BigDaddyWiz

Hello, I just got my 84 z28 305 HO a few weeks back and decided to change the plugs, wires and cap and rotor. I saw the plugs are down low on the side of the engine and look kinda hard to get at. Someone i know told me it might be easier to take off the front wheels and go at them from under the fender. What would you guys recommend?

Also, while I'm here posting, i might as well ask. How hard is it to change the valve cover gaskets on these cars? I did it on a jeep and it was easy. I'm just wondering how much is invovled with taking things off to get at the bolts. Thanks.

Ville H. Valo

i think you are better off getting the plugs off via under the car.

CamaroZ28Coupe

yea i gotta do my valve cover gasket too i think thats where my leak may be coming from... its leaking down from somewhere onto my exhaust crossover and its burning off when it gets hot and when i pop the hood smoke comes out

but anyway im interested also in the valve cover procedure

PyRo9862

I got to cylenders 1, 2, 3, 5 from up-top, and the rest I got from the bottom.
There is no need to take the wheel off, just go under the car for the ones you cannot reach. Extensions and a swivil, and/or a sparkplug socket with a swivil may may your life alot easier. A stubby ratchet doesn't hurt either. A creeper is a nice thing to have too, especially if you do what I did and replaced one wire at a time, saved me alot of crawling around.

How hard can valve cover gaskets be?
Remove the bolts on the valve covers
pull off the cover, scrape off the old gasket
make sure all sealing surfaces are clean of oil, old gasket or other debris
make sure not to go scratching any sealing surfaces
don't get crap down into the heads where it doesn't belong
if your valve covers look anything like mine paint them, or replace with shiney ones (not necessary, but who can say no to shiney)
then you just put them back on with the gasket unless you have a cork gasket then I think it requires sealent or somthing

I think you could probably work the cover out of there with a bit of effort without removing anything. Then again our cars are a little differant.

Please note i'm sure I missed somthing really stupid.

CamaroZ28Coupe

so im guessing torqeing the plugs in the right specs isnt going to happen???, im really a big fan of the torque wrench and i hate when i cant torque stuff right. is their a way to do it?

how tight should i make em if i gotta go by hand?

aklim

Since you just got it, why don't you take a thread chaser and put grease on it and clean the threads while you are at it. I also put anti-sieze on the threads after that so they don't rust in. I finger tighten it and then 1/3 of a turn with the wrench. The chasing of the threads makes sure i get it right when I hand tighten it and not catch on a burr and think it is tight.

kandied91z

not that it matters i suppose but it's situations like this that make me happy to have headers and a tubular k-member. i can change anything on the motor quicker then a jack rabbit on a date.



on a thread related note though what plugs are you changing too as well as wires. taylors have always worked well for me and are reasonably priced.

camaro05

I just changed my spark plugs for the first time and it took me like 4 hours! what a pain! Now I enjoy changing the oil, it inly takes about 10 min.

PyRo9862

Hmm, I thought headers made the plugs harder to change?
4 hours? How the heck did it take you that long. I will give you that the open element filter I have makes it a little easier, but 4 hours damn.

Get zip ties too, it was the only way I could think off to keep the wires off the manifolds.

camaro05

well I guess it only took me a little over 3hrs plus working on other stuff, but the emitions crap was a pain and I finaly bent it out of the way so I could get the the back plugs on the driver side. I don't have to have my car tested for emitions where I live so I am thinking of yanking that stuff off.

kandied91z

wow that's alot...10 min here tops and thats with having to gap them.

Rice Killer87

yea,changing plugs w/ headers is more than 2 times easier than it is w/ the exhaust manifolds. also when i put headers on,i took all the emissions stuff out too.

a great thing to have is the craftsman gear ratchet. it has a hole in the middle so u can use it on pipes that are open on 1 end. they are a GREAT spark plug tool.

aklim

Takes about an hour or so to do mine if you have the shop lift.