How difficult is it to replace the sparkplugs on a 1999 Z28?
My dealer says it is a big job because they will have to remove the engine, if this is true I will sell it soon.

 

Remove the engine??? Hellllllllll no! I did it in my driveway with very common tools. It took about 6.5 hours, but I did it. www.installuniversity.com has a very good article on it and that's what I used. I think you're dealer is huffing glue.

 

5 minutes to remove the AIR tubes from the manifolds
1 minute to remove oil fill tube
6 minutes to remove coil packs

30 minutes to change all plugs


12 minutes to reinstall parts removed
1 minute to put all wires back on

simple

 

never go to that dealer ever again.

 

Thanks guys, looks like I will keep the chevy and when the time comes I will either find another garage or try myself

 

The rear 2 plugs on the passenger side can be reached form the bottom also.

An added tip: When you put your coil packs back on, don't replace the bolts that hold the back half down. The ones that are difficult to remove. The front bolts will secure them fine and it makes your next plug change that much easier.

 

Are there any places over there that service American cars?

When I was in London back in '01, all I saw on your streets was primarily Vauxhalls, Minis, Benzs, etc. The only American cars I saw was a mid-80s Silverado and a 3rd gen. Firebird.

The F-Bodies aren't really a tough car to work on, just keep searching for a shop that says they won't have to remove your engine for a sparkplug change or drop the axle to intsall an exhaust.

 

Wonder what I was doing wrong. Took me like 40 minutes to an hour to get the friggen passenger side coil pack off. Damn last 2 bolts were a bitch!!!! Of course, they didn't go back in, 3 outta 5 is good enough ;-) Didn't have to take off driver side though.

I hear ya on the dealership though. They wanted to take 2 hours to change 3 plugs on my wife's van at a charge of $75 an hour. I did it in 3 hours because I take a lot of smoke breaks and was drinking

Pull the motor, that's really funny though I wonder if they pull it for oil changes to

 

I left the back 2 bolts in but I took a cutoff wheel and slotted the bracket so that the next time all you do is loosen the back bolts and slide the coil pack out.

 

Very good idea! That sounds crazy enough to work! I am going to do the same the next time around.

Question for ya though, on my rack the last bolt would be easy enough to cut a slot for but the next bolt I believe is on the top of the rack (going from memory here), how did you slot for both of them since the 2nd to last bolt is toward the top of the rack?

 

There were about 12 dealers in the UK, they sold and serviced Chevy's and Caddies but since GM stopped making the Camaro a couple of years ago they stopped selling new ones, now they still service the cars but my dealer in Chislehurst (South east London) sells Vauxhalls and Daewoos!!
The 1st Camaro I bought was a V6 from a dealer in Bristol, then a couple of years later had a test drive of a Z28 from the Chislehurst dealer, it took me about 100 yards before I fell in love with it.

 

Miscommunication. I slot only the rearmost hole on each side. rear 2 holes was the wrong way for me to state.

 

Uh, could you please give me a few tricks how to do it this fast? I just changed my plugs and wires, and it took several hours. Granted it was my first time doing it, but how did you get all the coil packs off in 6 minutes? I couldn't even get the #8 pack off becaue of that bottom bolt that I couldn't get to.

Jason