Spark plugs and wires

[spindlecone]

At 18 K am wanting to do a wire upgrade, may also change and or at least clean the plugs, am aware the process is a PITA so my question is, would you recommend some antisieze lube on the plugs, also perhaps some dialectric grease in the boots.
Thx

 

[aldive]

At 18k, replacing these components will be a waste of money; unless there is a problem.

 

[spindlecone]

Al
Am fully aware of that but pls understand, I got the entire honeydoo list done today, the spousal unit has okayed a day to work on my trac, in reality I have nothing to do except pick the rocks out of the tire tread, thats boring, being as **** as I am and a member of the makework club I need a project.
Screw it, will do the rocks, remove the whole front faschia to properly get the dead bugs out of the radiator and call it a day,maybe Zaino the undercarriage as well

 

[FDNYEMT]

yeah,how the hell do you change the plugs on this thing. i ahve 99 sport, it seems like the plug are so far down you would have to lift the engine to take them out. i just hit 40k and would like to change these too.

 

[dreamr]

remove the inner fender well, or have the cute little babysitter due it, she had narrow enough fore-arms

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Well then Spindlecone, you need a project for your trac, here is a good one. Take your Ford emblems off and paint match them to your truck. Not only is it worth while weekender but it will make that beautiful truck look like you put a ribbon in her hair. LOL.

 

[spindlecone]

BUt B
I got no emblems but am going to claybar and polish my oil filter today, may submit a project writeup

 

[MONMIX]

My oil filter is chrome plated with the change due date engraved into it.

 

[EBInterceptor]

remove the inner fender well, or have the cute little babysitter due it, she had narrow enough fore-arms

I need to find a good babysitter, unfortunately it wouldn't make much sense to them to be babysitting someone older than them.

Jack the vehicle up though, remove the front tire, pull out the little rubber wheelwell drape, take a peak inside and the plugs are right in front of you. Not too bad getting them out, but one of the boots was a real pain with no room to pull it back.

 

[X~FACTOR]

I got the entire honeydoo list done today, the spousal unit has okayed a day to work on my trac, in reality I have nothing to do except pick the rocks out of the tire tread, thats boring, being as **** as I am and a member of the makework club I need a project.
Screw it, will do the rocks, remove the whole front faschia to properly get the dead bugs out of the radiator and call it a day,maybe Zaino the undercarriage as well

You, sir, are a sick man.







...and you found a good home here. Yea, you are one of us.

 

[BigR]

Did my plugs and wires on my 98 Sport 4.0L yesterday (106K miles, first change). Took about 2 hours. I bought a universal adapter and used ny 3/8" drive (shorter handle). I also bought a boot puller which helped some. Biggest problem was driver side wires. All three wires go thru the same channel under the intake. I re-routed two of the three wires and actually cut the end off the old wires to get them out. Was able to get the wires back into some of the wire holding clips.

After 100K miles, new plugs and wires are nice. Used Bosch 2-prong plugs.

Didn't have any problems breaking loose the old plugs. Was able to reach all plugs from above.....

Big-R

 

[dmasini]

Did my plugs and wires on my 98 Sport 4.0L yesterday (106K miles, first change). Took about 2 hours. I bought a universal adapter and used ny 3/8" drive (shorter handle). I also bought a boot puller which helped some. Biggest problem was driver side wires. All three wires go thru the same channel under the intake. I re-routed two of the three wires and actually cut the end off the old wires to get them out. Was able to get the wires back into some of the wire holding clips.

After 100K miles, new plugs and wires are nice. Used Bosch 2-prong plugs.

Didn't have any problems breaking loose the old plugs. Was able to reach all plugs from above.....

Big-R

You must have skinny girlish arms

I helped my buddy do his yesterday (99 Sport) and took us a little over three hours. Felt like the factory put lock tight and superglue on those plugs! Anyway, we were able to ge 5 of the six through the top with multiple cuts but finally had to break down on the last one and go through the fender.

Did this on my old 97 a year ago. Thought it would be easier the second time. I was wrong...

 

[BigR]

dmasini, I'm about 6'5" and have long arms to match. Got many cuts as well. Wait til you do the wires. Knuckle head engineers want to torture us shade tree guys.

Good luck on the next go round. Got Mama's big hog ('02 V8 XLT AWD) to do next. Ugh.

Later,

BigR

 

[dmasini]

dmasini, I'm about 6'5" and have long arms to match. Got many cuts as well. Wait til you do the wires. Knuckle head engineers want to torture us shade tree guys.

Good luck on the next go round. Got Mama's big hog ('02 V8 XLT AWD) to do next. Ugh.

Later,

BigR

hahaha... I'm 6'5" too... I was suprised at the little spaces my hand could get into. Getting it out was another problem. Anyway, I want to say that there were 3 clips to put those wires on for the passenger side and in most cases we were only able to get the wires on two of them...

 

[schadler]

All I can say is, don't fix it unless it's broke: I thought I'd change my plugs one day...I wound up breaking one of the spark plug wire elbows (the metal inside the boot). So...off to get a new set. Only I have the Gen 2 1997 X, and nobody local had them, and it was Sunday. Finally found a place that had Identical to OEM, and slapped them on. Only problem was, 2 of the new wires had poorly crimped ends that didn't make me happy, so I used 2 of the old ones. Wouldn't you know it...to get one of the wires in place, I used a screwdriver to "gently" push it through a crevice (realized this was a problem later). Ran fine for a few miles, then got an engine shudder, and a CEL. It was dark by then, so I removed the splash guards in the wheel wells once more (breaking a few push pins), and saw the arcing on cylinder 4. Used yet another old wire to replace this one...this one was longer than the stock. Had the same identical problem a few weeks later. This time , I was out of "extra" wires, so I had to buy ANOTHER set. Just a few days ago, my wife got stranded...yep, the longer wire I used on cyl 4 popped out of the holder, hit the manifold and melted. Had to have it towed, and a new wire installed by the dealer.

Moral is: no project should be undertaken unless it needs to be. My "little weekend" project of replacing plugs for $64, tuned into a $250 PITA, and a weekend at home instead of on the boat on the nicest weekend yet. Stick to waxing and polishing...she will appreciate that more anyway.