Monte Carlo plugs: NEW SOLUTION

[BlackSlax]

I'm at the tail end of chagning the plugs for my wife's '98 Monte 3.8l. With the car up on ramps I was able to get to the plug against the firewall on the passenger side by yanking off the the wire using brute force. It appears that's where the trouble lies - the boot to the plug wire melds to the plug. But the middle plug was giving me a problem. I couldn't get enough leverage to pull the darn thing off. THE SOLUTION: break the plug. They usually break right at the interface to the ceramic and the metal end. Now it's a simple task of pulling the plug wire up over the top of the engine and pulling the ceramic out. The stubby bolt part of the plug can't be seen when broken off, but it's pretty easy to put a plug puller on it - 3/8 drive, plus adaper to a 1/2 drive and then a nice 18 or 24 inch or so breaker bar. It came right off, no sweat. Just be carefull to have the plug puller on square. I'm sure this would have worked even easier with the passenger side plug as it was more visible. Next weekend I'll be doing the driver's side. I'm either going over the top of the engine, as I can see the boot to the wire pretty easily from there, or taking the wheel and wheel well off and going that route. I'll let ya know.

['97ventureowner]

One thing I have done in the past when installing spark plugs in my vehicles is to apply a little di-electric grease in the boots. This helps when the time comes to take them out again, usually the boot will then slide off the plugs.