Changing Plugs, what a joke!
#1
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Portage, IN
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Changing Plugs, what a joke!
Well, I just hit the big 200,000 ( ). Thought I'd celebrate by changing out my plugs and wires, since they haven't been changed in probably 85,000 miles.
Boy did I have the wrong idea! I got plug 1 changed on the driver's side of my 2.3L, looked at plug 2, and at the manifold that needs to be removed to get to it! I couldn't even SEE plugs 3 and 4 on that side.
Now, I think with enough effort, I can get the plugs on the passenger side changed out. But it still looks like it's going to be a PITA. My old POS toyota was easier then this! What was Ford thinking???
Anyone ever go through the trouble of replacing all 8 plugs? I'm looking at removing the manifold, the throttle assembly bolted to it, and probably about 3 other things just to expose the plugs!
Boy did I have the wrong idea! I got plug 1 changed on the driver's side of my 2.3L, looked at plug 2, and at the manifold that needs to be removed to get to it! I couldn't even SEE plugs 3 and 4 on that side.
Now, I think with enough effort, I can get the plugs on the passenger side changed out. But it still looks like it's going to be a PITA. My old POS toyota was easier then this! What was Ford thinking???
Anyone ever go through the trouble of replacing all 8 plugs? I'm looking at removing the manifold, the throttle assembly bolted to it, and probably about 3 other things just to expose the plugs!
#3
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#8
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Alright, I solved plug #4. Just needed a longer extension. Proof that longer IS better.
Anyway... yeah TheStig88, thought that swivel might be needed. I was just in town too. Go figure. I can't even see plugs 3 and 4. This is turning out to be a lot more effort then I thought it would be. Haha.
Well I guess it's off to Menards to buy everything but a swivel attachment...
Anyway... yeah TheStig88, thought that swivel might be needed. I was just in town too. Go figure. I can't even see plugs 3 and 4. This is turning out to be a lot more effort then I thought it would be. Haha.
Well I guess it's off to Menards to buy everything but a swivel attachment...
#10
Alright, I solved plug #4. Just needed a longer extension. Proof that longer IS better.
Anyway... yeah TheStig88, thought that swivel might be needed. I was just in town too. Go figure. I can't even see plugs 3 and 4. This is turning out to be a lot more effort then I thought it would be. Haha.
Well I guess it's off to Menards to buy everything but a swivel attachment...
Anyway... yeah TheStig88, thought that swivel might be needed. I was just in town too. Go figure. I can't even see plugs 3 and 4. This is turning out to be a lot more effort then I thought it would be. Haha.
Well I guess it's off to Menards to buy everything but a swivel attachment...
#11
#14
4.0 vs 2.3. Remember how all the plugs on passenger side of your truck where hard to get at? Well all 8 plugs are on the passenger side and 4 are really close to the manifold.
#15
Join Date: May 2006
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First off, finished. Total project time: just over 3 hours, spread across 2 runs into town.
Passenger side: Piece of cake, relatively speaking. Needed an extension for #4 (seriously, I'm curious as to what that thing is that's almost directly in my way). Toughest one was #1 because it was frozen on pretty good, and I needed an odd sized extension (a spark plug socket + 3/4" hex socket proved to be very handy).
Drivers side: Oh dear lord. #1 was easy enough. #2 required the aforementioned swivel/u-joint thing. #3 and #4 both required really long extensions (used 2 12" extensions). And to tie in the comment above, of all the plugs you could break, #4 is definitely NOT the one to do it on! Only half the ceramic base came out with the socket (rubber washer in the socket held the plug by the tail). The rest was laying halfway out of the hole. Had to really contort myself back in there to grab it. Took me 20 minutes of fishing, swearing and hunting to grab it out.
She runs beautifully now. She ran pretty well before, but the idle is definitely a lot smoother. Maybe I should run some seafoam through it to clean out anything left in the cylinders...
#18
It really is not that bad. I swapped out my 95 Ranger 2.3 plugs(88K on the odo) the other day. It took about 45 minutes. All it takes is a 3/8s swivel and a couple extensions. It looked like a Bear but, once I got started I realized how simple it was. No need to remove the intake manifold.
#19
Don't you just love how automakers and mechanics work hand in hand. I just did mine not to long ago, went down to the fire house and got the extension, and went to town. Granted, there was a lot of throwing random items around me, punching walls and profanity yelled. But I had a bud who was level headed and mellow who helped me when I had to walk away! Grab a beer, extension, or whatever you need to relax and go at her.
#20
Yeah, I did it without taking the manifold off too. Its fairly easy to do once you know how to do it. The first time will seem impossible, but after that you know what to do.
#21
Well, I just hit the big 200,000 ( ). Thought I'd celebrate by changing out my plugs and wires, since they haven't been changed in probably 85,000 miles.
Boy did I have the wrong idea! I got plug 1 changed on the driver's side of my 2.3L, looked at plug 2, and at the manifold that needs to be removed to get to it! I couldn't even SEE plugs 3 and 4 on that side.
Now, I think with enough effort, I can get the plugs on the passenger side changed out. But it still looks like it's going to be a PITA. My old POS toyota was easier then this! What was Ford thinking???
Anyone ever go through the trouble of replacing all 8 plugs? I'm looking at removing the manifold, the throttle assembly bolted to it, and probably about 3 other things just to expose the plugs!
Boy did I have the wrong idea! I got plug 1 changed on the driver's side of my 2.3L, looked at plug 2, and at the manifold that needs to be removed to get to it! I couldn't even SEE plugs 3 and 4 on that side.
Now, I think with enough effort, I can get the plugs on the passenger side changed out. But it still looks like it's going to be a PITA. My old POS toyota was easier then this! What was Ford thinking???
Anyone ever go through the trouble of replacing all 8 plugs? I'm looking at removing the manifold, the throttle assembly bolted to it, and probably about 3 other things just to expose the plugs!
Is how ford thanks its customers for years of loyal support...lol...
Warning: This procedure may cause the following symptoms:
Headache, Nausea, Back Ache, Sore and Or Burnt/Skinned up Knuckles, loss of blood, temporary disfigurment, temporary loss of motor skills, frequent shouting of curse words, misplacement of tools, throwing of tools.
The usual outcome?
All changed in less than an hour but plug #3 on driver side.
#22
I thought I would do the same and change my plugs since I haven't yet. Plug #1 on the driver side was easy with the right extentions, #2 a bit trickier but not bad with a swivel or a lil imagination using an open end wrench. I'm on #3 and there is some tube freaking blocking it, #4 looks like an a hole and haven't tried it yet. Any tips for the #3 plug? Should I remove the tube?