removeing # 6 spark plug........HELP

[strikeeagle]

Well, I sure do always try to keep my socket straight - and I did sorta figure out that I had to push the boot on.
Can't get my hand in there to get a straight shot at it and wondered if there was a trick of some kind.
Using the small chunk of vac. line worked great. Hadn't done that before.
Do those plastic boot pliers work?

Smart-ass...

Problems with removing and reinstalling wires are 99.99999% of the time the result of not twisting the boots to break the seal before removal and not lubricating the boots before installation, as well as generally handling the wires roughly.

Having thin hands with long fingers helps get #6 changed...

The thing is, you can make fun of these "obvious" tips, but idiot after idiot comes on this and other boards crying they screwed their car up...

strike

 

[Paul Clark]

You're right, strike. Sorry.
My son's friend came over to change the oil on his bike once. I jokingly said "Righty-Tighty-Lefty-Loosey" and gave him a wrench.
10 minutes later he was still turning the drain bolt --- the wrong way.
Stripped it big time.
Thanks for the tips.

 

[rodman99999]

It can be done fairly easily with a 2 foot 3/8 drive extension and a swivel spark plug socket. With this combination you can stand back at the fender and take them out and put them back in. Saves a lot of skinned knuckles and/or burnt fingers.

It's better if you use a spark plug socket with a "built in swivel" rather than a separate swivel on a regular socket. You can take the swivel socket off the extension temporarily to put on the plug to start the plug in it's threads by hand to avoid cross threading it. Once started, put the 2 foot extension back on the socket and stand back at the fender and tighten it up.

This set up makes #3 and #5 plugs a breeze too. The extension fits quite conveniently through and under the powermaster.

This set up of tools for changing plugs for a turbo regal will make life a lot easier. In other words, it's a good investment. You won't cringe anymore at the thought of changing your plugs.

George

I've got an 18" 3/8" extension and agree on all other points in this post(especially the swivel socket). PLUS: dialectric grease is a must, unless you just want to leave your boots on the plugs. I just grip the tops of the plugs with my fingertips to get them started(after I apply copper Never-Seize), and make sure they thread right by feel. Cross-threaded holes are a REAL pain in the arse.

 

[Dreamcar86]

Well, I sure do always try to keep my socket straight - and I did sorta figure out that I had to push the boot on.
Can't get my hand in there to get a straight shot at it and wondered if there was a trick of some kind.
Using the small chunk of vac. line worked great. Hadn't done that before.
Do those plastic boot pliers work?

Paul,

A good friend of mine taught me the vacuum line trick years ago. It is great for getting the plug started without the fear of cross threading. I also put the grease in the boot and gently grab the boot with channel locks and push down on the channel locks where the handles intersect until I feel or here it click on the plug. Takes a lot of the aggrevation out of good ole number 6.

 

[Paul Clark]

Dreamcar86
I did exactly the same thing with the channel locks. If you set them so they grab but don't crush the boot, and stay up by where the wire enters the boot - you're good to go.
Your vac. line trick is the tip of the month(s) for me, though.
Thanks!

 

[bison]

These are some of the easiest plugs ive ever changed. The f-bodies with the LT1 are a real pia. GM engineers should be beaten for their s hitty accessability.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

Just get a spark plug socket that has the end where you can put a 3/4 inch wrench on it to do #6.
No swivel sockets needed :biggrin:

PS, if you want to use the swivel (U/V JOINT), and its always flopping around on you, wrap the swivel joint with electrical tape to give it some strength and it wont flop around on you anymore.
BW

 

[Dreamcar86]

Dreamcar86
I did exactly the same thing with the channel locks. If you set them so they grab but don't crush the boot, and stay up by where the wire enters the boot - you're good to go.
Your vac. line trick is the tip of the month(s) for me, though.
Thanks!

Your welcome Paul. I learn a lot from TB.com myself and it is nice to know that occasionally I can contribute to help someone else. We all at one time or another have had difficulty with something and someone was there to shed some light on the subject and besides us Clark(e) boys have to watch out for each other.

Shane Clarke

 

[mikes gn]

with the tips i got last night i was able to get it gone,thanks and all my plugs where only hand tight and some even loser.. but again thanks for all the good tips......

 

[MoeJr]

All good advice here I bought a long extension just for these cars and for the plugs. I am assuming your GN is an 87. Be thankful as it really is no fun in a 78-85. Many a time I cussed my 2 78's and 1st 84 changing that number 6 plug.

 

[3point8]

#6 Spark plug

On my 85GN after an hour or so I gave up on the extension/swivel socket idea.
I removed the wheel, eyeballed a spot to cut a hole in the plastic inner fender well to get a better angle at the plug. Then I found a plastic plug from a GM door at the wrecking yard and plugged the hole back up. I think I used about an 1.5" hole saw for the job.
Peter

 

[Boost231]

well

well for me after many years of dealing with that plug i had enough one night and out came the ac. now #6 is the easyest to do.

 

[krom]

I just did mine and it seems easier with the low profile valve covers.

 

[onslow]

well for me after many years of dealing with that plug i had enough one night and out came the ac. now #6 is the easyest to do.

Holy smokes! I was just kidding in my previous post when I said I remove the A/C...that plug must have been a real headache for you.

I understand tho...my folks had a '79 Cad with a #8 plug that was even worse than our #6...same kind of location, but even more junk in the way...that is where I got my practice.

What has been the worst for me is humid, 100+ deg. days. Talk about not even being able to hold onto a wrench, much less trying to get one of those inaccesible boots off.

Anyway, Mikes gn...we're glad you got it done.

Steve