Could you help me. Im changing my wires on a lumina 3.1 and I cant get number 5 put on could you tell me kinda what Im feeling for or what area Im putting it in without moving motor mounts?
About to do my grandmother's 3.1 Monte Carlo LS with 27k original miles. Pre ordered by her mother car sat for 11 years after she got dementia, she past away a few years back. My grandmother got the house & the car with all of the original documents. Car had the original tires & battery still. Tires had brand new tread still but had to be changed because they were dry rotted same scenario with the battery it had a dead cell. Car still has original brakes, pads & all in like new condition a little sun fading on interior & passenger air bag cover is curled up. Clear coat on the hood & roof is even fine. I changed the fuel pump & it fired right up. The in tank fuel feed line that comes from the top of the pump was just cracked. Just had oil changed & now doing iridium spark plugs.
Hello Joe. First of all,I want to thank you for posting this very informative video. We have a 2005 Venture and it was time for a new set of AC wires and iridium plugs. I ended up using a come-along to tilt the engine forward and removed the left and center coil packs.Found it easier to use a 4 inch piece of rubber hose to thread the new plugs in. Now our van is purring like new. Many thanks!!!
joe, thanks for the information, I have been a mechanic or 43 years and have had many ideas on how to change those pesky rear plugs, used to take the "dog bones loose then use floor jack to jack the engine foward, last time I used the ratchet strap, didnt think anyone else would have thought of that, when I did it I thought I was brilliant. you stole my thunder but anyway I have changed my coil packs and the new ones are not marked after removing all the plug wires I forget which is #1, I do know that #'2 and 5 are on the same coil pack...but not sure which of the 3 it is.
The ratchet strap to pull the engine forward was essential in changing the back 3 plugs. It sure made it a lot easier. Thank you for this video and the fine advice..
Thank you. Im changing the plugs on my friends century 3100 at my guard post tonight. With limited ratchet accessibility, i was very iffy until you made it so easy with just an extension. Thank you!
BTW, without even touching the motor mounts. remove the four bolts on the coil mount plate. Unplug the wire on the passenger side and swing the coil pack out of the way. Now you and get to those rear plugs so much easier. I always use "never sieze" on the plug threads, especially with any aluminum heads. ( you'll never break a plug off)
Just changed the plugs and wires on a 92 Cutlass Supreme, and who ever previously installed the front plugs must have said the heck with the rear ones because the front had ACDelco and the rear had Autolites. Using the ratchet strap is a whole lot easier and cheaper than buying the tilting tool or using pry bar. Thanks for the tip, and I did use a ratchet strap. Something I want to point out per GM service manual. After the dog bone bolts are removed from the motor side, and before the dog bones are pulled up and rotated toward the radiator, the other dog bone bolts need to be loosened enough but not removed, so that the rubber inside the dog bone mount does not shear and cause damage. Thanks for the video, and either way this job is done the rear plugs are still a pain in the wazoo!
very informative, thank you. I was like how in the Fudge am i going to be able to reach those plugs with my big meat hooks. guess what I am doing in the morning. Doing the back 3 plugs.
Video was very helpful. I need to replace the wires I spend over $400.00 for the tune up. My bad, but I was able to replace the transmission fluid. I bought a 98 chevy lumina real easy to work on for being a home mechanic. Thanks.
Thanks I'm about ready to change my plugs on my 97 buick century and I think I'm gonna need to do this cause I couldn't even get my hand back there much less a ratchet!! Thank you!! awesome idea!!
Thanks Joe I know this video is 10 years old but I got a 2000 Buick century 3.1 liter engine this was so much help I gotta do a tune up soon I did the coil because it came up coil but it’s still running rough so ima just change them all out
@@JoeTheAutoGuy hey man quick question so I did all the plugs and wires and coils and it’s giving me a p0300 code could it be fuel injectors ? It’s still misfiring after doing that and I changed the egr valve aswell
Hi, Well I changed the plug and wires! It ran for a day! I found it was not getting fuel , I changed the fuel filter because my son said he had the pump change but not the filter! So it ran for a day ! The weather went cold ! I am getting fuel now but it will not start! Do you think it could be a coil? If so do you have a something on how to check and change if needed! Thanks Again for you help!
Annette Carlisle the 3 coils have a circuit board underneath them. You can ck the resistance on them to see if they all 3 have the same values. As for the ignition control unit not sure. It holds all 3 coils on it and controls the spark sequence to the engine. One other thing you can ck is the camshaft sensor located by the powersteering pump/reservoir. Are there any codes that popped up? That is a good starting point, hopes this helps.
