OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

I'm changing my spark plugs on my '97 camaro 3.8 and OMG this is impossible!!! So far i've only been able to get 1 spark plug out and cut myself numerous times during the effort. Did any of you use any special tools for this, also did you remove the o2 sensors b/c I tried and they aren't budging, i even sprayed some WD-40 in hopes of losing it up. HELP!!!



-Mark

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

just gotta be patient and try all the angles. I did mine myself it yea it is def. a pain in the butt. I used some various wrenches and such to get them all.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

get to 3 of them from the top, 3 from the bottom of the car. easier that way. takes me like an hour now.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

update: i just cracked a swivel joint trying to remove the o2 sensor so i could get to the spark plug, I also seemed to crack a piece of porclin on a spark plug trying to losen it..damn it

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

dude, you dont need to remove any o2 sensors. if you are looking at the front of the engine, from the top, the front plug on the left and the two front plugs on the right can be taken out from the top. the other three get at from under the car. you will need a swivle piece, a small 1" extention, and a 3" extention.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

yup that is what I did as well. It is the only way, 3 on top and 3 on bottom. I forgot which ones were the ones I got from the top though.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

oh, and for the back left one or middle left one (cant remember which), you gotta put the socket, swivle, and extention on from under the car, then go above to loosen it. so put all the stuff on from under the car, then attach the wrench up top and loosen, then take everything off from under.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Just remove your Y pipe to free up some space.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

thats what I did and its how I broke the porclin. I guess since i have original plugs they are really in there tight. I used all the swivels and extensions and even tried a braker bar to losen it up but nothing worked, i'm gonna try again tommmorow.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Dang I was planning on doing a tune up on mine this weekend but after reading this i don't really want to lol....

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

you have a 99, itll be simple for you, you have tubular manifolds. For us pre 98 people, its a lot harder.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

try an LS1

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

I've heard they didnt put tubular manifolds on untill '00?

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

tubular manifolds weren't until '00.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

this thread showed up just at the right time, i have to change my plugs on tuesday

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

same here i gotta get mine done, my Y87 misfires really bad. where did you guys go to get your plugs/wires.. just to autozone? or is there a better choice online?

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

It will be just as hard for him, tubular manifolds didn't come till 00

For the original poster, I feel your pain... I was under my 97 for two days trying to do a tuneup. The middle and front plug on the passenger side and front plug on the driverside you take out from the top. The remaining three will have to be taken out from the bottom. The easiest ones are on the driverside, took me 15 mins to replace those. The passenger side is going to be a PITA, ESPECIALLY the plug in the middle. Throw the swivel on from the bottom, you're literally going to have to stand on the engine with some exstensions and a bar to connect it and take it out (or atleast I did). Also MAKE SURE you route your wires correctly (off the manifolds) or you'll QUICKLY find yourself back under the car! Also what on earth are you trying to do removing the O2 sensors?! Leave those alone, they have nothing to do with blocking space between the spark plugs. Removing old O2's can be fragile so breaking them is MUCH easier... You don't want to come out of pocket an extra $100 now do ya?

You CAN go to autozone although there are better choices online... It just depends on what you're using the car for... I'm personally using my Y87 as a daily driver so Bosch 2's and Bosch 8MM wires worked fine for me...

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

HAHA! You guys suck, or maybe I'm just skinny and am not afraid to get my hands all cut up. I did mine in 45 minutes when I had the log manifolds on there. I really messed up my hands but its all good. Now that I have headers its nothing :)

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Yea I thought the tubular manifolds didnt come on until '00

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Oh, i didnt know tubulars werent until 2000. I thought they were in all 98+ body styles.

Anyway, for those of you that said it took 2 days and stuff, youve gotta be kidding me. My first try, it took me two and a half hours, and that includes a fuel filter swap, a new PCV valve, all plugs, and all wires, and an oil change.

My second time, i used an emergency jack and minimum tools in my apt parking lot at school, and it took me about 40 minutes.

