Taking off spark plug cover?

[joegr]

You need to replace the valve cover gaskets. The O-rings for the plug wells come with the gasket set.
A shop vac with a piece of small tubing at the end of the cleaner hose can be used to suck the oil and any dirt out of the plug wells.
You need to replace all the COPs (coils). If you don't you will really regret having to do most of this over again. Trust me on this.
All the plugs should be replaced too.

[danielsatur]

It sounds like we are on a very tight budget!
If only on cylinder 7, lets do the cleaning on cylinder 7 COP, Spark plug, and boss 1st.

Caution - Make sure you don't drop the little black clip going to the COP connector, it will land in the spark plug boss, and you will need a shop-vac to get it out.


If only one bad boss, you can make a condom for the spark plug from a spare spark plug boot.

The idea is to protect the spark plug from oil, so it doesn't short out & misfire.

[joegr]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

It sounds like we are on a very tight budget!
If only on cylinder 7, lets do the cleaning on cylinder 7 COP, Spark plug, and boss 1st.

Caution - Make sure you don't drop the little black clip going to the COP connector, it will land in the spark plug boss, and you will need a shop-vac to get it out.


If only one bad boss, you can make a condom for the spark plug from a spare spark plug boot.

The idea is to protect the spark plug from oil, so it doesn't short out & misfire.

I understand the tight budget, but unfortunately the LS and its COPs do not.

[danielsatur]

If the money was there, I would buy new valve cover gaskets, spark plug boss seals, and 3rd generation secondary cam chain tensioners.

After cleaning the plug + COP, see COP Test http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=906504

[slapbassist]

Sorry for moment of no response, didn't see it got to page 2! I went to the auto parts store and got the CRC cleaner and u-joint for 3/8 drive socket, goin' lazy for a moment and watching survivor... lol.

Man I have to admit, I feel like a complete idiot, but I'm still not sure as of what the "boss" is. I hear you joe on replacing all of them, but unfortunately money is beyond tight so I gotta do with what can atleast give me about 2 months of leeway. It sucks, but thats what it's gotta be, and hopefully by the end of that time if it starts to foul again - hopefully thats not the case, I'll just have to go back and do it again. Atleast I'll have the tools needed to do so atleast lol.

So what exactly is the boss? I haven't gotten the sparkplug out yet, but I did spray the CRC down the hole for it down a little bit ago so somewhat waiting on it to clean it up. Hopefully it should dissipate it on its own, worst case I'll have to use the tactic I used before with screwdriver-cloth/sparkplug bit to get out the residue if there is any. How do I make a 'condom' for the sparkplug? I'm assuming some type of protective covering up to the little electric diode on the opposing end of the spark plug so that way it'll be a sort of gasket for the coilpack up to that point where the spark goes to it, goes through the plug, to the firing end in the cylinder head, am I right? And another question - what is that black clip your talking about?

cliffs: What is the boss, the black clip mentioned, and how do I make the condom for the spark plug?

Hopefully I wrote back all that I'm trying to get across, thanks guys for all the input, God bless y'all.

[danielsatur]

The Spark plug boss is the actual tube, were the spark plug is housed.

The Spark plug condom is a piece of a spare plug boot, were you can slide on the spark plug befor the Coil on plug (COP).

When you connect the COP to the COP connector, the little black button piece seems to fall off.

Don't forget to do a COP Test, see http://www.automotiveforums.com/vgul...d.php?t=906504

[slapbassist]

Hmm damn. I know earlier when I put the spark plug socket bit down in the hole to clean out, i did notice a little black o-ring looking thing that was left in the bit. Tried getting it out with a screw-driver, and when I did so, I managed to drop it, it hit my shoe, and is somewhere underneath the car... Which has grass underneath it as well as its night time... Hopefully that isn't something completely useful, or rather just an essentially useless piece that came from the bit. Didn't look before hand, so I honestly dont know . Tried checking out link, but it didn't work for me, so I dunno whats up with that. Definitely recommend it before putting it back in though?

[danielsatur]

That little black rubber piece comes in the spark plug socket, so it grabes the spark plug when pulling out.

[slapbassist]

Alright update. Got all of the oil out of there finally. What finally got it was spraying two full sprays (bottle was upside down so got a good shoot apiece.), then twisted up a shop-blue-paper towel and put it down there and the first time was a good concoction of oil and the stuff, 2nd time, pretty much just the CRC). Now I'm at the spark plug. I got the little rubber o-ring back into the spark plug bit, but I'm thinking I need to go back out again and get a longer extension. As is, its about a 2" or so extension after the bits are said and done that makes it flush with the hole, then with the u-joing bout makes it flush to the lip of the casing with the coil packs. Been trying at it with the wrench to get it to turn but the plug is just too tight in there and it feels almost like I'm about to strip the plug. Its just super hard to turn, the u-joint makes it more odd, then it just goes THWACK, and i basically have to reset the bit ontop of the spark plug and try again... damn...

Any more tips or tricks? What size extension should I aim for if I need more?

[danielsatur]

Just use the Spark plug socket and extension to put the plug in.
When the plug is snug, than use ratchet wrench, and universal adapter.

[slapbassist]

Definitely once the point gets to that, I'll follow you, but I can't even get the first plug out to begin with . I'm thinking I just may have to get a bigger extension for the drive, but the auto place is closed and I'm driving an illegal car (out of date registration, no insurance) atm to that place, and walmart is too far away. Plus really low on gas. I reckon I'm going to re-try for it early in the morning so I can hopefully I will make probation. I guess worst case scenario I'll just have to bolt everything back up and rinse and repeat once I get back home. Pray for me that that won't be the case. Thanks for the reply man

[rg1620]

I went thru this about 6 times. Too cheap to buy 8 coils at once... I ended up making a tool to get that last bolt off the coil/plug cover. Jut a 1/2" piece of 1/4 steel bar. A 24" length is available at HD for a couple of bucks. You will have 23.5" left over. Just put the steel piece in the 1/4 in 7mm socket and place it on the bolt. Then take a 1/4 inch open end wrench to to the steel piece to loosen it. Takes about a minute or two with all those 1/4 turns but your not bending or breaking anything. When it is loose enough, remove the steel piece and back out the bolt by hand. As far as oil in well... I remove the coil and get the blow nozzle from the air compressor to blow out debris and oil BEFOR removing the spark plug. Place a large shop towel over your arm and work area to absorb any oil splatter that WILL spray out. Hope this helps others that have coil/plug issues.