Thank you les goolcharan yes and sorry for late reply but let me know on any check engine codes , if the crankshaft position sensor sees no rpm it won't engage fuel pressure just a few things to look into again sorry about the late reply these google plus comments are tricky to keep up with
glad i could help, that's why i do the videos i always want to save somebody money, and yeah i feel with proper maintenance these engines can last a long time.
honestly ive nevr used anti sieze on plugs, if you change them at proper intervals ive never had a problem, not that i dont agree its a good idea, thanks for watching
Actually the manufacturer recommends that you do not put anti-seize on your spark plugs. as apparently, it conducts electricity and if it were to come out of the spark plug hole somehow it could cause severe arcing of that plug and wire.. if you change your plugs at regular intervals there shouldn't be a need for anti-seize anyway 😏
Great video bro i was dreading the day i had to change the spark plugs on my impala but your idea with pulling the motor forward made it sooo much easier
@@JoeTheAutoGuyDid I miss the part where you pull the motor back in to attach the brackets.? Saw you reattach the brackets but not pulling the motor back in probably the same way you pulled and out. And will this work for a 2000 Malibu.? Thanks for the video.
Your video give me more insight on how, ive been looking for my purg valve. i have anther one to replace the old one but tilting the engine seams to be the only anser . Thank you for the tip
Good video, lots on here the person just talks, camera on them and point to whatever part they are talking about without ever doing anything. Or they did it and just show what they did. At least you went through the whole process of everything. Great job!
I've changed the spark plugs on the back side of a GM 3.1 liter in my '95 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme without disassembling the motor mounts, but it was a real *bummer* finally getting it done!
Great video; I wondered how on earth you get to the back spark plugs and wires! Why did you not replace the black 3 cable sleeve from the old front wires? Thank you!
+Liberty Patriot i actually did this spark plug change about 4000 miles before hand and thought id make a video as i was replacing them after a major engine service. i tend to replace the plugs again n a short distance because this engine was rebuilt and ran in the dead of winter . so anything left out of the video was unintentional as i pieced together footage from 2 actual services
for the most part, usually the grand ams have sufficient room. you can pull back on the engine a little bit but not neede to do as far as i do in the video
I have not official proof or anything but I think at one time I heard it is a good idea to put a car in neutral when doing that engine shifting thing, ya it does make it pretty easy. I have pulled mounts and in neutral pulled engine forward, yes with bare hands! and stuck a 2X4 between the alternator and firewall, gives decent space then.
Yeah you can pull it forward with your hands I just use the strap to hold it in place , gm manuals will tell you to put it in neutral but I have seen the same movement of the wheels both ways so didn't see the need and have had no reprocussions, thanks for watching
thanks joe thats what I did. unfortunately my bracket that holds the alternator broke and it's been one mess after another. since I had to take the alternator bracket off I went ahead and remove the Pax like you said and changed the plugs in the back
thanks for all the advice Joe. Having intermittant vehicle lurching at times engine at running temp on 02 Venture van .3.4 167k especially under load heavy or sometimes light and have to back off throttle to let engine calm down. Bat light (may ) flash if lurching is severe as its happening . No Codes even while high line pro scanner is used by mechanic who drove it , he never had lurching . Both o2 sensors changed crank sensor replaced . Pump pressure shows over 50 lbs . Sound like coil s ??? Batt light is puzzeling
Hey Joe, thanks so much for the informative and helpful video. You made it very clear and easy to understand, even for a novice like myself. In my case, I am working with a minivan (2002 Chevy Venture), is it much different or will everything go about the same? Should I only replace the misfiring spark plug, or should I swap them all out while I'm at it?
the nuts are locking type so no you just need to get them tight and they will hold , i just buzzed them on with a impact usually , just blip the trigger.
How do you put the engine back? Do you just release tension? You're video is a lot of help, by the way. Really made me less scared about changing plugs.
Caleb Long Productions when you release tension the engine will sit in its place and the mounts will almost line up maybe be a half inch to quarter inch off you can line it up by hand at this point , thanks for watching
This is an excellent video, going to make compression testing my Oldsmobile a lot easier. Do you have to jack up the engine/trans before performing this job?
