Got my plugs changed today.
06-28-2006, 12:59 AM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 694
Got my plugs changed today.
Didn't do anything special. Seeing as I don't have any mods to speak of, I went with Motorcraft Platinums. That'd be the same plugs that were put in at the factory. Some 10yrs ago!! [
] Yes folks, these are OG plugs and they had to get changed.
Safe to say, I've never changed plugs. I've changed a thermostat or two and have even had one of the thermostat bolts break on me because it was seized up. I was nervous that something that takes all the heat that the plugs do coupled with 10+ years of not moving, that they might not want to come out. After getting all the tools together (2 trips to Autozone) I decided to give it a go.
Two hours or so after getting home and letting the car cool off I used the boot pullers and yanked the front boot on the driverside. Put in the socket. ShaT!! I didn't put any penetrating oil in there. Tried to pull the socket out, wasn't coming out. [&:] Sprayed some WD40 down the sides of the socket and waited a few minutes. It took some strength but it loosened up.
After that I was pretty confident that I could get this done. Only when I put the new plug in and tightened it down the extension would just pull out of the socket and conveniently leave the socket 4" down in the hole. Took the plug out again and put some of the anti seize inside the socket and that fixed that. Also realized that the engine was still too hot, the socket probably expanded when it got down in the hole and didn't want to come out.
Everything I needed (boot puller not pictured).
Pic of the plugs and one of the most important parts of the job (bottle cap in middle of pic
)
Questions:
My engine is not cleanest girl at the party and the 10 or so years have let some of the dirt and grime get down inside the boots. Any way to get this cleaned up?
A couple of the plugs definatley had oil on the ends, what does this mean? If bad, how screwed am I?
I've always heard people say to do the hardest first and that way you'd get it over. I didn't do it this way. I save the back two on the passenger side for last and they were the easiest. One thing to know if you are changing your plugs for the first time. The plugs are not straight down from the top, they are at a slight angle going towards the windshield.
Can't wait for the next job.
] Yes folks, these are OG plugs and they had to get changed.Safe to say, I've never changed plugs. I've changed a thermostat or two and have even had one of the thermostat bolts break on me because it was seized up. I was nervous that something that takes all the heat that the plugs do coupled with 10+ years of not moving, that they might not want to come out. After getting all the tools together (2 trips to Autozone) I decided to give it a go.
Two hours or so after getting home and letting the car cool off I used the boot pullers and yanked the front boot on the driverside. Put in the socket. ShaT!! I didn't put any penetrating oil in there. Tried to pull the socket out, wasn't coming out. [&:] Sprayed some WD40 down the sides of the socket and waited a few minutes. It took some strength but it loosened up.
After that I was pretty confident that I could get this done. Only when I put the new plug in and tightened it down the extension would just pull out of the socket and conveniently leave the socket 4" down in the hole. Took the plug out again and put some of the anti seize inside the socket and that fixed that. Also realized that the engine was still too hot, the socket probably expanded when it got down in the hole and didn't want to come out.
Everything I needed (boot puller not pictured).
Pic of the plugs and one of the most important parts of the job (bottle cap in middle of pic
)Questions:
My engine is not cleanest girl at the party and the 10 or so years have let some of the dirt and grime get down inside the boots. Any way to get this cleaned up?
A couple of the plugs definatley had oil on the ends, what does this mean? If bad, how screwed am I?
I've always heard people say to do the hardest first and that way you'd get it over. I didn't do it this way. I save the back two on the passenger side for last and they were the easiest. One thing to know if you are changing your plugs for the first time. The plugs are not straight down from the top, they are at a slight angle going towards the windshield.
Can't wait for the next job.
06-28-2006, 01:09 AM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 694
RE: Got my plugs changed today.
LOL, thanks blueherd. Didn't have any XX.
Looking at those plugs, the ones that look the roughest are the back two that came from the driver side.
Any relevance to that statement?
Looking at those plugs, the ones that look the roughest are the back two that came from the driver side.
Any relevance to that statement?
06-28-2006, 01:25 AM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 268
RE: Got my plugs changed today.
ORIGINAL: crash94
LOL, thanks blueherd. Didn't have any XX.
Looking at those plugs, the ones that look the roughest are the back two that came from the driver side.
Any relevance to that statement?
LOL, thanks blueherd. Didn't have any XX.
Looking at those plugs, the ones that look the roughest are the back two that came from the driver side.
Any relevance to that statement?
06-28-2006, 01:39 AM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 694
RE: Got my plugs changed today.
After the seafoam lastnight and the plugs today she's running nice. I need to figure how to get the clips off the fuel filter so I can get that changed too. I have no clue, even with the little tool I bought from O'Reilly's.
06-28-2006, 01:40 AM
#7
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 5,128
RE: Got my plugs changed today.
the little tool should press into the fitting at each end of the filter... and while holding that in, pull the filter out of the line...
speaking of which I need to change mine soon
speaking of which I need to change mine soon