I've had my '01 Bonneville for a couple months now and am going about installing new plugs. I got NGK TR55s and am installing them.

Are there any tricks on getting the boot and wire to let go of the plugs so I can change them?

I did the front plugs but if it is this hard to take the boots off of the rear plugs...

Any tips would be appreciated!

Some times they just need a little extra muscle and a lot of patience.

Ed

Do they sell patience at the auto parts store? :?

what i do is to try to turn the boot before pulling whit a paire a glove because when it lets gothat a good way to scape a few fingers

No, that’* at the liquor store.

But seriously I think they sell a special type of pliers to remove the boot; I've just never needed them.


Ed

I saw Boosty use a these pliers at NEBF. I'd be surprised if they're any help at all as far as reaching for a plug that'* hard to see.

I just changed the plugs on my 3.8 Impala. After 120,000 miles, the wires were stuck on there pretty good.

I used the plier and pry bar method; grab the end of the cap with the pliers and use the pry bar under the pliers, levering off the valve cover or manifold.

Having brutalized my wires on several cars in the past, I've learned to always replace the wires with the plugs. If this second set goes 80,000, I'll be happy.

(In case you've forgotten; change your oil!)

Thanks guys!

All good suggestions. The special pliers would have helped on the front plugs but I don't think there is enough room to use them on the rears.

The combination of gloves and the plier & pry bar method sounds like it will do the job. I fully understand the suggestion about replacing the wires too. I wondered if I was ruining the wires when I did the fronts.

Oh... and yes, the first thing I did when I got the car home was change the oil

Yep. Medium sized, strong arms, wrists, and fingers should do the trick. Exercise caution pulling the boots off, especially if you are not changing wires. I gave a helluva twist and great wrist tug the last time and pulled the female terminal right out of the end of #5 boot! I I did not discover this until I tried to reinstall the old boot on the new plug and wondered why the crap she wasn't popping on.

Tip 1: Get a small tube of spark plug boot grease and apply a very small dab to the inside of each boot before popping those puppies back on the plugs. This will prevent them from baking on.

Tip 2: I find it easier to remove the #2 and #4 boots and plugs (the two on the passenger'* side with my left hand and #6 from the driver'* side with my right hand. #2 and #4 are pretty easy to reach with the left hand. #6 can be a b_tch; not just the boot but the plug too. What I do is spread a thick blanket out and work my 170 lb frame out over the engine bay (luke warm; not hot) until I can get enough of my hand and wrist contorted around back there to get some leverage on the plug/boot assy. As I recall there is an obstacle (maybe the transmission dipstick tube?) just on the steering shaft side of the plug. That'* why you have to get your wrist (and socket) and hand contorted at a good acute angle to get a decent grip on the boot and flex socket on the plug. Seems like the O2 sensor also marks up my knuckles a bit before my brain kicks in.

You'll get the hang of it after about the 3rd time.

Good luck.

Replacing the wires with the plugs is good advice. Because the rear plugs are exposed to more heat, it is much more likely that you will break a conductor (or find the resistance has increased out of spec) on your old wires. I had a Belden premium wire go bad on #6 causing a miss after only 20K miles and two years of service. Keep your receipt for these, and get a new set on their lifetime warranty. (Wish I had kept mine )