Great video. I'm just curious, when you take off the motor mounts and pull the engine forward, is it pulling the transaxle along with it, sort of as one unit? I'm wondering if it creates any risk of damaging the rear main seal?
I bought a tool, might have been K-D., for my Impala. Its called an engine tilter. Not to be confused with a device you would use on an engine hoist. The tool goes in place of one of the dog bone engine supports in the front.
Awesome Thanks! Ive been putting off changing the plugs because I didnt know how to get to them. BTW, I have a 97 chevy lumina with the 3.1 and 68000 miles. Just changed the intake manifold gasket. Apparently big problem on these motors so guys watch the signs.
hi im going to be doing this in the morning and i was wondering is there anything i need to worry about or that i should know when untightening the strap after im finished? engine falling to fast?
I have a 98 Olds with a 3.1 engine. But it doesn't have the dog bone mounts. It has a top mount on passenger side! Should I loosen that and then try to tilt the engine??
little bit on threads is not a real big concern just check that your engine is not leaking into the spark plug valleys if it is you need to address that concern
strap make job very easy, what vacuum line did you disconnect? I must have a leak the car accelerates by itself when I accelerate a certain amount. Was not doing it before. the car idles great, can you think of anything?Thanks
Ron Close there is a pcv line that comes from the rear valve cover and it could be causing extr air to be coming in. what is your idle rpm at currently?
Greetings..Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us .. how could you drive the engine to get the job done? That can also be done with a Chevrolet venture?
did you have to remove any other parts away from motor before you did the strap thing to pull it forward cause in a another vid from another guy he had to remove parts around the motor... and by the way can you do my spark plugs & wire and 2 of the coil paks that havent' been done.. cause i got a missfire i can't go over 45 without the chk engine light flashing seviral times then staying on but eventually goes out..
Thank you for the video. i have a 1999 Chevy Lumina that needs a tune up. I watched the video all the way through twice, but didn't see the vacuum lines that you disconnected. You mentioned for us to reconnect them and the motor mount after the install. Which ones did you take loose?
Hi, the thing is I have the Pontiac transport 1996 with 3.4l but I only have one motor support on the passenger side, and in your video you have 2 support that holdind the motor. Is that possible that I only have one or there one is hiding under the motor??? thanks
hey quick question on the chevy venture spark plugs can u tell me which numbers go in which spark plug front and back because i let the shop do my car and i just wanted to make sure they put them back in the right order thanks alot and keeep up the great work besafe always and have a great day
When you unbolt the black motor-holder things, is that all you need to disconnect in order to pull the motor forward? will pulling the motor forward and resetting it afterwards be difficult? you seem to have edited out the whole part of shifting the motor.
Pulling the engine forward like this wont have any negative consequences? How far is it safe to pull? Is there any risk of stressing/damaging something attached below the engine?
+Andrew Davis The designers took this into account when designing the engine. The lower engine mount, and all connections to the transmission are designed for it to come forward.
Andrew Davis I pulled the engine forward and it screwed up my radiator by the duel fans rubbing and puncturing it. I recommend you take off the wiper motor arms and then the coil packs. alot easier and less costly, but you have to feel for the plugs cause you can't physically see them, especially if it's on a Van with a 3400 engine
+smoke one wow, am in the middle of this nightmare job myself smoke one. NIGHTMARE. RichPin has a somehwat good video on this, but it may not work. There's another half hour video -- with audio in RUSSIAN (sic) that's almost helpful. Manuals mindlesslessly tell you to remove the exhaust crossover pipe -- then don't tell you how to do THAT. (!!! as bad as the engineering team from *&$# who put the thermostat where you can't easily get to it) RichPIN and others will counsel that you can use a curved or short wrench to reach under the exhaust crossover from the back.... extremely difficult to pull off, and if you're lucky to do that, you then have to get the lower bolt on the thermostat back on. (RichPin uses a left hand blind method -- wild even if you have small hands, long fingers) The russian video counsels taking off the throttle body assembly (yes, a real pain), as well as just about everything else to the right side of the engine. even then, with the throttle body removed, you STILL might not have enough room to put the thermostat housing back in! (ggggrrrrrr.....) Even if you do that, starting that lower bolt is a nightmare.... Two tips/workarounds: 1. yes, try loosening the exhaust crossover bar -- just by removing the two (no doubt very rusty) cover nuts on front side of engine. (yes, another pain to get to).... that will permit the cross exhause cover to come up maybe a half inch.... and THAT is just enough to slip most right hands underneath towards the lower bolt location for the thermostat housing -- and with fingers from the left hand from the top, le voila! 2. forget finding a vw bended wrench. So yesterday. Get yourself one of the ratcheting 13mm wrenches. (cheaper often in a set) Stubby length even better. A HUGE help. (in a literal pinch)
You don't need to take the exhaust crossover off. Take the air intake off and the throttle body (easy) and the coolant bypass rod which is a thin black rod going across the front of the motor which should be one bolt and it will lift up and out of your way pretty easily. You'll need to take the two hoses off of that guy too. After that both thermostat bolts are accessible. Start with the back one (pain in the ass) a 6" 13mm or 1/2 wrench should do it. I'm a big guy so I went in under the exhaust crossover to get to the bottom one. After you break it loose you can use your fingers. Then you can do the front bolt same size wrench. Then the thermostat housings should come right off but be careful of damaging the crossover. Just rotate the housing and it should come off and pull the thermostat out. And follow those instructions backwards and you have changed your thermostat!! Good luck!
