over 50k on the originals. Actually pretty decent room to get at them with the air pipes/coil packs out of the way. Much more than on my last daily driver, an 89 Formula 350. Only removed the 1st 3 coil packs on the passenger side.

Problem was the tighest spark plugs I have ever run across in 20+ years of wrenching on cars.

You would have thought GM learned their lesson with the seized up spark plugs on the L88/L89 aluminum heads of the 60s. I guess not. Antiseize must be verboten at the General.

A swivel ratchet didn't have enough leverage to get it done. So I went to my swivel tip 3/8" drive breaker bar. Still no go. Had to put a cheater pipe on the breaker bar to get them to pop loose with a loud CRACK. When it happened on the 1st plug, I thought it was going to come out with threads for sure. Luckily all came out ok.

And what others have said about the factory plugs being junk is 100% accurate. Half had missing discs. Whoever at GM decided they could go 100k/miles needs to drop the crack pipe.

So anyone know why GM doesn't avail itself of anitseize?

 

The GM bean-counters said no to antisieze on the plugs because it saved a couple of tenths of a cent per car produced.

 

I changed my plugs at 70k miles, and none of them were nearly that tight. They were all about where they should be, tight, but nothing a regular wrench can't handle.


Jason

 

i'm getting a 2000 w/95k on it. i want to change them, but i have heard it is really hard. ???