Spark Plugs
 

I have 55,000 miles on my 2000 and am wondering if there is much to gain by replacing the spark plugs. If I do, any reccomendations on what to put in? Third question, I replaced them on my 1995 and it was a bitch, these are mostly likely even worse, roght?

Well, that is a loaded question there. By "gain" are you meaning power? Because the only power you'll gain by changing spark plugs is that power you may have lost if the current ones are bad or misfiring.

Is there a reason or problem with your car right now that makes you ask this or is there another reason you're asking?

Car runs great, there may be a few rpm delay while starting. I have never gone this far with out changing the plugs.

Hmmm, OK. Well, while there are probably some here that would want you to replace those Bosch plugs without delay, I'm more of the camp that says you leave well enough alone unless your car tells you it's time for replacement.

I'm pretty sure that I did replace mine around 80,000 the first time and that was just for the reason that it seemed an awful long time for plugs to be in there, lol.

If I were you, I would be tempted to pull one on each bank and see what there is to see. If things look great, then leave well enough alone. My opinion.

Where did we determine these were Bosch plugs?

How about someone just give the man some recomended plugs he could use?

I've got 90,000 miles on my plugs and I wanted to change them out a year ago; not because I need to, but just because they've been in there along time.

Recently the car passed smog on those original plugs and original oxygen sensor with flying colours. I couldn't believe it, I fully expected it to fail, but it didn't.

I can't even touch those back plugs; let alone get any tools back there to take them out. I'm still deciding on what I need to take off, out of the way, in order for me to get my hand back in there. :?

There are a few "favorites" here. AC/Delco, NGK, and Autolite for a few. As was already mentioned, do not buy Bosch plugs as they do not perform well with the waste spark system that our cars use. If you're supercharged, buy the copper or iridium plugs.

While you're doing plugs, it would be a good idea to replace the wires at the same time. It may even become necessary as you may ruin the back ones trying to get them off. I don't know what GM uses on the wires, but it's like they glue them on! Napa Belden Premium wires appear to be the hands-down favorite around here.

You'll have even a tougher time with the back plugs than with your '95, as there is even less room back there on the 2000+. Put your tools up on the cowl to be handed down the back of the engine, as once you get your hand/arm in there, you won't want to take it back out until you have to. I've found working from the passenger side to be easier. Twist the boots as much as you can to try to break them free, then pull. There's not much room to get much leverage. Once the boot is off, hand down your wrench from the cowl to remove the plug. The wires will fight you more than the plugs.

Lube the boots of the wires up with the supplied silicone grease. It makes them easier to put back on, but especially if you have to remove them later.

Not that I'm a mechanic but I don't think the plugs have anything to do with the intermittent problem your talking about. It wouldn't hurt to change them but I don't see it helping. On my 95 I drive it until it got to 98K and started to miss when I did the first plug change. It had AC/Delco plugs in it and I replaced them with the same thing along with a new set of wires. I did run a set of Autolite plugs in it once and they ran fine too. Plugs are cheap enough and it wouldn't hurt to do the now. What was hard about changing them on the 95? Maybe my arms are to skinny so I could access them better :lol: and for thoughs who have already done them what's harder about the 2k+?

Here's a picture of the back end of the engine, against the firewall. It may give you an idea as to why it's harder...not much room back there. The strut tower brace can be disregarded as it is not standard equipment until the GXP

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