I just did that job, what makes this job difficult is the bottom bolt to the thermostat is a difficult spot that makes it hard to remove. This took me about 3 days of fooling with it. Might want to just take a a shop and let them fool with it. Not easy job
They make a special tool for it and sell it at napa or on Amazon as " ATD Tools 3310 gm thermostat wrench . I recommend getting it. It makes it a very quick job
Hey Joey...I have an 05 impala 3.4 liter...do you replace the coil pack too when you change the plugs? What is the relation of the coil pack to performance of the vehicle? Thanks for any help you can provide.
randolph2k7 you do not need to replace the coil packs unless a problem persists with them. As far as performance if they are not working properly you wont get full spark capacity
do you still have this car?! I have the same motor and everything. Took my car to a mechanic months ago and just realized he left a line loose (he didnt strap it back on). The line im talking about is the one to the right hand side of the motor oil cap and the dipstick (you can pause the video at 2min:18 seconds to see it) where does that line go? its connexted in the front but its loose in the rear
Fixing to do my 3.1 Lumina with 305,000 miles on it. Love this car. Thank you for the help.
Heck yeah! Way better than a car payment!💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Could you help me. Im changing my wires on a lumina 3.1 and I cant get number 5 put on could you tell me kinda what Im feeling for or what area Im putting it in without moving motor mounts?
About to do my grandmother's 3.1 Monte Carlo LS with 27k original miles. Pre ordered by her mother car sat for 11 years after she got dementia, she past away a few years back. My grandmother got the house & the car with all of the original documents. Car had the original tires & battery still. Tires had brand new tread still but had to be changed because they were dry rotted same scenario with the battery it had a dead cell. Car still has original brakes, pads & all in like new condition a little sun fading on interior & passenger air bag cover is curled up. Clear coat on the hood & roof is even fine. I changed the fuel pump & it fired right up. The in tank fuel feed line that comes from the top of the pump was just cracked. Just had oil changed & now doing iridium spark plugs.
The lumina is a boring car but it definitely gets the job done.
I'm fixing to do my 98 Buick century with 280k on it. It's been sitting a while.
Hello Joe. First of all,I want to thank you for posting this very informative video. We have a 2005 Venture and it was time for a new set of AC wires and iridium plugs. I ended up using a come-along to tilt the engine forward and removed the left and center coil packs.Found it easier to use a 4 inch piece of rubber hose to thread the new plugs in. Now our van is purring like new. Many thanks!!!
That was very helpful. I just did it this morning on my Wife's Venture. Now I know why i hate horizontally opposed engines.
joe, thanks for the information, I have been a mechanic or 43 years and have had many ideas on how to change those pesky rear plugs, used to take the "dog bones loose then use floor jack to jack the engine foward, last time I used the ratchet strap, didnt think anyone else would have thought of that, when I did it I thought I was brilliant. you stole my thunder but anyway I have changed my coil packs and the new ones are not marked after removing all the plug wires I forget which is #1, I do know that #'2 and 5 are on the same coil pack...but not sure which of the 3 it is.
Don't know how long ago you made this video...I'm now a Subscriber...Thx
I was scratching my head trying to figure out how to get the rear plugs. Thank you very much for making this video. Great job!😀👍
The ratchet strap to pull the engine forward was essential in changing the back 3 plugs. It sure made it a lot easier. Thank you for this video and the fine advice..
