2000 Ultra Tune-Up - Loosen Motor Mounts

[buickultra2000]

The shop I called said they had to charge more for a tune-up because the 3800 engine requires loosening the motor mounts. Is this true? Thank you.

[Stealthee]

Yes, the mounts need loosened and the engine rocked forward to do the rear plugs on a 3800.

[maxwedge]

15 minutes work.

[buickultra2000]

STEALTHEE and MAXWEDGE: Thank you!!

[Tech II]

No, it doesn't....

[maxwedge]

Well after the engine is rolled toward, (easy part), it is still tough to get the plugs out.

[Blue Bowtie]

I'm with T-2. The rear plugs can be done without moving the engine, even in a little old J-body or something smaller. The LeSabre/PA is cake. Been there, and been there, and been there, and... Well, you get it. It isn't like a 3L Fjord V-6 where the intake has to be pulled to get the rear plugs. They're sitting right there where anyone over 5' tall can reach them easily, from 1991 until the end of the run.

[Tech II]

The only engines I ever rotated forward were 3.1/3.4's.......

While you don't have to rotate the engine on a 3800, you do need the proper tool.......the setup I had was a spark plug socket ball joint, attached to a universal ball joint and then an extension.....this is basically a double ball joint setup, that can get into the craziest places...ball joints are smooth compared to regular universal joints, which tend to be be jerky.....

Actually, the hard part is not getting the plugs out, it's getting the plug wires off the plugs....they tend to "bake on" the longer they are on the plugs......it's hard to get your hand/boot tool, on the boot and twist them off.......

If I was replacing the wires too, I would just take a long pry bar, put it on the top of the heat shield on the boot, and give the bar a whack with a hammer....this snaps the top of the plug off with the boot(sometimes damages the boot/wire, so I only do this if replacing wires, too)......use a blow gun to blow out any porcelain chips that may surround the lower part of the plug(so they don't fall in when removing the rest of the plug with special tool).....then remove rest of the plug......simple and fast.....10 min max to remove plugs.....a trick an old timer showed me....now I'm the old timer....

[maxwedge]

You guys are right, I was thinking of the 3800 in my 98 Lumina!