Ok, I really need some advice getting to the back 3 plugs on my 00. I managed to get one boot off but couldnt get the socket to fit around the plug (its WAY packed back there and im doing it all by feel). It is almost like the plug is to close to the wall for the socket to fit around it. The other 2 are almost impossible to get even from underneath (with stands, dunno about a rack). Nobody local will change 3rd party plugs or wires, they only want to put in their stuff for liability reasons.

Has anyone changed plugs/wires on a 2000+ SSEi that can help? Or anyone have access to a book on them? I'm wondering if the motor has to rock forward.

Thanks!
Rogue

dude it is a pain in the a$$ the creeper would be the best idea to use and the socket will fit you just need to move it around a little bit and be carefull you cold tack the top of the sparkplug right off. i know i did it already good luck

I feel ya man! I just changed the plugs on my car about 2 weeks ago... it took me about two hours to do it! I had to lay across the top of the engine and do it all by feel. The way I did it, was I used my left arm and went under the heater core hoses, and through that way. you can't see what you're doing so it is all by feel. it is a real bitch. The only way I could do it was under the heater core hoses from the passenger side and doing it like that.. best of luck to you.

Finally found a speedshop that would do it. The guy I talked to there said there was a tool to rock the engine forward and that snap-on sold it for like 125.00 or so. I may try to get it so I can do the wife'* car. Anyone know of such a tool for the 00+? Guy said it should be ready this morning and he said it would be about 79.00. A bit steep for 3 plugs and wires but at this point im more than willing to pay. A lot cheaper than the 379.00 the 1 dealer wanted to charge me.

I'll let you know how it turns out. BTW My autotap should be here today so if anyone in the Columbus area wants a logged run, let me know.

Ok, apparantly the car is done and the SC version of the 3800 S2 does NOT rock forward. They had to stick it on a rack and come from underneath to get them. Final total was 89.99 + tax. The NA version of the 3800 apparantly DOES rock forward with the special tool. Wires and plugs in....time to change the sig

Am I missing something? It took me 30 minutes to do the plugs on my N/A 3800 series II.

What I did was remove the strut brace, use an elbow attached for the socket, and felt my way down to the plug. I left the wire in, until i found where it plugged in. Unplugged the wire, put the socket on it, and went to town. All rear 3 took nearly now time at all. I havent tried plugs on the supercharged engine, but I can't imagine it is THAT much harder. Maybe someone can fill me in on the differences between the two. The block is the same, so they should be in EXACTLY the same place.

What year? Mine does not have a strut brace. It does have a about a billion (exagerating but not by much) wires, hoses, and other crap in the way to the point where I could barely get 1 hand down to the plugs. I had no leverage to pull the wire boots off, let alone have the one handed dexterity to get the socket on the plugs even with long extensions.

Rouge, you have 2 drawbacks on your cars as far as changing the plugs. I believe the 2000'* are just enough shorter than the pre-99'* to lose the room we have to get between the engine and the firewall.

Also, and I'm just guessing about this siince I'm just a lowly SE owner :( , the SC will also help get in the way.

Thanks to everyone for the interesting information.
I will soon be replacing my plugs and wires, and it sounds like a somewhat challenging job.

But:
The whole time I'm wrenching on my SSEi, I'll just be thankful that I'm not doing the job on my last car- a 1995 Formula Firebird with the LT-1 V-8.
That was the worst car I have ever tuned up, and we are talking 30+ years experience here! First, jack the car high and remove the Y-pipe and catalytic. The #2 plug (front drivers side) had practically NO clearance with the steel shock tower, then some genius at GM decided to put a virtually non-removable smog-control hard line over it at the most precisely worst place! Plus, the thing had aluminum heads, so one has a thread-stripping "pucker factor" the whole time.
And plan lots of time stripping off half of the belt-driven devices for replacing and routing the wires!

I would love to shake the hands of those responsible for the brilliantly designed Corvette LT-1 engine for it'* power, reliability, economy, longevity, etc.

I would also love to shoot the kneecaps of the #%&**# people responsible for making the package so difficult to work on for few good reasons. The Bird was an awesomely great and terrible car for numerous reasons.

Bottom line: it took TWO DAYS in a well-equipped shop building.

Anyway, it would benefit those of us sweating, cursing, and maybe bleeding during this operation to remember that we are still MUCH better off than the owners of certain other models out there....

Hmmm...so it doesn't rock forward. I was afraid of that. I'm getting ready to do mine within the next month and NOT looking forward to it. My GP rocked waaaay forward and gave us just enough room to get in there...this looks like it'* gonna be a b*tch.

If anyone has any words of wisdom I'm all ears. :P