On a Chevy, 307 engine, I had to loosen a motor mount on one side, jack the engine up a bit just to get one spark plug out/in. PITA.
I'll take my Fords - owner of previous Broncos (302 & 351 Windsor engine), My 1994 Bronco needs a cosmetic fix and a few repairs I can do myself. Can't find them in the junk yard :)
What kind if Chevy? A Monza is the only Chevy I've ever had to loosen a mount on, and I've been wrenching sing 1968. Unless you had a really shitty set of headers on it or were changing the plugs with a monkey wrench.
IIRC a '68 Impala? Many years ago. I may be wrong on the model and year but I took the motor mount nut off the frame and then lifted the engine with a floor jack a bit - not damaging the oil pan.
Easy greasy
well, there is enough space under the hood of a '68 impalla to camp in it, and nothing in the way of removing the plugs - they stick basically straight out about 8 inches from the upper control arms, between the 3 "horns" of the manifold. They have heat sheilds that can bark your knuckles if you are not carefull, and the motor mount bolt goes through the mount front to back.
I doubt from your description you ever changed the plugs on a Chevy V8
I forget. Maybe it was a '67 Chevy 307 engine. Point being - installing one plug was difficult. Pissed me off! I did lift the engine a tad from the frame and motor mount. I still prefer my Fords.
You can doubt me all you like - no worry. My oldest Chevy was a '36 pick-up truck.
You are just pulling it out your rear as ALL Chevy small block V8s from 1955 on to the early 80s were virtually the same. Some of the easiest engines/cars to work on ever made _ EXCEPT when they stuffed the 265 into the Vega/Monza body.
And my oldest Chevy was a 28 National sedan - Also had a 35 Master sedan. And a 67 Chevy Nova sedan. Also drove a 63 Impala SS for several months.
I also prefer my Fords. Currently own 1996 and 2002. Have only owned 4 fords previous to these 3
I have a Chevy Lumina. You have to loosen the motor mounts and tip the engine forward to get anywhere near the plugs on the back side.
Only the dogbones, and I think you can put it in gear to move the engine. Only changed the plugs on mine once, so don't quite remember. Think I could get at the back plugs of the 2.8 in my Celebrity without disconnecting the dogbone. Needed to use a u-joint on my extension. Should have disconnected the dogbone, but didn't know that then. Got a 2003 Impala now with a 3.4, and expect it'll be the same as the Lumina. Never had any issues changing plugs on my RWD cars, but transverse GM engines are packed in tight.
Yup - but that's not a small block V8. Common problem on front drive transverse applications. That said, it IS possible to change the plugs an a 3100 without unbolting the mount if you remove the coil oplacks and have the right tools - you WILL lose some skin!!!
Call it what you like Clare. I'm not trying to convince you, just that _once_ I had to loosen a mount to get a plug in (307). Maybe it was a fluke, I don't know. Maybe I needed a different socket. I spent plenty of time trying to get the one plug started to not avail. It pissed me off so I jacked the engine ~ inch for some clearance. It was the ONLY time I ever had to do that.
OK, you were putting the plug IN. I'll share a secret. Get yourself a piece of vacuum hose about 8 inches long and put it in your tool box. When you need to install a plug, put the hose on the end of the plug and use it to guide the plug into the hole and spin it to start it in the thread. You will never crossthread another plug, and it will save your knuckles and a lot of swearing - plus save you resorting to removing engine mounts. Your problem wasn't access, it was alighnment.
I use the same trick for removing plugs in tight quarters. Get the wrench on and break tt loose, then get the hose on and you don't have to reach the plug or swing the ratchet in an almost impossible spot.
Nice tip. Thanks. In the case I mentioned I only loosened one mount to lift the engine on one side...did not remove it but got some clearance to get the plug started. Worked for me when I was 17 with many fewer tools.
I love it when people share "secret" nuggets to solve problems.
Got any for window regulator motors so I don't rip the hide off my arms in a door panel - where I can't see?
What make and model??
When I was young, in my first job, and trying to learn how to do my own aut o repairs because I couldn't afford to pay somebody, I had a strategy.
It turned out the best garage in town was the dealer, and they were also th e highest priced. But they had more business than they knew what to do wit h, and didn't much care about mine. So I would get them to diagnose the pr oblem and sell me the parts. They made money on the parts, I'm sure they h ad plenty of markup in there, but my labor was free, they didn't usually ch arge shop time for a quick look, and their diagnosis and advice was a heck of a lot better than mine.
'94 Ford Bronco. I repaired one motor by replacing the nylon 'nubs' and used white lithium grease. Had to drill out rivets and replace them with nuts and bolts. PITA to use a ratchet on the inside of the interior door panel. I did by HF Thumbwheel Ratchets for the next motor fix, but I lost some hide and blood on the first repair :)
You just have to RIVET the darn things back in! There are "rivets" made that have a pin in them that you drive in to expand them that work pretty good if you don't have a heavy enough rivet puller.
notbob posted for all of us...
Probably true. Nothing good ever seems to stay the same. It's been many years when I was in the business and they were the go to people. Another on e bites the dust?
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca posted for all of us...
I find this to be true also. The dealers realize they have to be competitiv e
On Thursday, December 25, 2014 8:09:59 AM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@spamblocked.com wr ote:
I think you nailed it.
I picked up a GearWrench 24" breaker bar from Advance a while back because they had a deal where if you bought the 24" you got a shorter one free - an d my main 1/2" drive breaker bar was an old 18" long Williams one, figured the 24" would come in handy for those extra special jobs. Get you a good q uality 3" or so extension and a 6 point deep socket to fit et voila.
Alternately, the heavy duty Ken-Tool 4-ways seem to be good, but I've migra ted away from them as the socket ends seem to be bigger in OD than a 6 poin t socket and modern cars seem to have the lugs sunk into holes in the wheel s.
Finally, what is the vehicle? Does it use those infernal stainless capped lug nuts? I got a whole nother rant on those pieces of excrement. Long st ory short, if you have them, I would replace with chromed steel ones toot s weet, and if any of the caps "spin" report back and I'll walk you through " peeling" them with a sacrificial screwdriver so you don't have to torch 'em off.
nate
snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca posted for all of us...
Ah yes I remember those numbers.
I liked NAPA ignition parts back then because they still used the brass terminals in the distributer cap and the points and caps would never be a problem. IIRC correctly there was a co named Standard whose parts weren't too bad.
Hey Claire was the Champion plugs stock # RJ 45 for most Chrysler's?
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