Maurice Cardinal welcome and thanks for watching
Thank you for posting this vid, you saved me money by showing me how to get at the back plugs myself
James MacKinnon no problem. thanks for watching
Stopping by to say your video was helpful. I did mine today! It looks harder than it is. Thank You!
Thank you. Im changing the plugs on my friends century 3100 at my guard post tonight. With limited ratchet accessibility, i was very iffy until you made it so easy with just an extension. Thank you!
Dude, you just saved me like a few hundred bucks in labor. Ratchet strap trick works great!
***** thanks for watching
BTW, without even touching the motor mounts. remove the four bolts on the coil mount plate. Unplug the wire on the passenger side and swing the coil pack out of the way. Now you and get to those rear plugs so much easier. I always use "never sieze" on the plug threads, especially with any aluminum heads. ( you'll never break a plug off)
Tim Peters show me your video please
Exactly that's how I did mine 4 bolts and boom u got a foot to work with easy as pie
Just changed the plugs and wires on a 92 Cutlass Supreme, and who ever previously installed the front plugs must have said the heck with the rear ones because the front had ACDelco and the rear had Autolites. Using the ratchet strap is a whole lot easier and cheaper than buying the tilting tool or using pry bar. Thanks for the tip, and I did use a ratchet strap.
Something I want to point out per GM service manual. After the dog bone bolts are removed from the motor side, and before the dog bones are pulled up and rotated toward the radiator, the other dog bone bolts need to be loosened enough but not removed, so that the rubber inside the dog bone mount does not shear and cause damage.
Thanks for the video, and either way this job is done the rear plugs are still a pain in the wazoo!
very informative, thank you. I was like how in the Fudge am i going to be able to reach those plugs with my big meat hooks. guess what I am doing in the morning. Doing the back 3 plugs.
Video was very helpful. I need to replace the wires I spend over $400.00 for the tune up. My bad, but I was able to replace the transmission fluid. I bought a 98 chevy lumina real easy to work on for being a home mechanic. Thanks.
Thank you fix my car with this video much love bro
Another thanks post, you saved me a whole lot of time, this made the job so easy I thought I must have messed it up! Thank you sir!
+tommy watson glad it helped , thanks for watching
Great job. Very informative and instructional.
Excellent video man. Been looking everywhere for someone to show how to use the rachet strap and remove the back plugs.
19bassplaya91 thanks for watching
The video was very helpful, especially in rolling the engine.
Rocky
No anti seize ! I got two engines 2001 and a 1999 chevy 3100 that had came to me to remove broken off spark plugs and man they were so much fun
Thanks I'm about ready to change my plugs on my 97 buick century and I think I'm gonna need to do this cause I couldn't even get my hand back there much less a ratchet!! Thank you!! awesome idea!!
Thanks Joe I know this video is 10 years old but I got a 2000 Buick century 3.1 liter engine this was so much help I gotta do a tune up soon I did the coil because it came up coil but it’s still running rough so ima just change them all out
Glad it could help you
@@JoeTheAutoGuy hey man quick question so I did all the plugs and wires and coils and it’s giving me a p0300 code could it be fuel injectors ? It’s still misfiring after doing that and I changed the egr valve aswell
Thanks, I had a hard time trying to get to the back 3 this helped a lot!
thanks for watching glad i could help ya
Hi, Well I changed the plug and wires! It ran for a day! I found it was not getting fuel , I changed the fuel filter because my son said he had the pump change but not the filter! So it ran for a day ! The weather went cold ! I am getting fuel now but it will not start! Do you think it could be a coil? If so do you have a something on how to check and change if needed! Thanks Again for you help!
Annette Carlisle the 3 coils have a circuit board underneath them. You can ck the resistance on them to see if they all 3 have the same values. As for the ignition control unit not sure. It holds all 3 coils on it and controls the spark sequence to the engine. One other thing you can ck is the camshaft sensor located by the powersteering pump/reservoir. Are there any codes that popped up? That is a good starting point, hopes this helps.
Thank you les goolcharan yes and sorry for late reply but let me know on any check engine codes , if the crankshaft position sensor sees no rpm it won't engage fuel pressure just a few things to look into again sorry about the late reply these google plus comments are tricky to keep up with
Annette Carlisle have any things changed in the car situation any more info and I will surely do everything to help
glad i could help, that's why i do the videos i always want to save somebody money, and yeah i feel with proper maintenance these engines can last a long time.
