Can't get at the back 3 sparkplugs, any ideas?

[7T9Shark]

OK, so I removed the dog bone bolts yesterday and was able to tilt the engine all of about 1/2" forward. Whoopie. There is something else that I need to know. How about the exhaust pipe? That motor isn't going anywhere with that connected. Anything else that I haven't
been told to disconnect to get the motor to move that far? The upper radiator hose also looks very reluctant to allow the motor to move.

Good thing these things are very infrequent maintenance items. I'm going back out to the garage right now to remove the exhaust. I'll check back with you all later....

[7T9Shark]

OK, so I removed the dog bone bolts yesterday and was able to tilt the engine all of about 1/2" forward. Whoopie. There is something else that I need to know. How about the exhaust pipe? That motor isn't going anywhere with that connected. Anything else that I haven't
been told to disconnect to get the motor to move that far? The upper radiator hose also looks very reluctant to allow the motor to move.

Uhoh. I just remembered that I forgot to take it out of Park.
I'll get back to you all later, after I check it out again.

[Bruticus]

Hurray i = teh winnar i took the dogbones off put her in neutral i had to lay on top of my engine to stick the tool down there to get those plugs. I hate being short but i changed them thanx for the help guys.

[Headman]

Y'all are doing it the really hard way.
I just got finished doing the heads on my neighbors 96 Lumina.
Forget all that rocking the engine forward!
Remove the coil pack. That will give you all the room you need. I tried to get the plugs out before I pulled the heads and found it impossible to do. But if you disconnect the electrical connections to the coils including the plug wires then the two bolts and the two nuts holding the coils in place, you will have all the clearance needed to get the plugs out. I am sure this is how line mechanics do it.
Much easier than removing the engine supports and then trying to pull the engine forward.
Try it, you'll see. Worked for me!

[Retardo]

Sure seems like it's more work to remove the coil pack rather than rocking the engine.

As for mechanics, these assholes up here at the oil joint rock the motor forward. I drove up to autozone one day and they had a cavalier with the engine rocked forward to replace the plugs.

[Headman]

All I was suggesting was an alternative way to do this. Yes there might be a few connections, but just try it. I don't like the idea of straining the motor mounts and the exhaust to change plugs. Removing the coils is not really that big of a deal.

[Retardo]

The exhaust has one of those whatchamacallits that can bend and twist a certain amount without breaking. It's on the exhaust right behind the engine after the manifolds. This allows the engine to rock forward/backward when you floor it and not break the exhaust.

As for the motor mounts, they're made from rubber, which can withstand a lot of force. I see what your saying about removing the coil pack. I looked on mine earlier tonight. I checked in the Haynes manual to see how they recommend it, and they recommend rocking the motor forward.

[ciras3]

Hi,

I followed the manual when I replaced the spark plugs on my 97 lumina. I thought it would be a pain the tilt the engine forward, but it was really trick. I got my engine to tilt forward a lot more than 1/2 inch and was afforded plenty of room to get at the back plugs. I used a racheting strap and connected it to an eye bolt I fastened to a wall stud in my garage and then to the engine boss. It worked great. I admit it was a bit strange going though all of that the first time, but it's how I got mine out.

Hope this helps.

C. Smith

[Euroguy026]

My friend had the same car and he always jacked the motor forward, with the dogbones dissconnected. i did this to change my plugs but i forgot how he did it and where he jacked it up from, but maybe one day i will figure it out again

[Chebyman]

Originally Posted by Headman

Y'all are doing it the really hard way.
I just got finished doing the heads on my neighbors 96 Lumina.
Forget all that rocking the engine forward!
Remove the coil pack. That will give you all the room you need. I tried to get the plugs out before I pulled the heads and found it impossible to do. But if you disconnect the electrical connections to the coils including the plug wires then the two bolts and the two nuts holding the coils in place, you will have all the clearance needed to get the plugs out. I am sure this is how line mechanics do it.
Much easier than removing the engine supports and then trying to pull the engine forward.
Try it, you'll see. Worked for me!

I have changed the plugs on my 95 3.1 both ways and while they both work! I personally have found i have more work space and can see better removing the coil pack. Nothing like going in blind to strip a sparkplug. But it all comes down to what works best for you.

[94Lumina]

Using pry bars usually leads to other broken things..(unless you are more dainty than me) Park the car on a decline in neutral with front tires chocked (front of the car lower). Remove the two bolts on the upper dog bones. Put car in park. Kick the chocks out and the torque will flip the engine forward...no prying, no crying!!!

[Dutch724]

Is it easy to get the motor back into postion when done changing plugs and wires?
Is there alot of pressure on the dog bones that it will be hard to pull the bolts out?
thx,

[ciras3]

Originally Posted by Dutch724

Is it easy to get the motor back into postion when done changing plugs and wires?
Is there alot of pressure on the dog bones that it will be hard to pull the bolts out?
thx,

Well..all I can say is if you follow the manual's recommendations to remove the bolts to the dog bones and use a ratcheting type strap to tilt the engine forward, you should have no problem releasing the tension on the strap and having it go back to the same place. The bolt go right back in. I didn't mount the strap to the engine and then to the underside of the bumper because I didn't want to crack anything. I mounted a large eye bolt into a 2x4 wall stud in my garage, and attached the strap to that and the engine. It worked flawlessly. I've read the other posts and I can't be sure of what to make of parking the car on a hill and snapping the engine forward, or using pry bars. It is also recommended to take the air filter assembly off (as much as you can) so that the engine tilts forward without breaking any of the plastic. As I mentioned in my prior post, it does seem weird to tilt the engine forward like this, but that's the way it is done. It's pretty trick.

Good Luck

[Dutch724]

Thanks for the help.
This is a friends car that I told him it would be no problem to change plugs and wires. Next time I'll look first to see what I'm dealing with.
Thus why I don't have a manual.
I like the strap idea. I'm going to assume there is alot of weight that wants the engine to go back in place. From the way it sounds it will be a piece of cake as long as your careful.

[grnlntrncivic]

If you use a couple of extensions and an elbow inbetween then you won't have to take anything apart except popping off the plug wires....takes all of like 15 minutes every time I do my plugs...