OK first off I have very limited mechanical knowledge so bare with me please. I went to my local Chevy dealer because my car was hesitating. . They said i needed new spark plug wires and that it would cost $260 and i did not think that was a same price so I said thanks but no thanks. So it anyone could explain how to change the wires to me. I looked at my engine and it looks simple enough, but i would like to know if i am going to get in over my head BEFORE I start. So is it just a matter ok yanking out the old ones and plugging in new ones, while making sure not to mix them up. I pulled the upped end of the plug and it came off really easy, I started to pull the lower end and it was a little more stuck and I did not want to just yank.

BTW its a 2000 3.8 which has about 40,000 on the clock

Thanks alot guys

 

I've done spark plug wire changes on a 3.8 three times (twice on mine, once on a friend's car) and it is NOT FUN. It's not too hard but it is time consuming and you WILL get your hands cut up especially if you have big hands.

Sorry I can't really describe how to do it other than if its your first time, try to grab a repair manual at a local bookstore. Good luck...glad you didn't give in to the rip-off artists at the dealership. $260 for spark plug wires...

 

Thanks for the input ImportKiller

 

Me and my dad had a hard time with two plugs on my blazer. I don't even want to think about the camaro...and would have nightmares thinking about an LT1.

 

They actually don't look too bad. I will find out here soon when I change them. Couple look kinda tricky

 

you have a 2000 so it will be infinitely easier for you to do this job than us 99 and older guys since you have header exhaust stock.

it is pretty much as simple as you describe with a few "gotchas." I just did this job about 2 weeks ago.

one, make sure you test the new wires with an ohm meter. the longest one should not register more than 2kohms (2000 ohms) of resistance. if its anywhere above 3kohms its a bad wire so take it right back and get another set.

two, make sure you put the boot protectors on the new wires that you took off the old wires, respective to their cylinder. if you don't, you'll end up replacing your wires again in less than a year because the boots crack due to extreme heat.

three, make sure to put the silicone grease that comes with the wires (or get some if you don't get it with the wires), because the GM ignition system is a high current one. if you don't put the grease in the boots, and properly seat the boots on the wires (make sure they snap snugly onto the plugs), you may get some arcing. if you do though, you'll actually hear it. it will be a ticking type noise, like what you would hear from a gas stove lighter.

four, since you're doing the wires and you have 40k miles on the clock, might as well do new plugs. just make sure they are tightend, but don't over-tighten them or they might snap (this is the tricky part).

but again since you have headers, you shouldn't have to jack up the car and twist your arm in 20 different ways like I did for mine.

good luck.

 

Morb did a good description.

You might look into getting some spark plug heat shield boot things...I don't remember exactly what they are called. I had two specific wires that were getting burned due to where they were located and the heat so I put those metal boots over them and so far haven't had the problem again. Then again, the Spiros are better than stockers.

That dielectric grease is good too...remember that stuff too. Once you do this the first time, you'll be able to do it again without too much trouble.

 

Thanks so much for the help guys. Couple more questions. The plug that plugs into the lower part of the engine. How excatly does it come out. Do i pull straight back, twist like a bolt, use a tool? And the lube you mentioned, where does it go just under the boot? Thanks again SO MUCH, Glad to be saving my money and trying to expand my car knowledge.

Any one have any favorite wires or plugs?


Are the plugs easy? I know a need to space them and screw them in, but again i am sure there is more to it than that!

Edit

Opps one more thing, i dont have an ohm testing, is it something cheap i pick up at a auto parts store or something I ask them to test?

Think my car ignorance is really starting to show

YOU GUYS ROCK

 

when you unplug the wires, try to pull them as straight as possible. if they rusted you might want to give them a twist first, then pull them off. you shouldn't need a tool.

as far as wires/plugs, i think everyone is pretty happy with NGK plugs, or ACDelcos. for the wires, i can tell you which wires to stay AWAY from, Taylors. i wouldn't take them ever again even if someone payed me to take them. they caused me a week of troubleshooting, cursing and kicking the walls. they are delicate wires and its REALLY easy to mess them up at the boots. 2 of the ones in the set i purchased actually came bad out of the box. just get a regular set of Borg-Warner or other type of regular 7mm wires you can get off the shelf if you want cost effective. if you want the expensive aftermarket stuff for future mods like the MSD Digital Ignition, etc. get a set of Accel or MSD wires. but those can cost you from $70 to $100... as opposed to $30 for regular 7mm ones.

all my advice is based on my experience with Taylor wires, which i would frankly never wish on my worst enemy.

for the ohm meter, its a tool that you would find at an electronic parts store. its not cheap, so if you don't intend to use it a lot, just get a wire tester from an auto parts store for $10. its a little gizmo with the light on it. you connect a wire to one end and a screwdriver type thing to the other end of the wire. if the wire isn't broken the light goes on. its not a precise tool at all. you might want to also/instead get a spark tester (ask the sales rep). you would connect one end of a wire to the coil and another to the spark tester. watch the spark. if its consistant among all wires, chances are they're all good. if some wires when connected show a weaker spark, chances are they're no good.

can't really think of another way to test the wires except to just install the wires and cross your fingers (like I did).

oh, and the grease would just go inside the boot. drop a blob of it into the boot and use a screwdriver to spread it against the inner walls of the boot like butter over bread.

 

Thanks again Morb|d

 

Sorry to bring up a dead post, but I wanted to thank you guys. Went ahead and changed my plugs and wires today, seems to have fixed my problems. Was not hard, but like you guys said, my hands are cut up. THANKS AGAIN