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So I changed half the plugs and wires yesterday and today

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Posted by: MediumD

So is there some trick to changing the plug wires I don't know about, or was my car playing a cruel trick on me? I go to try out some Autolite AR94 plugs yesterday, which obviously means pulling the wires. So I pull on the top of the boot like I have on every other DOHC car I've worked on. It doesn't want to move. I'm not Hulk Hogan but it should still pop off without too much trouble. I go get some channel locks and get to pulling. Pop! It worked...

No wait a minute, son of a bitch it just pulled the rubber top of the boot, the hard plastic tubular piece is still in there. Fine. I move on to the next one. Same thing. So I get some needle nose and get to pulling. Crack! Pieces of the plastic are breaking off instead of coming off the plug. Violent swearing commences for the next 2 hours as I pull off 2 more wires, which do the same thing. I tried screwing a big wood screw in, but that just broke more plastic off. So I spent today using a long screwdriver to break pieces of plastic off, then vacuuming them out of the hole with my shop vac (until it died, then I had to use the upright vacuum..) I get enough plastic out of the way to where I'm left with the rubber ends of the boots still on the plugs. After some thought, I cut apart a coat hanger, make a hook out of one end, use vise grips to shove it down around the outside of the rubber piece, and yank really hard on it until either the vise grips tore metal off the coathanger and sent my hand into the hood or the rubber piece came up.

Then I proceeded to have another fiasco trying to get ahold of new wires, since half my old ones were completely destroyed, but I won't bore you with the details there. Although I will mention that I ordered wires from Checker's website, and when I returned them, they credited my card the in-store price, which was $15 more than I paid through their website.

Anyway, I just wanted to rant, and ask WTF the damn deal was with these bastard plug wires I had, and all told I spent about 3 hours doing it... PER CYLINDER! And something isn't right when that happens...

Posted by: Sergmark

Wow that sucks. I changed the plugs and wires on mine 96 to find out someone changed them already .... Well almost all of them . I get to the last one pull it out and no end.. Some one before changed all but one I took a deeep well socket and hammered it on untill the socket got a bite.... I am lucky I didn't crack anything. The car has 75,ooo on it. I havent pulled the ones out of the 94 I bought yet It hsa 95,000 on it

H.mmmmm.

Posted by: vr4

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...d.php?t=193978

get your wires there. about 90 bucks for motorsport wires.

Posted by: MediumD

^^That's a good price, but for that I might get the MSD's, not like they're worth any power. I ended up with Autozone/Duralast - $81 after my 10% courtesy discount. I needed the car running ASAP or I would've looked into wires more.

At least these cars don't seem to be as picky about wires. Northstars have problems with anything but Delco it seems.

Posted by: torquemonkey

Didja' put dielectric silicone grease on the inside of your new boots to keep them from sticking on the spark plugs? (just askin')

Posted by: mespock

Quote:

Originally Posted by MediumD

^^That's a good price, but for that I might get the MSD's, not like they're worth any power. I ended up with Autozone/Duralast - $81 after my 10% courtesy discount. I needed the car running ASAP or I would've looked into wires more.

At least these cars don't seem to be as picky about wires. Northstars have problems with anything but Delco it seems.

Did you say the A word!!!

Please say it isn't so!! I've come to respect your input and advice

.

But not the A word

Please say it was your only option!!!

Don't you hate that when a simple project turns into a nightmare!

Posted by: pepperman

Quote:

Originally Posted by mespock

Did you say the A word!!!

Please say it isn't so!! I've come to respect your input and advice

.

But not the A word

Please say it was your only option!!!

Don't you hate that when a simple project turns into a nightmare!

Be calm now Rich

sometimes we have to resort to drastic measures to get our cars to run. Motorcraft wires are expensive to get ( sad to say ) personaly i would go to O'reilly's before AutoZone.

Posted by: cavemansmarkviii

Let's pick in for some prozac for Rich, that he can take when he hears the A***zone word.

Posted by: Calabrio

That happened to me last time I did my plugs and wires...
almost every single wire broke off at the at plugs. Frankly, the aggrivation, and my reluctance to buy a new set of wires, has me reluctant to replace my plugs...

Fortunately, I did use di-electric grease. I doubt the last owner had.

Posted by: mespock

Took the Car for a nice fall color drive then the motor cycle today... took my mind off the A..... word...

Posted by: MediumD

The wires actually came pre-greased. I'm still not sure whether the boot was stuck on the plug or stuck to the sides of the plug-well..

Anyway a friend of mine works at the Autozone, so I always get great service. The parts themselves aren't the best quality, but avoid Econocraft and Valucraft and you'll be fine usually. I wanted the car running that night, so the dealership and internet orders were out of the question, Checker couldn't get me the right wires for 3 days, Napa was closed and they're expensive anyway, and I don't like the people at the local Pep Boys. Thus, I bought wires from Autozone.

Posted by: torquemonkey

Understood, job well done. You get a smiley face and a star.