Series I spark plugs - Anyone know how to do it?

AA wrote:

Randall, is the '95 that much harder to do than the '99 from up top?

Actually I believe it is, the alternator is a little bit larger and mounted closer to the firewall and with the vacuum tank up top the back side of the engine is not very accessible from there on the '95. IMHO

well i found out if u get pissed then u can get to your back plugs, from the front, we took an air cut off tool to the heater lines yuppp i did it, well them ones looked like crap any way so we just cut em off and changed the back plugs, but damn them were orginal. never been changed and looks like SH!T. u could see no silver on them just covered with junk and SH!T but yea i got them from the front so thats always good. just had to use some powertools

Today i went to autozone and got some ACDelco perfomance platinum spark plugs which the guy reccomended over the autolite 104's. but anyways he gave me advice about installing it and said i will proably need to raise the car to get to the rear, however when i looked under the car i don't see how i can get to it. any advice?

ok i told you to get the 104s in copper, platinum wont work as well, and what i did to get to mine was cut off the heater lines, it works but you need to buy new heater lines

well i just was taking the guys advice he knows about the 3800 series engines and has worked with intense. but if its that big of a deal and diffrence b/w the 2 then ill just go return them to the guy and tell hims hes wrong otherwise ill just keep them. but yah i guess cutting off the heater lines will def help. i was thinking maybe to go and have someone install it but forget it if all i have to do is cut the heater lines and buy new ones.

If you run it up on ramps or raise it, and use an extension and a swivel, they are easy to reach from the bottom.
That way you don't have to cut and buy anything extra?!?

thats good idea never thought of that. now all i need to do is find something to ramp the car on.

Can't you loosen the bracket on the heater hose lines and that will give you some play from the top. I can do it on my Series I.

the platinums will work as long as they are a colder range plug like the 104's. copper is still better b/c of a larger electrode and better cooling effect. the plats will last longer and give better MPG and are recommended for a stock car. but if you are pushing more boost with he 2.5" pulley then you NEED supporting mods like colder plugs and 180 t-stat. for the price of the plats you could change out the coppers 3 time, but i've never seen them fail.

i dont know how the 95's are set up but i can reach all of my rear plugs from either the top or the bottom with very little contorting. the closest 2 rear are probably easiest from the passenger side on top and the last on will require some feeling around. the hardest part is taking the old boots off at that angle, and not getting any dirt into the plug holes.
best of luck
Matthew

Get a cheap ste of ramps for azone and go in from the bottem. You run the risk of breaking off vac line in you sit on top of the engine to try to get towards the back (hard thing to troubleshoot if you don't catch it right away). I run 104's and have heard nothing but good things... especially if you mod the car. I haven't heard good or bad about the others.

From what Matthew said i think the series II is set up diffrently b/c if u can reach them from the top or bottom with "very little contorting" theres no way i can. but i think i will take the idea and go to autozone buy some ramps and install the plugs from underneath. but as far as the spark plugs go i just ordered 180 stat from intense today and the plugs are performance spark plugs not stock. u guys think i shoud go with the autolites or stick with the ones i just bought?

Reaching the rear spark plugs - what works for me (the usual disclaimers apply):

- use a ratchet wrench with a 'wobble extension' - the wobble looks like a 3/8" to 3/8" adapter with a long-ish male part that looks a little like a miniature root beer barrel candy. Most likely a 'univeral joint' type extension will be too big...
- use one or another extension bar with the wobble extension as needed
- before starting to remove plugs, use air compressor with blow gun fitting to blow dirt out of spark plug holes. A wet/dry vac used as a blower will work, too, especially if you have a nozzle (like a crevice nozzle) you use as a concentrator to skinny down the air stream. Point is to blow the dirt out of those cavities before you pull the plugs because you can't really see in.

Then in removing/replacing plugs...

- connect the spark plug socket to the wobble extension and a long-enough extension bar, withthe wrench off. Call this 'the contraption'
- disconnect the spark plug wire from the plug - a plastic or metal spark plug wire puller from a parts store will help to make sure you don't break the wire off in the connector
- fish the contraption into the spark plug cavity and get it onto the plug. Kind of have to push and turn. Once it is seated on the plug...
- NOW set the ratchet wrench to 'loosen' and attach it to the contraption, then unscrew the plug. You may not have but one click on the ratchet for loosening. Once the plug is loose you may need to use your fingers as a clutch to keep from just turning the plug back and forth instead of actually removing it. Once the plug is loose you may want to remove the ratchet wrench from the contraption and turn it out with your fingers.
- once the plug is loose, of course, pull it out of the well with the contraption. You will most likely have to remove the wrench to do this.

