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I want to change the spark plugs on Contour (98 V6).
People and book say that the plugs might break in
the hole. I want to save the money (dealer wants $260 labor
only to change plugs and wires).

I do some repairs all the time but never changed plugs.
The 3 in front seems easy but the rear 3 seems hard.
I have 3/8" wench and spark socket.

How to remove them safely? How to reach the rear 3
in right way? What should I care about?

Thanks in advance.

Jian

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/sh...=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:47:02 GMT, Martik <> scribbled:

>http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/sh...=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Damn, it was so much easier with my '68 Toronado... climb up on
the fender, put your feet on the frame and your beer on the
air cleaner, invite friends, there's room.

--
'What Profiteth It A Kingdom If The Oxen Be Deflated?'
Riddles II, v3
- T. Pratchett

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:59:40 +0000, -= Hawk =- wrote:

> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:47:02 GMT, Martik <> scribbled:
>
>>http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/sh...=&sb=5&o=&vc=1
>
> Damn, it was so much easier with my '68 Toronado... climb up on
> the fender, put your feet on the frame and your beer on the
> air cleaner, invite friends, there's room.

I recall my 63 Imperial was similar, but then I can change my 90 Integra
plugs in <10 mins. The alternator removal that requires an axle re-re
makes up for it though.

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 07:24:01 GMT, Martik <> scribbled:

>On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:59:40 +0000, -= Hawk =- wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:47:02 GMT, Martik <> scribbled:
>>
>>>http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/sh...=&sb=5&o=&vc=1
>>
>> Damn, it was so much easier with my '68 Toronado... climb up on
>> the fender, put your feet on the frame and your beer on the
>> air cleaner, invite friends, there's room.
>
>I recall my 63 Imperial was similar, but then I can change my 90 Integra
>plugs in <10 mins. The alternator removal that requires an axle re-re
>makes up for it though.

My folks have an older Cutlass Calais and you literally have
to drop one of the motor mounts to get at the back plugs.
Hell, just look under the hood of any of the new B'mers or
Mercedes, they don't even look like engines anymore.

--
'What Profiteth It A Kingdom If The Oxen Be Deflated?'
Riddles II, v3
- T. Pratchett

- -= Hawk =- <> - spluttered in
news:6ibs0013qotcekalf81qo3ff8aqlsfjtnd@news-server:

> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 07:24:01 GMT, Martik <>
> scribbled:
>
>>On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:59:40 +0000, -= Hawk =- wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 05:47:02 GMT, Martik <>
>>> scribbled:
>>>
>>>>http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/sh...=&Board=troubl
>>>>e&Number=502417&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1
>>>
>>> Damn, it was so much easier with my '68 Toronado... climb up on
>>> the fender, put your feet on the frame and your beer on the
>>> air cleaner, invite friends, there's room.
>>
>>I recall my 63 Imperial was similar, but then I can change my 90
>>Integra plugs in <10 mins. The alternator removal that requires an
>>axle re-re makes up for it though.
>
> My folks have an older Cutlass Calais and you literally have
> to drop one of the motor mounts to get at the back plugs.
> Hell, just look under the hood of any of the new B'mers or
> Mercedes, they don't even look like engines anymore.

Just break both hands, you'll get 'em in there. At least that's my line.

I just changed a set on a 96 Dodg PU, broke two off. Plow truck.

The passenger side was easy. The one under the power brake booster was
about 6 hours of thinking and trying and about 20 minutes to actually get
out.

Some customers are solid gold too. He paid without even batting an eye.
Ahhhhhhhh. Weelll I did tell him it was going to be a big bill first.

--
"The true man wants two things: danger and play.
For that reason he wants woman, as the most
dangerous plaything." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Start with the motor warm, not hot enough to burn your hands, but not stone
cold. Don't start with a lot of force. Try to loosen, if it does not
break loose, try to tighten. Go back and forth until the plug turns
slightly in either direction, then unscrew all the way out. Use the propper
tools, dont round anything off or break anything. Squirting WD-40 on the
plugs to clean the rust and dirt off is not recommended.

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 07:47:24 GMT, -= Hawk =-
<> wrote:

>My folks have an older Cutlass Calais and you literally have
>to drop one of the motor mounts to get at the back plugs.
>Hell, just look under the hood of any of the new B'mers or
>Mercedes, they don't even look like engines anymore.
I'm trying to figure out how the plugs could break inside the hole....
What are the plugs made out of on the Cutlass? If using a spark plug
wrench, I fail to see how steel in steel can "break" I understand if
you take a half-ass swing at pounding the wrench till it fits on
something you'll break the top.... (if that happens, pull the top out,
use the wrench, and remove the spark plug.... Which might be a little
harder since you now can't get the top of the plug to fit into the
rubber gasket, meaning you now have to be able to feel into the hole
yourself, but... Not like I can picture the spark plug breaking INTO
the engine....

Thanks Joe. (please include some of the poster's message so there's a
little continuity.

I snapped two plugs off, with almost no effort. Eh?

On the passanger side, after I broke off a used plug to check my
method, I drove in a Lisle brand straight flute extractor. With a
drilling hammer.

On the driver's side, under the master cylinder power booster, I
couldn't get any good effort into the hammer.

Eventually I used a spiral type extractor, bottomed *all* the way till
it absolutely stopped. Then I flipped a 5/8 plug socket upside-dowm
over the square extractor head and used a 5/8 Allen wrench, with a foot
long cheater pipe.

After twisting it far enough to know the next thing was a broken
extractor, I snaked a very stout cord through the shock tower and
around the coil spring. Leaned as hard as I could on the wrench, and
snugged tight on the cord. Truck was already running.

Then took about an eight-ounce hammer and soundly tapped the bend of
the Allen wrench.

I billed US$788 for the job and was paid immediately.


- Joe <> - spluttered in
news:Xns947797A5B52C6jsalpha2netscapenet@204.127.2 04.17:

> Start with the motor warm, not hot enough to burn your hands, but not
> stone cold. Don't start with a lot of force. Try to loosen, if it
> does not break loose, try to tighten. Go back and forth until the
> plug turns slightly in either direction, then unscrew all the way
> out. Use the propper tools, dont round anything off or break
> anything. Squirting WD-40 on the plugs to clean the rust and dirt
> off is not recommended.
>



--
"The true man wants two things: danger and play.
For that reason he wants woman, as the most
dangerous plaything." - Friedrich Nietzsche

"Jian" <> schreef in bericht
news: om...
> I want to change the spark plugs on Contour (98 V6).
> People and book say that the plugs might break in
> the hole. I want to save the money (dealer wants $260 labor
> only to change plugs and wires).
>
> I do some repairs all the time but never changed plugs.
> The 3 in front seems easy but the rear 3 seems hard.
> I have 3/8" wench and spark socket.
>
> How to remove them safely? How to reach the rear 3
> in right way? What should I care about?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Jian

Those were the days
http://www.mtfca.com/
Joe.