watch for head gaskets problems

seconded

how hard is it to change them in a 1993 bonneville? i bought some plugs and need to change them! thanks!

simple

Things could be worse. The H-Bodies of the 70'* - The Chevy Monza, The Buick Skyhawk, and the Olds Starfire, had a V-8 where the #8 plug was so inaccessible that the engine had to to lifted off the mounts to replace the spark plug. GM'* slogan during those years was "GM, we REALLY sweat the Details"

The back ones are fun, but not impossible. Just not much room to move back there. Probably about the same as my 98, and with the correct vocabulary, I ban even get my big ol' hands back there.

Remember, vocabulary is the key. Keep impresionable children and easily offended people out of your work area and you'll be fine...

3.0 Duratec. Dual over-head cam, 24 valve. I real mo fo to work on.

I refuse to touch that car ever again. Absolute worst design I've ever seen. I've also been hearing of people having the exact issues as mentioned here about cracked heads. He runs it real hard so I'm sure his time is coming!

The 3800 is absolutely the easiest modern day car I've ever worked on. The engine compartment is nice and roomy...making for plenty of space to get to things. IMO, the spark plugs could be WAYYYYYYYYYYY worse. The rears are tough, but nothing like anything a competitor has out there. BTW, the easiest way to get access to the rears is to remove the stabalizer bar. Just make sure it'* re-installed prior to driving the car. It really opens up the access to the rear plugs. 10 minutes of work there saves your knuckles and lots of time.

My '90 Taurus with the base 3.0L was the easiest plug job I ever did. :?
But I helped my brother when he did the plugs on his Avenger, and it was the next best thing to impossible. You actually had to take the upper intake off, and remove the rear valve cover so you snake you arm back behind the motor.

Worst automotive contortion I've ever performed though, was just changing the oil on myh first car, an '89 Probe. The oil filter is above the rear of the engine subframe, where you CANNOT get a tool on it. And once you've got it off, you realize that you can't even get the filter out between the engine and sub-frame. You have to pass it to your other hand over the top of the sub-frame and snake it out between the sub-frame and the fire-wall.

On top of that, I had to have the alternator replaced on the Probe, which involves dropping the entire right-side suspension and half-shaft.

jeese, you guys are making me feel bad bringing up my problems. plugs on the bonneville were a dream. just had to have long arms. what is that box under the radiator guard for anyway. i kinda had a haunch that it was for the airbag, but the crush sensor is dead center of the radiator. i am really beginning to wonder if i blew the head gasket on it. eversince i put the new plugs in <bosch platinums replacing very old very beat up autolites incorrectly gapped from the start> it has been putting out steam when it first starts when no other cars are putting out stuff. and it blew the heater core too. im almost afraid to check the oil. maybe i should.

Hahahahaha! My parents are still rolling in a '95 Chevy Astro...... those things need a tilt cab like the old snub-nosed semis. What a bunch of baloney.... you'd be able to work on it easier if it was buried in a hillside.