Larry All very good information. I have changed a lot of spark plugs so I am very fermiliar with all of these tips. Trouble is that I can not even get my hand back between the engine and the fire wall to reach the plug wires. So it looks like I am going to have to get undernieth and see if I can reach them that way. BTW Has any one ever found a sourse for down loading either owners or repair manuals? I think Larry you had mentioned at some point about repair manuals but I seem to have lost that info. I never did find any where to down load an owners manual. You know the kind that you keep in the glove box. Robert
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Larry Stansifer Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 5:48 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] changing spark plugs Robert, The good news is that it sounds like you have a standard GM ignition system. I have very little experience with these transverse mounted drive packages but let's see what we can do. The front three plugs are no problem unless some hero in the past didn't put anti-seize compound on the steel plug threads when he installed them in the aluminum heads. Now let's talk about the three nearest the fire-wall. If memory serves I was able to remove all three from the top. I think I used a swivel style 5/8 spark-plug socket with a magnetic insert rather than the traditional rubber insert. 1. Disconnect the battery 2. Get hold of the first plug wire and carefully rotate the connector around the plug to whilst applying a steady upward pressure. Do not pull on the wire itself but rather on the connector or insulator portion that hooks to the plug. This may take some time and effort but keep at it they will come loose. Repeat this process on all of the wires. Until you have them all loose. 3. Take that swivel spark-plug socket and attach it to a 6 3/8 extension and ratchet. 4. Using the relieved portions of the cylinder heads where you just removed the plug wire connectors, snake the plug socket down until you feel it make contact with the plug, apply a gentle downward pressure and rotate the extension until you feel the socket lock on the hex portion of the plug. 5. Apply firm pressure counter-clockwise on the ratchet handle until you feel the plug break free. 6. Repeat this process until you have all six plugs out of the motor. A couple of watch outs: 1. If the plug turns excessively hard in the head rotate it back-and-forth until the threads free up. This probably means that some dork installed the plugs without anti-seize compound. 2. If the wires feel stiff or brittle now would be the time to change them. 3. A bit about anti-seize compound. You want nickel based compound because of it's conductive properties. Do not use aluminum based unless it is an absolute last resort. Never use any kind of petroleum based product of any type. The heat loads in this part of the motor will turn petroleum products to carbon. I have only done this on two GM cars. My Mom's 92 Olds 98 sedan with the 3.8 transverse drive package and an old girl-friend's 90 something Buick, and this was all 10+ years ago. Hope this helps you out. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of robert moore Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 7:37 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] changing spark plugs Larry I don't know much about those set ups exept to say that in the front of the engine, meaning just behind the radiator there is a straight bank of plug wires. What else should I be looking for. I will go out and take a better look. Can you draw me a mental picture of a coil pack set up. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ]On Behalf Of Larry Stansifer Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 7:40 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] changing spark plugs Robert, Is that a coil pack motor or do you have individual wires running to each plug? -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of Michael Baldwin Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 2:33 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] changing spark plugs have you tried from underneath? Michael _____ From: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto: [email protected] <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ] On Behalf Of robert moore Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 13:06 To: Blind Handyman Subject: [BlindHandyMan] changing spark plugs I have a 1990 Grand Prix with a 3.1 V6 and was checking it out today I just got it this summer and have not really looked at it. I baught it for $400.00 I was going to get it ready for winter so My wife could drive it on days that the road is wet and salty in order to try to save the body on the 96 Grand AM as much as possible. Looking at the back side of the engine, it is so close to the fire wall that I can't seem to get my hands back in there to get at the plugs. Do I really have to pop the motor mounts and jack the darnd thing to get at the back 3 plugs? Or is there another option. I think if I could find a 6 year old Mechanical genius that could get his little hands back there I would have it made. On the other hand since it seems to be running well enough I will probably just leave it alone but on the other hand, if I do have to deal with this problem either with this car or another in the future it would be good information to have stuffed up in my brain pan.for later retrieval Robert [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html <http://acbradio.org/handyman.html> < http://acbradio.org/handyman.html <http://acbradio.org/handyman.html> > or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ <ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/> < ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ <ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/> > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday <http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday> < http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday <http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday> > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions >From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ <http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/> < http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ <http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/> > Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> < http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> > If you would like to join the Blind Computing list, then visit the following address for more information: http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws- <http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws-> < http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws <http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws> -> users.com For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:blindhandyman-help%40yahoogroups.com> <mailto:blindhandyman-help%40yahoogroups.com> Yahoo! Groups Links -- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html <http://acbradio.org/handyman.html> or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ <ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/> The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday <http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday> Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions >From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ <http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/> Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> If you would like to join the Blind Computing list, then visit the following address for more information: http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws- <http://jaws-users.com/mailman/listinfo/blind-computing_jaws-> users.com For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:blindhandyman-help%40yahoogroups.com> Yahoo! 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