Spark Plug wrench question [Update: Done!]
 

I've never done sparkplugs on my 97 Bonneville or my wife's 2001 Grand Prix GT, both with NA 3800 engines. In my past experience with wrenching on my cars, I learned that it's really easy to break the spark plug wire at the boot end when removing it from the plug.

I know this is a really simple question, but what do you guys use on your Bonnevilles? Do you buy one of those special spark-plug-boot-pliers that are made just for the job? If so is there any brand/model that has worked particularly well for anyone? Are there any to stay away from? Are there any clearance issues with using one? Do I even need one?

I dropped in at the local Pep Boys and Kragen, and all they had was this thing:
http://www.agriemach.com/images/D305...tPuller361.jpg

That looked a little less-than-ideal, but what do I know? Does it work?

Online I see tools like this one:
http://shoptoolsshoptools.com/images/lis21250.gif

and this one:
http://www.setools.com/images/824asmall.jpg

Anyone use anything like those?
All tips/answers appreciated.

-Mark

I have a set of the last ones..

Here is what you are going to run into. On the bonne..there are metal shields on the back wires. It's simply sabatoge to make you look bad. Plan on doing wires. The fronts can be pulled with the pliers..but...you can easily get them with your hands. The backs..reach on in and twist..you might scrape up your arm a bit.. scrapes heal.. bruises fade and chicks dig scars.

On the GA..I've done plugs on my Dad's 96 3.4/3.1? It's all braille and no fun.. expect to leave a little blood on the motor.. Women enjoy taking care of you after you fixed their cars with blood.

Boosty has the right idea.

I have the second and third tool although I have only used them to pull the wires off while the car is running for fear of getting 50,000 volts rippling through my body. It's happened several times before and let me just say......it's an eye opener for sure.

On the GP be sure you rotate the engine forward by taking loose both of the front dogbone mounts.

On my friend Impala it easily rolled forward, and then you give it a little extra tug and slip one of the bolts back through a hole on the engine designed for this purpose.

Makes things much easier to get too.

If you go ahead and get new wires too. You can get the old ones off by whatever means necessary. A small pair of channel locks came in handy for getting the old wires off. Twist them till they break free, then they should just pop right off.

I don't use anything but my hands. The fronts are easy on the Bonne. The backs, I just reach back there, fumble around until I find the wire (bad back prevents me from reaching them and seeing them at the same time), give the boot a twist until it will move, and then pull it off. Needless to say, I don't do the next one until I have finished the current plug so that I don't cross the wires (again)

When I did my plugs, they all came off fine with my hands except for the first one, that exact thing happened to me (had to buy a set of new wires :evil: ) Not sure what I did differently one the first one than the rest of them. So be careful I guess...

Boost, your post made me laff, I have left much blood behind on the 3800's in my Regency and 2 Park Aveys :lol: I also found that twisting untill they are loose helps alot. The back plugs wires seem to "burn out" prematurely whether your put the shields back on or not. Over the years I had a few rough engine problems that traced back to bad rear wires, So I just started buying new plug wires with each plug change and just rip the old ones out. :evil:

I use my hands, and I twist them to help break them free before pulling them off - by the BOOT (not further up the wire, duh :lol: ) Be sure to use a dab of dielectric grease during reassembly. It should make them come off a bit easier next time too.

If I can get my big arms down there, almost anyone can.
I find that if I re-lube the boots yearly I have little problems getting them off at plug time.

I just get in there twist and yank in the same diagonal angle the spark plug is in. Doing that I have never had a spark plug snap on me.

Thanks to everyone's advice! In the end, I didn't buy a boot-puller tool and just used my hand. I twisted first to break any tightness, then just gripped the things as low as possible and pulled. The center and driver-side ones on the back were the hardest to get to. It helps to be a contortionist and have a good back. I have large hands, and it was still no real problem to get the cables off.

The plugs also came out no problem using a standard socket wrench and a couple extensions. The driver's side plug in back was the worst one to get to. I used no extensions on that one. I did have to loop the round end of my largest combination wrench around the end of my socket handle to get enough leverage to undo that one.

I only have a few scrapes on my arm. That nubby-bone that sticks out on the right wrist got skinned a bit. All in all, just enough bloodletting to look manly for the missus. (Thanks for the advice, Bill!)

I used Iridiums, which is exactly what was in my car. (With only a K&N intake and a magnaflow muffler as performance mods, I figure they'll be as good as any other plug.) When my UIM and LIM were done in December 2005, my dealership said they put in new plugs, despite my bill not showing them, so I was a little wary as to whether they'd replaced them or re-used the old ones. When I pointed it out to my shop guy, he said they just forgot to bill me for them and to just enjoy the free plugs. I'm naturally a skeptic and interpreted this as "they probably re-used the old plugs". Now that I've replaced them, I think they probably did replace them all back in 2005, because they looked perfect and the gaps measured exactly the same as the new ones, which all measured a nice tight .060.

I was down to the last plug (back driver's side) when the sun went down. However, since I had to completely feel my way around that plug anyway, I figured it made no difference if it was dark out or not, and kept working on it until I got it done.

Car ran fine afterwards, I'll have to see if it has any effect on the very light hesitation I was experiencing. If I still have it, I'll consider replacing plug wires and doing a TB cleaning.

Thanks again for everyone's tips!
-Mark