so does anybody know the best way to do the least work to install these parts?

new plugs, with new zzp 10.3 wires
ceramic coated and ported front exhaust manifold (powerlog)
polished aluminum valve covers
(got it all from zzp)

i've came to the conclusion that i will have to take off the dogbones to get to the valve covers and exhaust manifold.

do i need any type of sealant for the gaskets on the valve covers? it came with seals, but there has to be some type of sealant glue right?

i want to save money on the labor of getting all this installed, it is going to be expensive if i got it done somewhere because of all the crap they have to uninstall just to get to the parts.

i got a downpipe too! cant wait to get it all installed and feel the difference from the powerlog and the downpipe!

any suggestions to save me money would be great.

im a bonehead when it comes to installing these things, so make it as 1st graderish as possible so i can understand it please.

thanks!

 

Plugs and wires are easy- just take the old off, and put the new on, that doesn't get any easier.

The powerlog is also cake. Get a can of PB Blaster and the night before- soak the exhaust manifold bolts on the head and especially the 2 bolts on the crossover- those are the worst. This also doesn't really need any explanation- remove the two bolts at the crossover, then just undo the bolts in the head. Wipe down the gasket surface on the head and put your new gasket on and put it back in.

The downpipe is super simple as well. Its just 2 bolts up top, 2 bolts at the catback. I'd also hit these with PB the night before as well. Just pop a new gasket on each end, and you're done.

Any body with basic hand tools should be able to get the above done with little-no mechancial knowledge, its all really that stupid simple.

The valve covers are a little worse. From what I remember for the front- you have to remove that coil pack bracket (just a couple nuts onthe end), but the back one is really a pain. When I did mine, I had to pull the alternator, and I think I had to remove its bracket too (buy new coolant elbows if you have to do that). Just look at it and see what all is overhanging the rear VC.

You do not need special sealant- just new gaskets.

Honestly, if you're taking all that time to pull the VC's, you really should do rockers too. The reason being- you're 99% of the way to a rocker install, you may as well spend $200 on some used modded stock 1.9s, and just stick them on while you're in there. Not to mention, they'll probably give you more performance gain than all the other mods put together.

 

But you need to roll the engine forward to reach the rear plugs. Remove the front dog-bone mounts from the block, put the car in neutral, and roll the engine forward, and put a bolt back thru the pass' side mount to hold the engine forward.

AGREED! THE biggest mod you can do internally without changing the cam!

 

my question with changing the rockers though is that i PLAN to put a gen 3 on my NA. i agree that changing the rockers while im changing the valve covers would be smart, but would the 1.9 rockers work now if dont have a supercharger yet? thats my next project, probably get the supercharger sometime beginning of next year. gotta save money for it. also, if i got the 1,9 rockers, wouldnt i need to change the springs and retainers to higher #?

guess the big question is will the 1.9 rockers work without a supercharger, and will they still work when i get a supercharger?

 

Get yourself a "Ratchet Strap" if you don't have one.
After undoing the Front-upper Engine Mounts ... the ratchet Strap will pull the Engine away from the Firewall and allow you to reach-down in there and get the old Plugs out and install the New ones.
I wouldn't go so far as to say this job is going to be easy. It will be as easy as the situation is before you start-in on it. You may encounter a stuck Wire Boot. Maybe a stuck Plug or two.
I distinctly remember doing this job on my Monte. I expected it to take an hour and a half. It took three days. Everything was Stuck or Frozen. I had to muscle-out Plugs installed at the Factory.
The Wires will be as easy as the Old Guide Clips will open and let you exchange wires.

I uses a New set of Bosch Wires. The set was pre-measured and matched-up great. Nice, stainless, solid core center element. No more misfiring at all.

 

Its not a requirement really, although it does help if you have time. Last time I did them on the gtp, I was in a hurry and just left it.

Yes, it will actually work even better with the supercharger. If you planned to stay NA, you'd be better spending an extra $50-100 and getting the ER ratio rockers because they tend to make a little more power NA, but the regular modded 1.9s are great for the supercharger.