It aint that hard, you just gotta know how to do it.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

I wish I had the tubulars on mine lol

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

just get headers

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

It's not that hard to change plugs on V6. You just need good socket and extensions. Take your time, put car on ramps. Pay close attention to routing wires, so you'll not have any misfire problems later. Put anti-seize on plugs, so next time plugs will come out easier.

edit: WD40 do very little help in loosing things, PB-Blaster is much better stuff for this.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

I have a 99 3.8 camaro and I always struggle with the plugs. My record time is 6 hours. Maybe cause I have fat hands. I called a mechanic and they charge about 300 bucks with an estimated time of 7 hours. Is that reasonable or are they trying to hussle me?

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Wow i just realized this thread is 8 years old.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

That's okay, I'm viewing this old thread too...LOL. Got a 97 with a 3.8 that I plan to change plugs in shortly. Ordered ACDelco Irridiums, 41-101's. Apparently they are the best option from everywhere I've read :)

As far as what the shop wants to charge you, I think 7 hours is pretty excessive for a bunch of trained mechanics that do this all day long, everyday. They told me $150 for labor here, which is probably about right, and that was from a Chevy Dealership Repair, and dealerships are usually a bit high. The advantage of using a dealership repair though, is that they have likely done the the exact repair on your exact car before, and are likely to be faster, and get it right.

If you have a repair shop do it, I recommend get your own plugs for them to install, as it is actually usually cheaper for the same plugs. I am getting my ACDelco Irridiums 41-101 from Amazon new, for about $6 per plug.... the shop wanted $10 per plug, and while I do have to pay shipping for my $6 per plug, I don't have to pay tax. Hence, you will save.

That said, I am planning to just get the few extra tools and make sure I have the right extensions for the job (I don't have a swivel, and I don't think I have a 1" extension), and do it myself. It will suck, but I think it will be worth it. On the other hand, if I had the extra money, without a place it needed to be spent already... I'd probably pay to have it done for the $150 labor. So I'd say, if you can afford to have someone reliable do it, that won't rip you off, have them do it. If you have replaced plugs in cars before, and the only thing that makes you squeamish, is because of the placement of these, and you are on a tight budget, I'd say do what I am doing. All these guys say it's a pain, but none of them failed and had to take tow it to a shop instead of finish the job... so it's doable... it just sucks..LOL.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Hopefully I won't change my mind about the above statement, after I do this myself...LOL

If you do try to do this yourself, I also suggest doing what I am doing right now. I have a word document open, and I am cutting and pasting every suggestion and instruction, as well as recommended tools needed, and just tips into it. Under heads of "instructions", "tools", "Advice". Organize it all, save it. No need to reinvent a well oiled proceedure, which seems to have worked for everyone here :)

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

LOL! And I posted in it 8 years ago :)

It's really not that bad if you have a skinny hands. With big hands it's quest for glory. You can always ask your gf/wife to help you ;) Do yourself a favor and also change the wires, that can make a HUGE difference.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

the plugs are a piece of cake, you just need a swivel, a flex head raqchet and a complete set of extensions., really I did them in about 30 minutes all from the top, no need to get under the car. the o2's are also easy, note that you need a O2 Sensor socket for the sensors.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

On my 97 found it painless to do 3 after o2 sensor was removed, 4 after manifold heat shield removed, the rest piece of cake.

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

get headers, no more spark plug problems...

an NKG TR55 our the most popular for the 3800, check any v6 site.

OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

Bumping an old thread here, was afraid to even try after reading all this... The only problem I had was with #4.. It was one I had to get the socket and extension on from the bottom and then go up top to fit on the ratchet.. Took a lil under 2 hours to swap them all out and change a couple of my coils that looked kind of ugly and corroded..
On a similar subject I bought some 10.5 wires from ZZ performance.. At this time I would not purchase a set if anyone is looking in to them....I was told they would fit by a rep of theirs on eBay, and there is not a chance that they will.. #1 is way too short and can't even work on cyl #5 which is closest to the coil packs..
The wires I received are obviously for front wheel drive only!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: OMG i'm changing my spark plugs
 

There is no reason to run 10.5mm wires, unless you've got some sort of 1,000 + HP setup with a killer ignition system.