Spark plug disaster

[Lenart]

Hey Guys,
I'm new to working on a Ford Explorer. I'm attempting to change the plugs on a 99 Expl 4.0L SOHC. They're very hard to get to... In fact it seems like the two nearest the passenger seat are straight impossible to get to. Is there a trick to getting this done? The wires are next to stuck on there, think the plugs haven't been changed in a long long time... Thanks

 

[Lenart]

Oops, I already re-posted this on a less urgent section of this board. It's semi-urgent though, thanks

 

[emon]

Just pull. Pull HARD.

 

[GaSouthern1]

Go through the passenger side wheel well, just pull the plastic liner out.

 

[Lenart]

Will I have to take a wheel off

Or will I have enough space to reach the wires and plugs with the wheel on there? Thanks guys

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

You can leave the wheel on - but you MUST go through thre wheelwell to change plugs on a 2nd gen.

If you're replacing the wires, pull hard, with a pair or channel locks gripping the boots. Cut the boots with a knife. Be creative. If you are attempting to save the plug wires, put a rag around the boots, and the use the channel locks. Corrosion between the contacts and the heat of the exhaust manifolds can melt the boots on.

When re-installing, use di-electric grease on the plug ends. it'll prevent corrosion.

 

[Eneurb]

You don't have to take the wheel off, just jacking it up and letting the suspension hang gives you enough room, but taking the wheel off gives you more.

 

[jeff96]

what he said

 

[Blee1099]

Taking the wheel off will help, it gives you more room to work with.. If it still doesn't come off with a hard pull, see if you can get some channel locks or similar on the boot of the plug wire and yank on them.

 

[IZwack]

i 2nd blee's suggestion - taking the wheel off makes a world of a difference. if your wires have not been replaced in a while, i'd swap those out too while you're there - it takes only about 20 more mins to run wires - just make sure you swap wires one at a time!!!

 

[RiverRat]

You can often get off trouble spark plug boots with a shot of compressed air under the boot or some wd-40.

 

[Lenart]

Wow, this is truly turning into a disaster ( I jacked up the right front a bit, pulled off the wheel well and have "better" access to the wires. But still no luck, the wires are really really stuck. That theory about the exhaust manifold melting the boots onto the plugs seems to make more sense by the minute. I'm going to get a pair of channel locks and yank the living piss out of the boots. I'm trying to save the wires, they might be expensive down here. The car has about 37K miles on it, I don't think the plugs have ever been changed. I took one out and it was all rusted.

 

[jeff96]

Thought cars came with 100000 mile spark plugs? Should'nt need changed at 37k.

 

[marragtop]

If the wires are that hard to get off, plan on replacing them.

 

[IZwack]

Yes I too had problems pulling them off and I just yanked them out with pliers because I was replacing the wires too. The metal clip that attaches to the top of the plugs were ripped off from the wire boots and they stayed on the plug.

 

[Xzibit A]

ok yes the plugs are 100k plugs, and instead of just pulling , twist the boot to break it free of the plug then pull if off, channel lockes will help but tear up the wires

 

[Stuman78424]

i agree with Xzibit A twisting the plug boots is the only way i could get them to break free i used a flathead screwdriver on a few and worked it around est i could......took 2 1/2 hours, but well worth it, sohc runs so much better (i dont think the plugs had ever been changed before i got it at 67K, 109K now) bosch platinum plus 2's