pmaru77
Member
Well, what a task it was. But once you get the right stuff it was not as bad as I thought.
I'm 67 years old with lower back issues, but some ibuprofin helped me through.
Things you need.
A sturdy ladder and a blanket, because you will be crawling in there as far as you can. I'm 6'4" so my longer arms etc helped. The ladder helps to have your feet supported as you crawl in on top of the fender.
Tools, You will need the following : 1/4 inch socket wrench with a 10 mm socket. Make sure you have a standard length socket and not a tall one. These are for the coil packs. 3/8 will work, but not on the back one on drivers side. They are not on tight which makes them easy to take off. I recommend taking off the coil pack before unpluging the connector, as I broke the titie off on some of them which I will explain later.
My coilpaks did not have the red or orange lock on them like other's so I was unlucky on the first few.
You need a 5/8 plug wrench with the rubber innerds to hold onto the plug, I used 3/8 drive. You need a combo of extensions depending on which cylinder you are working on. A pivot or elbow thing is needed also. A standard 3/8 socket drive worked on the first 6 cyl's I did, but I bought a 3/8 drive with a pivot joint which made things much easier, I'd highly suggest getting one. Also get a tube for leverage on your 3/8 driver.
The connectors on the coilpaks is supposed to snap on and off. I pried the first ones off which came off easily, but it turned out that it broke the locking mechanism built into the conn. When I put the conns back on I did not hear a click the tells you it is locked in. Mine pulled right off, so I had to come up with a fix on the first 3. I ran a stainless steel screw (small one) into the connector where it needed to be to lock, and that solved the problem. Hopefully they stay there.
The hardest ones were the back one on both sides but the passenger side was the hardest. The drivers side in back is not bad once you have the right combo of tools and method. The actual 1/4 drive w/ 10mm socked actually fits onto the back coilpak screw no problem.
If you can use your two hands and arms at the same time as you are crawled in there, it helps greatly. The drivers side was the easiest, it may have something to do with being right handed?
Now that I know how to do them and having the right stuff, I'd actually do someones for 200 bucks.
Or help someone for beer.
I'm 67 years old with lower back issues, but some ibuprofin helped me through.
Things you need.
A sturdy ladder and a blanket, because you will be crawling in there as far as you can. I'm 6'4" so my longer arms etc helped. The ladder helps to have your feet supported as you crawl in on top of the fender.
Tools, You will need the following : 1/4 inch socket wrench with a 10 mm socket. Make sure you have a standard length socket and not a tall one. These are for the coil packs. 3/8 will work, but not on the back one on drivers side. They are not on tight which makes them easy to take off. I recommend taking off the coil pack before unpluging the connector, as I broke the titie off on some of them which I will explain later.
My coilpaks did not have the red or orange lock on them like other's so I was unlucky on the first few.
You need a 5/8 plug wrench with the rubber innerds to hold onto the plug, I used 3/8 drive. You need a combo of extensions depending on which cylinder you are working on. A pivot or elbow thing is needed also. A standard 3/8 socket drive worked on the first 6 cyl's I did, but I bought a 3/8 drive with a pivot joint which made things much easier, I'd highly suggest getting one. Also get a tube for leverage on your 3/8 driver.
The connectors on the coilpaks is supposed to snap on and off. I pried the first ones off which came off easily, but it turned out that it broke the locking mechanism built into the conn. When I put the conns back on I did not hear a click the tells you it is locked in. Mine pulled right off, so I had to come up with a fix on the first 3. I ran a stainless steel screw (small one) into the connector where it needed to be to lock, and that solved the problem. Hopefully they stay there.
The hardest ones were the back one on both sides but the passenger side was the hardest. The drivers side in back is not bad once you have the right combo of tools and method. The actual 1/4 drive w/ 10mm socked actually fits onto the back coilpak screw no problem.
If you can use your two hands and arms at the same time as you are crawled in there, it helps greatly. The drivers side was the easiest, it may have something to do with being right handed?
Now that I know how to do them and having the right stuff, I'd actually do someones for 200 bucks.
Or help someone for beer.
Excellent write up, it sure will be helpful to anyone that will being doing a plug change anytime soon. I've never tried the wheel well method but it sounds like it would be a lot easier to get to the plugs if you don't mind wrestling the tires on and off.
