Started wrenching on the Monte, today. Job Number 1 ... Replace Engine Air Filter. They could have made it a bit easier to replace an Air Filter, I think. Whatever, it's done. The one that came out looked like the road Paul Newman and the boys tarred in "Cool Hand Luke". Black and caked. Glad I made that my Number 1 bit of service. I should get some better gas mileage now, I'm guessing. Had to remove the Driver Side Nose Stay ... Undo the the Intake at the Manifold ... Lift-out the Air Flow Sensor and get the engine side of the Airbox free from the Filter Housing. I was hoping it would be more like doing an Air Filter in a Motorcycle. Couple of screws and Badda-Bing; Badda-Boom ... done! No way. It turned in to a fight; but I won. The old (probably original from the looks of it) Air Filter is on my bench and the new Fram Filter is now working for me in the Monte! I added a bit of AntiSeize Lube to everything I might have to move again, next time.

Now, ... Well, not right NOW! But soon. Spark Plugs. The three on the Front of the Engine look like a 15-Minute affair. I can't even see the three on the back of the Mill ... why does it have to be like this? Oh, yea ... that's right. It's a V6 ... not an Inline-4 like the Old Lady's Civic.

Anybody care to impart some "Been-dare~Done-dat" wisdom on me for finding the reach and getting to those Plugs on the Firewall side?

Oh, yea ... I almost forgot! I bought a Cabin Air Filter; too. There's NO mention of it in the Indnex in the Brandy New Haynes Manual I popped for, this afternoon. Haynes was helpful in getting the Air Filter dout. But made it sound a lot easier than it was.

Firewall side advice on getting the Plugs Out and In if anybody feels like typing!

And that's the way it is ... Saturday, December fifteenth, two-thousand-seven.
New Monte Guy,

Rick Massey

 

Hi Rick!

I know what you're talking about with the air filter. I replaced my regular old paper filter with the K&N drop in filter when I first bought the car. What a pain in the.....hands. Literally. I couldn't believe how difficult it was. The airbox kept slamming shut on my hands. Especially while trying to put the peel and stick gasket on.

I vaguely remember seeing instructions on replacing the cabin air filter somewhere. I know its not the easiest job in the world. I remember that. I'm pretty sure it was in my owner's manual. But it may have been posted here. Can't remember which. It's snowing here right now, so I'll check my owners manual in the morning. If someone else hasn't already posted instructions by then.

 

I know exactly what you mean with the airbox, i hate it, but it needs to be done and like hell i'm gonna pay someone to do it

 

Although I did see on TV that jiffy lube will put the cabin filter in for free if you bring the part in. But I think I saw that commercial sometime ago

 

there must me more room in my generation mc. it was just 4 bolts on the top of the air box. take the engine cover off. and it pops right up. though i dropped my ratchet and when i reached down to grab it i burnt my hand on the exhaust. hmmm gives me an idea for a thread

 

On the airbox I've never thought it was bad, Ichangemy g/f's air filter in her04 Monte and it was easy as hell I thought

 

I think half the trouble was moving parts that hadn't been moved since it left the factory. I have no doubt I was looking at the original air filter and it was caked bad. Now my baby can breathe.

Will somebody clue me in on what the easiest way to change the firewall side sparklers. The front is wide open. That back side you can't even see the Spark Plug wires. I know it's going to be a rough day in camp doing three Plugs ... but, its only three. I'll get through it somehow. I have the Haynes Manual to stand on. Thats a half-inch I won't have to be on tippy-toes!

Rick Massey

 

I think the easiest way I found to remove the airbox is to remove the tube that houses the MAF sensor and set it aside. Then it comes out easily.. Back 3 spark plugs... Wait until the engine is cool, and rest your chest on that nice engine cover.. (Providing you have the 3.5L) On the 3400 I found the easiest way to get it on this engine was to follow the plug wire with your finger remove the cap and keep your pinky on the top of the plug, remove the plug and stick a rag in the hole. Grab your new plug and follow the rag. I had the 3400 on the Montana I used to own. I know on the montana's 34oo you could remove the front motor mounts and use a ratchet strap on the engine mount and rad brace to roll the motor towards you a bit.

 

Is it possible to reach the back plugs by laying under the car?

Never worked on the engine so I have no idea?

 

air filter SUX!!! but this is why i did the fender well filter on my car with a K&N cone.

Spark plugs suck rocks also but the only thing i found to make the job easier with out haveing to remove every thing was to take off the plastic engin cover. and if you have the front strut bar remove it also.
then you can get in on the drivers side of the motor and lay acrossed it to gewt your arm in to the back cornner on the pass side. and this still sux. but at least you can get to them eaier then trying from the pass. side.


as for the incabin filter that is th eeasiest one mentioned here.

open your hood.
turn on your key and turn on the wipers while they are going up the windsheild turn off the ing. switch to make them stop in the middel of the windsheild. kind of like when changing blades.

then go back under the hood. on the pass side. on the fire well you will see the black plastic part right behind the seal. take it off to about 1/2 the distance on the car.
then use a screw driver and carefully remove the black plastic screws.
once you do this you can look down in there and see the filter in there. just pull it out.
and put the new one in the same way. and revers everything.

few words on this. becarefule pulling the rubber seal away from the car so it dont tear.
make sure to watch how the old filter comes out so that you can put the new one back in the same way.
If you ever wanted to have a air filter in the car with out having it hang in the window. put them inbetween the fold on the new filter and put it back in the car and enjoy it every time you start the car and the air filters threw it.
But rember doing it this way will make the smell strong so make it one ya like.
I will normally take one of the tree filters and cut it in to strips and put like 3-4 in the filter