JoeTheAutoGuy Do those wires in the front plugs just pull out like that?
honestly ive nevr used anti sieze on plugs, if you change them at proper intervals ive never had a problem, not that i dont agree its a good idea, thanks for watching
should I use a thread cleaner on this job. I thought it would be a good idea.
Actually the manufacturer recommends that you do not put anti-seize on your spark plugs. as apparently, it conducts electricity and if it were to come out of the spark plug hole somehow it could cause severe arcing of that plug and wire.. if you change your plugs at regular intervals there shouldn't be a need for anti-seize anyway 😏
Thanks for the straightforward explanation.
thanks for your time and talents!
I like the ratchet strap trick; that is some brilliant hillbilly engineering.
Joe thankyou so much for this video it is realy helpful
Thank you friend for useful videos !!!
Great video bro i was dreading the day i had to change the spark plugs on my impala but your idea with pulling the motor forward made it sooo much easier
glad I could help, thanks for watching
@@JoeTheAutoGuyDid I miss the part where you pull the motor back in to attach the brackets.? Saw you reattach the brackets but not pulling the motor back in probably the same way you pulled and out. And will this work for a 2000 Malibu.? Thanks for the video.
Your video give me more insight on how, ive been looking for my purg valve. i have anther one to replace the old one but tilting the engine seams to be the only anser
. Thank you for the tip
Thanks so much this helped tremendously
DOC T. GREAT VIDEO. WILL CHANGE MY PLUGS AND WIRES MYSELF, THANKS TO YOU.
David Tutt thanks for watching, glad i could help
Well done and informative. Thank you
thank you for watching
Good video, lots on here the person just talks, camera on them and point to whatever part they are talking about without ever doing anything. Or they did it and just show what they did. At least you went through the whole process of everything. Great job!
Thanks! For the valuable tutorial! Dude! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Happy to help!
as long as you do this cautiously and dont over crank it just give it enough room for ou to get your hands back there it will cause no damage
How do u get the block back after pulling it forward??
Very good videos :)
thank you !!
good job,after watch your video, I did the same on my car, tanks for your ideas.
your welcome thanks for watching hector
It was very helpful. Thanks and I did it myself and saved money.
Thank you incredible it takes that much just to remove the spark plugs great
I took the alternator out works slick!
Thanks you made it look fairly simple.... Not complicated like the manual said.
I've changed the spark plugs on the back side of a GM 3.1 liter in my '95 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme without disassembling the motor mounts, but it was a real *bummer* finally getting it done!
Ken Seabury yes they are a pain
looks like you were drinking when you posted this comment. :-)
Great video; I wondered how on earth you get to the back spark plugs and wires!
Why did you not replace the black 3 cable sleeve from the old front wires?
Thank you!
+Liberty Patriot i actually did this spark plug change about 4000 miles before hand and thought id make a video as i was replacing them after a major engine service. i tend to replace the plugs again n a short distance because this engine was rebuilt and ran in the dead of winter . so anything left out of the video was unintentional as i pieced together footage from 2 actual services
thanks for sharing this video it helped
Very helpful! Thank you!
Thanks for the video. Helps. Tremendously.
Feels and drives like a dream
for the most part, usually the grand ams have sufficient room. you can pull back on the engine a little bit but not neede to do as far as i do in the video
Would this also apply to the 3.4L V6 of the Olds Alero? I have a 2003 model.
Nice job. You were good and careful...
glad i could help , thanks for watching
I have not official proof or anything but I think at one time I heard it is a good idea to put a car in neutral when doing that engine shifting thing, ya it does make it pretty easy. I have pulled mounts and in neutral pulled engine forward, yes with bare hands! and stuck a 2X4 between the alternator and firewall, gives decent space then.
Yeah you can pull it forward with your hands I just use the strap to hold it in place , gm manuals will tell you to put it in neutral but I have seen the same movement of the wheels both ways so didn't see the need and have had no reprocussions, thanks for watching
thanks joe thats what I did. unfortunately my bracket that holds the alternator broke and it's been one mess after another. since I had to take the alternator bracket off I went ahead and remove the Pax like you said and changed the plugs in the back
thanks for all the advice Joe. Having intermittant vehicle lurching at times engine at running temp on 02 Venture van .3.4 167k especially under load heavy or sometimes light and have to back off throttle to let engine calm down. Bat light (may ) flash if lurching is severe as its happening . No Codes even while high line pro scanner is used by mechanic who drove it , he never had lurching . Both o2 sensors changed crank sensor replaced . Pump pressure shows over 50 lbs . Sound like coil s ??? Batt light is puzzeling
Hey Joe, thanks so much for the informative and helpful video. You made it very clear and easy to understand, even for a novice like myself. In my case, I am working with a minivan (2002 Chevy Venture), is it much different or will everything go about the same? Should I only replace the misfiring spark plug, or should I swap them all out while I'm at it?
the nuts are locking type so no you just need to get them tight and they will hold , i just buzzed them on with a impact usually , just blip the trigger.
