wyomingste Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 I have a 1991 Grand Prix STE and about a year ago I replaced the spark plugs and time is coming again. I remember that in order for me to get to the back plugs I had to remove the top of my intake and the EGR valve and throdle body. There has to be an easier way to change out the back spark plugs. Please tell me that someone knows some secrets on how to make this faster, last time it took me about 3 hours just for the plugs and about 5 hours for the entire tune up. Thanks, Eric Crusch Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Eric. Eric, Eric, Eric... People have asked this before. Many people. Many times. Too many times. Do a quick search first, and if you still have questions, then ask. Quote
Prospeeder Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Rock the engine forward but taking off the front Dog bone mounts and pulling the motor forward untill the 2nd hole on the left dog bone meet and put the bolt through Quote
EurosportZ34 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 [sEARCH] ...i'm sure there are tons of threads about how to change your spark plugs... Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Here, Eric: http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19544 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30869 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15106 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9594 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5273 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2899 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16620 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19658 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37853 http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6863 That's a start, anyway. Quote
supreme_style21 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 And I bet everyone spent more damn time posting the words SEARCH and then searching for, and posting, said results than they would have personally posting the solutions to his question. Not everyone is familiar with a forum setup. Quote
19Cutlass94 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 I didn't know this site had a search feature. Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 And I bet everyone spent more damn time posting the words SEARCH and then searching for, and posting, said results than they would have personally posting the solutions to his question. Yeah, I used to just bite my lip and help them. But after the next half-dozen kept asking the same damn question, I think it's best to teach them right off the bat to use the search button. I doubt a new member is going to pose a question right away that hasn't been asked three times already in the past week. Besides, next time I can just post the link to this thread, and they won't even have to search. Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 I found it easier to have my wife start the car,put the car in reverse then drive,or back in reverse,I forget,until it aligns up (the dog bone engine side bolts are off already) and let the engine rock forward and I push the bolt back through the 2nd smaller hole of the dog bone. Real easy that way.Gives alot of room back there to do everything,including the un-seen PCV valve!!!!! Quote
Supreme Cutlass Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Real easy that way.Gives alot of room back there to do everything,including the un-seen PCV valve!!!!! Too bad having the room and changing the stubborn PCV valve are two different things... Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Real easy that way.Gives alot of room back there to do everything,including the un-seen PCV valve!!!!! Too bad having the room and changing the stubborn PCV valve are two different things... I know..still dont understand why-t-f GM put the PCV on the back valve cover instead of the front.I bet most of them are originals form the factory.When I bought my Lumina,it had 129,000 miles on it and when I took the PCV valve off,it had its inlaws living with it.I could tell it had never been changed before! Quote
Guest TurboSedan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 if people aren't going to actually help they shouldn't even bother posting you'll get plenty of room by removing the alternator and its bracket along with it. - first disconnect the battery - unplug the connector from the alternator and remove the thick '+' wire from the backside of the alternator (pull the boot away - it's a 10mm nut) - leave the alternator attatched to the bracket and then just remove the 3 15mm bolts that hold the bracket to the rear cylinder head. alternator and bracket comes right up and out giving you a TON of room to work with. i usually have all of my plugs changed in ~15 minutes. you may want to install a new O2 sensor and new PCV valve while you're at it. i never bother undoing the dogbone motor mounts and rocking the engine forward. i've done it both ways and really think removing the alternator gives more room and it's less time consuming. Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 I'm donating my precious signature space to the advancement of newbies. Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 if people aren't going to actually help they shouldn't even bother posting you'll get plenty of room by removing the alternator and its bracket along with it. - first disconnect the battery - unplug the connector from the alternator and remove the thick '+' wire from the backside of the alternator (pull the boot away - it's a 10mm nut) - leave the alternator attatched to the bracket and then just remove the 3 15mm bolts that hold the bracket to the rear cylinder head. alternator and bracket comes right up and out giving you a TON of room to work with. i usually have all of my plugs changed in ~15 minutes. you may want to install a new O2 sensor and new PCV valve while you're at it. i never bother undoing the dogbone motor mounts and rocking the engine forward. i've done it both ways and really think removing the alternator gives more room and it's less time consuming. I wonder if you have more room in that bay.On my 91 Lumina, the alternator has a rear bolt that is a biatch to remove from the rear.The alternator is pretty close to the firewall.I found it easier to rock the engine forward to even remove the alternator bolt itself! It allows easier access the the rear bolt.Yes removing the alternator gives you alot more room.I forgot about that but In my case,I prefer to swing the engine forward to do that.I got sort of big arms as it is.May be the case there as well.Cant fit my forearms comfortably behind the back of the engine without doing the fwd motion first. Quote
Guest TurboSedan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 I wonder if you have more room in that bay.On my 91 Lumina, the alternator has a rear bolt that is a biatch to remove from the rear.The alternator is pretty close to the firewall.I found it easier to rock the engine forward to even remove the alternator bolt itself! It allows easier access the the rear bolt.Yes removing the alternator gives you alot more room.I forgot about that but In my case,I prefer to swing the engine forward to do that.I got sort of big arms as it is.May be the case there as well.Cant fit my forearms comfortably behind the back of the engine without doing the fwd motion first. it sounds like you are talking about the bolt behind/under the alternator that holds it to the bracket? if so, you don't need to touch that bolt. just leave the alternator on the bracket. i'm talking about the 3 15mm bolts that hold the bracket to the rear head. moving the engine forward wouldn't give you any more access to those bolts since you access them from the side of the engine bay. Quote
95oldsVan Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 AHHHHHHHH...I see what youre saying now....yeah I was talking about the bolt that HOLDS the alt to the bracket.I didnt realize that you can take the bracket off itself with the alternator still on there. Thats cool to know..you have no problems putting the bracket/bolts back on with the weight of the alternator on it?(sounds like you dont) I hate to say it but still prefer my method.(your method sounds great though)Might take a few minutes of my wifes time to shift the engine while I align the dog bone hole to hold the engine fwd.I like to make my jobs accessible the best it can.Im almost 270 lbs but dont look heavier than 245,got alot of muscle,weight is in my legs and in my noticeable beer gut, but my arms are still scraping everything back there unless I have enough room. I guess either way is fine.You got it down to a science.Most newbies will take 2-3 hours on the first try even with the engine rocked fwd. Quote
ns87 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 while I align the dog bone hole to hold the engine fwd I'm sorry guys. I've read almost every post on this. I still can't visualize this step. I'm sure once someone explains it, I'll feel like an idiot, and thats ok! Quote
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Go look at your engine. Look at where the motor mount attaches to the front of the engine bay, now look at where it attaches to the engine. If you undo the mount from the front and lift up up, there's a small hole on the underside close to where the other end attaches to the engine. If you rotate the engine far enough forward, that other little hole will line up to the mounting point at the front of the bay (where the other end of the mount used to be), so you can slip a bolt in there and hold it forward. Quote
ns87 Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 bingo. haha yea I do feel like a dumbass i was right. ok last question,anyone know how I can get more power out of my 3.1? Quote
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Although I didn't remove my alt, I found it easier to get to the back plugs from the passenger side of the car.... Quote
Supreme Cutlass Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 bingo. haha yea I do feel like a dumbass i was right. ok last question,anyone know how I can get more power out of my 3.1? That better have been a joke... Quote
ns87 Posted January 24, 2006 Report Posted January 24, 2006 oh JEEZ. sorry i didnt make it more obvious i was joking with the ! 4! laughing faces Quote
cutty Posted January 24, 2006 Report Posted January 24, 2006 when i did my plugs i didnt remove anything Quote
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