Terrible Juan

I just changed the spark plugs on my '93 yesterday and I have to say, I don't really understand what all the talk is about.

On the passenger side, I was able to change every single spark plug without removing anything and on the drivers side, all I removed was the tire and the wheel well. Obviously those small steel things bolted to the heads to keep the spark plug wires straight came off too.

The passenger side rear ("dreaded" #8) wasn't hard at all. I used a Snap On spark plug socket, a u-joint, an 8" extension, and a swivel head ratchet to remove it. I ended up getting a bad angle on the u-joint the first time and broke the spark plug in half but that just made it easier to get to I guess, LOL. I had to face away from the car and reach in backwards to get the spark plug socket on it but that was about as complicated as it got.

To put it back in, I had to reach in backwards again and used that same Snap On socket. I used a Gear Wrench on the hex fitting that it had on the end (a regular wrench would have taken forever) and tightened it down without any problems.

The other three on the passenger side were absolute cake. I ended up using a different Snap On spark plug socket to do those. It had a built in extenion/swivel which made it very easy to get the spark plugs started back in. I was able to do the entire passenger side within the engine bay, not even going into the suspension area or anything.

For the drivers side, I removed those stupid spark plug guide clip things from the head and unplugged all the boots from each spark plug using a pair of long needle nose pliers. Next, I used that same Snap On swivel/extension spark plug socket and added my own 10" extension. I was able to get to all the plugs perfectly by removing the center and right wheel well pieces and sticking that snake of a tool I made straight through to the head and was able to access every single spark plug. It was literally easier than the passenger side once the wheel well was off.

I don't really understand why I'm reading about going underneath the car, unbolting the power steering pump, etc in ordert to this. In summary, I guess I should be happy because it less than 3 hours, lol. I didn't even need a beer. Oh, and if anyone wants part numbers for that Snap On sockets I used, let me know.

N.C Punk

Do you have small hands? My hands are too thick to fit in between the heater box and exhaust manifold. #8 required fuel hose to aid the initial threading into the head.

Good right up though

CentralCoaster

Don't ask me. I see people bitching about plug changes on L98s. Mine took 9 minutes. #8 is tight, but I just use a box wrench on the socket to snap it loose then spin it out by hand.
Maybe they don't have any tools.

4REGT4

I've got a '95 LT1 and had absolutely no problem doing the plugs with the old manifolds -- all I had to take off was the ASR box (so I agree the issues are exaggerated -- though the new wires were a bit of a pain). However, with long tube headers in there now, the plugs are very very easy to access.

NotoriousC4

Anyone who thinks that C4s are that bad, either L98 or LT1, should try an LT1 in an F body, a V6 Fiero, etc.

corvette-pilot

Did mine when I first got the car and was expecting the worst. Wasn't any harder than any other car I have had?? Maybe those other guys drank their case of bear BEFORE they started instead of after

BlackC6LS3

Amen to that. Those LT1 F-Bodies are interesting for sure

Terrible Juan

I have normal sized hands. I'm not sure where small hands would come into play for this job. Again, the only time it got tight was for #8 but it wasn't even that bad. I only dropped the socket twice.

jaa1992

I had the same observation when I did mine on my 92, changed them when I did the waterpump/opit replacement.
Didn't need anything fancy, #8 was just the spark plug socket and ratchet, it was a little tight for my big hands. You guys want to see tight?? try the passenger side plugs on a 2001 Mustang V6! I think I left 1/2 the skin from the back of my hand in there.

LT4POWR

Have you done the plug wires yet?

Bill Hetzel

Changing plugs on my 92 isn't hard at all. I had a Chevy van for years that took a lot more to do it.
Changing the wires was easy too but, I lucked out. I has pulled the p/s pully to change to the single sided belt system and getting the wires on and off the opti was cake.

bogus

Taking off the ASR? Doesn't anyone here have an 18" extension and a swivel plug socket?

N.C Punk

Uh, size. My hands a like baseball gloves, I weigh almost 300 lbs. Other than one tight spot (FOR ME ) the rest are easy.

Did I make that clear enough????

Fastmax32168

I think whether or not this is a "hard job" for someone or an "easy" one is dependant on 2 things.
1. Your level of mechanical experience.
2. The selection of tools at your disposal.
That pretty much sums it up.
Roy

CE_Vetteboy

If it involves tools... It involves beer!

Mekanic

fill out your profile, if your near me your comnig over and proving these claims on my 96

TOMS93

I had a little trouble getting #8 started back in but that only set me back about 15 minutes.

NocarbutaVetteforme

Well what I think alot of people mean by difficulty is compared to other cars. Compared to changing out plugs on a truck it is difficult but compared to some other cars it is less difficult. Also the person who installed your plugs last time may have used anti-sieze versus someone who is changing the plugs in their 15 year old car that has never had the plugs changed. And I agree as well that having the right tools and work area makes a big difference as well. My hands aren't the biggest in the world, I guess normal size and I walked away with quite a few cuts and scrapes so size does make a difference.

Demonic85

a buddy of mine used to have to life up the front end of his '96 Z28 to get to them, talk about crazy. I couldnt even fit my hand down the side of the engine bay.

Terrible Juan

I just did them today. I have the scapes and cuts all up and down my arms to prove it. The drivers side is definitely a pain in the ****. I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to remove the drivers side wires until I remembered reading that the tensioner has to come off. Even after that, it was still awful, mainly just routing them behind the accessories.

Filled it in. You are on the other side of the country, so I guess I'm lucky.