How do you put the engine back? Do you just release tension? You're video is a lot of help, by the way. Really made me less scared about changing plugs.
Caleb Long Productions when you release tension the engine will sit in its place and the mounts will almost line up maybe be a half inch to quarter inch off you can line it up by hand at this point , thanks for watching
Hay joe thanks i just got a Buick with 3400 i thought u unhooked the front motor mounts but wasn't 100% on that
This is an excellent video, going to make compression testing my Oldsmobile a lot easier. Do you have to jack up the engine/trans before performing this job?
thank you good video
Is there a certain torque that the motor mount has to be retorqued to on those bolts or no?
thanks for watching
Great video. I'm just curious, when you take off the motor mounts and pull the engine forward, is it pulling the transaxle along with it, sort of as one unit? I'm wondering if it creates any risk of damaging the rear main seal?
I also find how recessed the plugs are into the head to be a pain. Especially in the rear bank.
I remember having to get the rear ones from an 03 Venture from a service pit. That was a real pain in the ass.
Thank you I have to tackle this process soon....where can I get that belt from??
Good shit man! 😃
What size socket and ratchets are you using?
once you tilt the engine forward can you get to the plugs without removing the coil packs
thanks
I bought a tool, might have been K-D., for my Impala. Its called an engine tilter. Not to be confused with a device you would use on an engine hoist. The tool goes in place of one of the dog bone engine supports in the front.
Which way do u loosten the ones by the firewall towards the driver or passenger side?
Awesome Thanks! Ive been putting off changing the plugs because I didnt know how to get to them. BTW, I have a 97 chevy lumina with the 3.1 and 68000 miles. Just changed the intake manifold gasket. Apparently big problem on these motors so guys watch the signs.
totally , done many intake gaskets on those things. thanks for watching glad i could help
hi im going to be doing this in the morning and i was wondering is there anything i need to worry about or that i should know when untightening the strap after im finished? engine falling to fast?
+John Veier no just be cautious and the engine will fall virtually back in place
Thanks , changing the one in the back was the problem .
welcome thanks for watching
I have a 98 Olds with a 3.1 engine. But it doesn't have the dog bone mounts. It has a top mount on passenger side! Should I loosen that and then try to tilt the engine??
did you get a bit of oil on the threads? i pulled 2 out and saw some on the threads but not the electrode
little bit on threads is not a real big concern just check that your engine is not leaking into the spark plug valleys if it is you need to address that concern
Do you have to disconnect your exhaust???
strap make job very easy, what vacuum line did you disconnect? I must have a leak the car accelerates by itself when I accelerate a certain amount. Was not doing it before. the car idles great, can you think of anything?Thanks
Ron Close there is a pcv line that comes from the rear valve cover and it could be causing extr air to be coming in. what is your idle rpm at currently?
Greetings..Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us .. how could you drive the engine to get the job done? That can also be done with a Chevrolet venture?
Thanks for the video joe. Do i need to push the engine forward if im only replacing the wires?
did you have to remove any other parts away from motor before you did the strap thing to pull it forward cause in a another vid from another guy he had to remove parts around the motor... and by the way can you do my spark plugs & wire and 2 of the coil paks that havent' been done.. cause i got a missfire i can't go over 45 without the chk engine light flashing seviral times then staying on but eventually goes out..
Thank you for the video. i have a 1999 Chevy Lumina that needs a tune up. I watched the video all the way through twice, but didn't see the vacuum lines that you disconnected. You mentioned for us to reconnect them and the motor mount after the install. Which ones did you take loose?
the ones connected to the map sensor near the coil pack
Mike Sandlin I have the same car any tips?
Thanks Joe. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go through through that but...damn.
