Changing spark plugs on the 3800 was no fun.
#1
Changing spark plugs on the 3800 was no fun.
I changed the spark plugs on my 2004 Dale Jr this afternoon after work. The back three were a royal pain to change. It took me forever to just get the spark plug wires off. The fronts were no problem.
The car has 88,500 miles on it and the original plugs looked pretty good. I replaced them with the same Ac Delco iridiums. I'm going to replace the wires tomorrow since I didn't get finished before it got dark. My original wires are Delco's that have Delphi written on the boots at the coils. I bought replacement Delphi wires since I have not had much luck with replacement AC-Delco wires on some of my other vehicles.
I definetly don't want to change plugs again anytime soon.
Wayne
The car has 88,500 miles on it and the original plugs looked pretty good. I replaced them with the same Ac Delco iridiums. I'm going to replace the wires tomorrow since I didn't get finished before it got dark. My original wires are Delco's that have Delphi written on the boots at the coils. I bought replacement Delphi wires since I have not had much luck with replacement AC-Delco wires on some of my other vehicles.
I definetly don't want to change plugs again anytime soon.
Wayne
#5
It took me forever to just get the spark plug wires off. The fronts were no problem.
The car has 88,500 miles on it
The car has 88,500 miles on it
Thats why with anything over 50k, I generally consider the plug wires scrap and just cut and hack them off to get the plugs out.
#7
You can't really see damage to plug wires that I know of... they jsut get dry and corroded nad just atking them off could cause micro cracks in the wire....
I didn't have too much trouble... it took me two hours to change out all the wires, the plugs, and the cabin air filter... I must have small, girly hands. I will say if you've never changed spark plugs, you're in for a treat. I learned on a Chevy Suburban and then a Chevy Silverado... so I knew a good bit about what a spark plug felt like and what I was doing when I went in... I didn't even take my motor mount loose!
I didn't have too much trouble... it took me two hours to change out all the wires, the plugs, and the cabin air filter... I must have small, girly hands. I will say if you've never changed spark plugs, you're in for a treat. I learned on a Chevy Suburban and then a Chevy Silverado... so I knew a good bit about what a spark plug felt like and what I was doing when I went in... I didn't even take my motor mount loose!
#8
I've changed tons of spark plugs over the years but I had forgotten how much of a pain it was on this engine. I changed them on a 98 GP we used to have with this engine but I don't remember it being as bad as this one. Maybe the GP had more room by the firewall.
I got them all changed tonight but I didn't get the wires done so that will have to wait until tomorrow.
Wayne
I got them all changed tonight but I didn't get the wires done so that will have to wait until tomorrow.
Wayne
#9
It's not so bad if you pull the upper "dogbone" motor mounts, rock the engine forward, and then secure it with the "second hole" in the passenger side upper motor mount bracket. This adds an extra inch or two of clearance in the back, which I've found really beneficial.
#10
The factory wires actually look like they are in pretty good shape but I'm going to change them out anyway in case I damaged the back ones taking them off.