Changing spark plugs, Chevy Blazer

[Matt88s]

I've finally gotten around to changing the park plugs on my Chevy blazer, vintage 2000. Or trying to, 5 done, 1 to go. It's the one though that begs the question, are all automotive engineers on crack? :~

They are platinum spark plugs, supposedly good for 100,000 miles, I thought seven years and 90,000 was close enough. I've always known they were hard to change, thats why they use such high mileage spark plugs I suppose. But dang, close quarters is one thing, removing components just to change the spark plugs is another. It appears one has to remove the steering shaft to get to the fifth spark plug. :? I've tried a ratchet, a breaker bar, a gear wrench with socket adapter, I've tried putting the spark plug socket on as far on as it will go and then trying to get the ratchet/breaker bar/gear wrench on, nada, nope, not going to happen, just not quite enough room. I figured if I could even just get it on there and break it loose I could back it out with my fingers but its too tight to even get anything on it to break it loose with.

.5" up or down or .25" further away and this problem could have been averted, but no, couldn't do that.

Why? Why? Why?

Why do they mix metric and standard fittings? Thats another good question.

Why do engineers have such issues? :~

[Gra]

Tube spanner and screwdriver??

[joe greiner]

Cars and their components are designed for assembly, not for repair. The engine is complete before it's placed in the chassis. The "logical" conclusion therefore is that to change the spark plugs, you must remove the engine. Repair procedures are generally developed after the design for production is complete, and a few prototypes have been built. As the engine rooms have become more crowded, this process can get quite involved.

Haynes repair manuals generally have a subtitle "Based on a complete teardown and rebuild." The catch is that for some repairs, a complete teardown is the only means of access.

I'm not familiar with the 2000 Blazer, but a good first guess would be to disengage the engine mounts and jack up the engine a few inches to move the spark plugs to a more accessible location. This is not plowing new ground; the same procedure was needed on the 1955 Buick IIRC.

I had a worse experience replacing the fan motor on a 1968 Olds Cutlass (around 1970, $35 for the new motor). The motor was underneath the AC condenser on the firewall. To replace the motor, I removed the hood [(bonnet)], right front fender, inner fender, and front grill (I think I had to remove the grill to remove the fender). Much later, I learned of a "standard" procedure which entailed cutting an access hole in the inner fender; the procedure even included a template for cutting the hole and making a patch.

Joe

[Dan]

Why do they mix metric and standard fittings? Thats another good question.
It's not half as bad as when they mix standard and Imperial.:rolleyes: :D

[Gra]

It's not half as bad as when they mix standard and Imperial.:rolleyes: :D

Whenever I work on the Graham, I have this problem, when dad put it together originally he used what ever fell to hand at the time, so it has a mixture of AF, Metric and Whitworth:o.

Infact last time I pulled the radiator out, one side was metric and the other AF:banghead:
its fixed now..

[echnidna]

There are worse cars than your chevvy

I remember a rear engined v8 Lamborghini years ago,
Had to remove the engine to replace the starter motor.

Working on cars sucks bigtime
Glad I'm a woodie these days

[bsrlee]

Older Jaguars - ONLY way to replace the sparkplugs is to remove the engine completely - the plugs are put in at an angle from underneath & there is NO room to back them out.

I once saw a Jag being driven along & it took me a while to realise what was different - the bonnet was removed & the engine bay contents took up ALL available room & even replicated the profile of the bonnet.

[Matt88s]

Older Jaguars - ONLY way to replace the sparkplugs is to remove the engine completely - the plugs are put in at an angle from underneath & there is NO room to back them out.

I once saw a Jag being driven along & it took me a while to realise what was different - the bonnet was removed & the engine bay contents took up ALL available room & even replicated the profile of the bonnet.

If I recall right on the older jags you also had to drop the rear axle to change the brake pads. :-

I'm pretty lucky with only a sparkplug to deal with I suppose.

I understand cars put together for assembly, but all cars have to be repaired and more attention IMO, should be paid to ease of repair. Spark plugs are one of the most basic upkeep, along with oil filters, air filters, wires, etc. You would think they would design them accordingly.

I know several of the older cars use to require engine removal to replace the spark plugs and whatnot, and I'm aware of this, but it is still poor engineering IMO.

[Tonyz]

Hope I dont get shot for this but go to www. arboristsite.com Its a USA site and a section somewhere on you yankee guys and their trucks cars etc maybe more help than us mainlanders.

[Gra]

Older Jaguars - ONLY way to replace the sparkplugs is to remove the engine completely - the plugs are put in at an angle from underneath & there is NO room to back them out.

That would be the V12, that sucker takes up an enormous amount of room./


If I recall right on the older jags you also had to drop the rear axle to change the brake pads. :-

Yes the XJ6 had inboard rear disks. the difference is that the removal is easy as the whole rear end is in a sort of cage.

I do know of a couple of Italian cars where you adjusted the distributor timing through a hole in the dash :o

[Harry72]

There's a legend in my town of a bloke with a XB ute tote'n a 460BB between the towers, to change the rear passenger side plug he had an access plate through/behind the glove box!(had a recessed firewall)