Inserting plugs is the reverse of removal, sort of. Here are some pointers:

- coat the OUTSIDE of the plug insulator with a light film of dielectric tune-up grease (the silicone stuff) so it slides out of the spark plug socket easier. Don't need much...
- use a dab of 'anti seize,' preferably the hi temp copper kind but silver is OK, on the threads of the plug. A dab maybe the size of a lentil or so.
- put the plug into the contraption, then put the contraption into the plug well so the plug goes into the hole in the head. When you have the plug in the hole turn the contraption backwards as if removing the plug, while pressing in on it somewhat, until you feel/hear it click. That way you know the threads are mated up and you wont cross thread the sucker.
- NOW turn the contraption (preferably use fingers not wrench) to tighten the plug. if the threads are not galled at all you'll be able to get the plug pretty much all the way in without the wrench. This also assures you are not cross threading the plug, because (in my experience) you can't get a good enough grip on the contraption with your fingers to cross thread the plug if you're not using the wrench! Get it in as far as you can.
- NOW attach the wrench to the contraption and finish tightening the plug. Remember they don't have to be but so tight, and these are aluminum threads in the head so don't get happy on the wrench or you'll strip the suckers especially since you already have them pretty much all the way in
- when the plug is tightened remove the wrench from the contraption then remove the contraption from the plug. You may need a (needlenose) plier to get the contraption and/or the plug socket out of the well, if the socket is sticking to the plug for some reason. Before you do that try pulling the contraption with your fingers while twisting it in the direction of tightening a bit to bind the extension bar and wobble extension together - if you put dielectric grease on the plug this should work.

All the best

Albertj

wow very well detailed instructions this will def help me for somoeone who has never done any engine work, basically i was just going to go in and try to figure it out myself, but this def helps. thanks

This is what I use for the Series II:

spark plugs are easy to install until you get to the rear plugs which i have ramps to put my car on. but i just buy pre-gapped plugs so i dont have to worry just make sure you dont drop them. your going to need a 21mm spark plug socket and an extension for the rears and also i would reccomend anti-sieze which you put on the threads of the plug before installing.

Gapping: you can gap using a special gapping tool, a round plug gauge, or a feeler gauge and a flat screw driver. I gap to .058". You could gap a .605 at .060" and be fine.

Use a torque wrench set to 15 lb-ft for optimum tightening. Make sure the holes are clean.

Before removing the old plugs, blast the hole area around the plugs, front and rear, with an air gun. On the front you can at least see if there's trash/dirt whatever around the plug, but on the rear with no visibility, reach back there with an air gun with the long nozzle and blast around all 3 plugs.

Woah...I hate to disappoint you guys, but I think the Series I motor is completely different from the Series II in your Rivieras. I can barely see where the front plugs are, and have no hope of ever finding the rear ones.


Anyone know how much it should cost me to have this done? I may wait a while to do it. There's no way I can do this myself though.

What do you mean there's no way? Is this the same guy who aced his SATs??... the same guy who thinks GM and Toyota will be fighting for the opportunity to employ?

Here's all you have to do:

1. Find the plugs (follow the wires)
2. Carefully remove the wires (grasp by the boot)
3. Unscrew the plugs (counter clock-wise)
4. Gap new plugs
5. Screw in new plugs (snug, not too tight)
6. Reconnect wires (click!)

That's it. If you can't see... feel. Maybe look up from under the car to help you locate things. Ramps are about $30 at the local parts place.

You should do this one yourself. Ask your dad or a friend to help you out. You'll have a better understanding of your engine when you're done.

I mean there's no way I can reach it. I can sorta see the front ones, which I could get out with some hassle included, but there's absolutely no way of seeing the back ones. I have no way to get my car up in the air either, and would rather not trust a jack with my life.


Here's what I mean:

Front:



Rear:



They just sorta disappear behind hoses, wires, and the valve cover. Very tight just to look at it, and no way I'm ever going to find them from the outside.

Are you serious? The front ones will take like five minutes , the back , well it looks easier than on a series II , just follow the wires with your hands and trust what you feel. its what i did.

trust me , its not hard , just don't get frustrated.

It took me about 25 minutes to change my plugs the first time on the riv ,. and i'm no expert.

There's no way I can fit a tool, let alone my hand, through that tight mess and search for the plugs. The pictures don't show well enough how tight everything is. I'm sure I can handle the front ones, that is, if I had the right tools and enough time and patience. I'm a patient guy, but I don't have tools for working on cars, persay.

The rears are harder on Series I from what I've read. What is that flat black plastic thing over the rear plugs?!! I think going in from bottom is the way to do it. Get a pair of ramps. The fronts... well, they're right there!

Tip: let the engine cool down. It will be a lot less frustrating.

IBx1 wrote:

There's no way I can fit a tool, let alone my hand, through that tight mess and search for the plugs. The pictures don't show well enough how tight everything is. I'm sure I can handle the front ones, that is, if I had the right tools and enough time and patience. I'm a patient guy, but I don't have tools for working on cars, persay.

It can be done. all you need is a 5/8 socket a small extension and a ratchet. If you want to take a trip to Queens I can help you do it.

You should also be wary of the spark plug wires. The ends/boots tend to pull off when removing them.

Bert