3 days for plugs + wires isWAY overkill. If the plugs have never been changed and are really in there- hit them with the PB Blaster too, if they still don't easily break free- then get a U-joint and an extension and get the ratchet upaway from the enginewhere you can put some real force on it (at which point you're really better off rocking the engine forward if you're having a hard time).

As for the wires- if they've never been changed, and the boots are being stubborn- just cut them off. There is no reason to mess with trying to do it nicely if you have new wires, just reach in there with some snips and cut them out.

 

It started-out just being Plugs.
Then, the Boots wouldn't come off the Plugs. So, I tried to muscle them. Then, they did come off ... leaving the Boot on the Plug and the Wire in my hand. Then, I cut the Boot. Then, the Plug would not budge even with a Breaker Bar on the Socket. Then, I divided the job. Feeling good about any gains made while not getting hurt.

Before the Rear Bank, Number-One Plug finally came-out of there ... I was sure the Hole was stripped or something preventing the Plug from letting loose. This became a situation that wasn't going to be repeated. The Boots, although pre-greased ... got a bit more. Every one of those Plugs got treated with Anti-Seize for the next time I throw-in a set of Sparklers ... probably in the Spring. I'm ready for the job. I put new fasteners and Anti-Seize on everything that needs to be loosened or moved.

 

hmm, this sounds like a fun job. i just got some bosch platinum 2's the other night i plan to put them in maybe tuesday when i change the wires to the zzp 10.3mm. the plugs are pre-gapped for our cars, makes it nice and easy.i dont have a ratchet strap or any way to move the engine forward, so i guess im going to just try to do it without moving it, see how things go. im going to start in the rear, so that way if i cant get to any, i dont have theones in the front changed and the ones in the rear not changed. i know i can change thefront. any other suggestions for me since i cantroll the engine forward? i wouldnt need to still undo the dogbones would i? no point really huh?

i am going totry to change the exhaust manifold too, so i guess the dogbones would need tobe undone for that job. i have no way to get under my car toswap out my downpipe, plus idont know howfragile my o2plug is, never dealt with it. probably have a shop do that for me so i dont screw it up. unless someone lives in the bay area (san francisco)and wants to help me out?????!

 

You don't need a ratchet strap to move the engine forward. Don't remember exactly how I did it, but I believe I used a breaker bar and wedged it in a mount somewhere, and then put a bolt thru the 2nd hole in the pass' side mount to hold the engine forward. Took about 5 minutes to roll it forward. I couldn't even BEGIN to put my hand behind the engine without doing this.

 

Even when you tilt the Motor forward, some ... you'll still be wishing for another little bit of room. Just to be able to to get the Plug Socket and a Shorty Extension on the old Plug with room enough to put some leverage on the Ratchet Handle or Straight Bar, when you get yourself back there and start the job.

I took-off the Driver Side Fender Stay. Un-did both front motor mounts. Hooked-up a new Ratchet Strap to the Engine Lifting eyelet and rolled the whole block forward after disconnecting the Flex Hose from the Throttle. The Engine rolled right over and offered-up plenty of room between the Rear Bank of Plugs and the Firewall.

To make life easier; I stuffed a rolled-up Sleeping Bag in front of the Right Shock Tower and covered-up the Bag and the rest of the Engine with an old comforter so that I could actually get right up on top of the Engine and lie-down across the top and reach down-in-back without doing some kind of a Circus Act.
Once you get is so that you are comfortable making the reach down behind there; the work goes easier.

I doubt if you are going to have room enough to even get a tool neat the Rear Bank of Plugs without moving the Block Forward. That's a REAL tight Squeeze.
But, once the block is moved you get a good angle on the Plugs and a straight shot at the O-2 Sensor.
How ever you decide to do it and, I'm recommending the Ratchet Strap if it's only you doing everything ... Good Luck with it!