Phkn Cappy its not to bad, thanks for watching
Hi, the thing is I have the Pontiac transport 1996 with 3.4l but I only have one motor support on the passenger side, and in your video you have 2 support that holdind the motor. Is that possible that I only have one or there one is hiding under the motor???
thanks
hey quick question on the chevy venture spark plugs can u tell me which numbers go in which spark plug front and back because i let the shop do my car and i just wanted to make sure they put them back in the right order thanks alot and keeep up the great work besafe always and have a great day
rear cylinders are passenger side to drivers side 1 -3 - 5 and fronts are 2 - 4 - 6
how you get the wires off? I had a lot of trouble and they would not budge. I do not want to risk breaking or harming the wires.
This is just what I needed! Any suggestions as to where to buy the parts I need? AutoZone or online?
love those cars bro
When you unbolt the black motor-holder things, is that all you need to disconnect in order to pull the motor forward? will pulling the motor forward and resetting it afterwards be difficult? you seem to have edited out the whole part of shifting the motor.
the motor pretty much falls back into place, it will take just a little effort to get the bolt to line up .
Pulling the engine forward like this wont have any negative consequences? How far is it safe to pull? Is there any risk of stressing/damaging something attached below the engine?
+Andrew Davis The designers took this into account when designing the engine. The lower engine mount, and all connections to the transmission are designed for it to come forward.
Yup says so per GM in All-Data to pull it forward, I'm doing mine today.
Andrew Davis I pulled the engine forward and it screwed up my radiator by the duel fans rubbing and puncturing it. I recommend you take off the wiper motor arms and then the coil packs. alot easier and less costly, but you have to feel for the plugs cause you can't physically see them, especially if it's on a Van with a 3400 engine
Can you still replace the rear plugs without using the ratchet strap?
Very well done vid, thanks for sharing.
thanks for watching
Hi Joe, I have a 2006 Malibu - Same procedure as your video for my spark plug and wire change I will perform tomorrow? Please let me know! Thanks
Jabboy8 i think on the malibu you need to remove the coil packs i dont think the dog bone mounts are not on the 2006 as far as i know
any tips on changing a thermostat in this engine. cant seem to get to it.
+smoke one wow, am in the middle of this nightmare job myself smoke one. NIGHTMARE. RichPin has a somehwat good video on this, but it may not work. There's another half hour video -- with audio in RUSSIAN (sic) that's almost helpful. Manuals mindlesslessly tell you to remove the exhaust crossover pipe -- then don't tell you how to do THAT. (!!! as bad as the engineering team from *&$# who put the thermostat where you can't easily get to it)
RichPIN and others will counsel that you can use a curved or short wrench to reach under the exhaust crossover from the back.... extremely difficult to pull off, and if you're lucky to do that, you then have to get the lower bolt on the thermostat back on. (RichPin uses a left hand blind method -- wild even if you have small hands, long fingers)
The russian video counsels taking off the throttle body assembly (yes, a real pain), as well as just about everything else to the right side of the engine. even then, with the throttle body removed, you STILL might not have enough room to put the thermostat housing back in! (ggggrrrrrr.....) Even if you do that, starting that lower bolt is a nightmare....
Two tips/workarounds:
1. yes, try loosening the exhaust crossover bar -- just by removing the two (no doubt very rusty) cover nuts on front side of engine. (yes, another pain to get to).... that will permit the cross exhause cover to come up maybe a half inch.... and THAT is just enough to slip most right hands underneath towards the lower bolt location for the thermostat housing -- and with fingers from the left hand from the top, le voila!
2. forget finding a vw bended wrench. So yesterday. Get yourself one of the ratcheting 13mm wrenches. (cheaper often in a set) Stubby length even better. A HUGE help. (in a literal pinch)
You don't need to take the exhaust crossover off. Take the air intake off and the throttle body (easy) and the coolant bypass rod which is a thin black rod going across the front of the motor which should be one bolt and it will lift up and out of your way pretty easily. You'll need to take the two hoses off of that guy too. After that both thermostat bolts are accessible. Start with the back one (pain in the ass) a 6" 13mm or 1/2 wrench should do it. I'm a big guy so I went in under the exhaust crossover to get to the bottom one. After you break it loose you can use your fingers. Then you can do the front bolt same size wrench. Then the thermostat housings should come right off but be careful of damaging the crossover. Just rotate the housing and it should come off and pull the thermostat out. And follow those instructions backwards and you have changed your thermostat!! Good luck!
I just did that job, what makes this job difficult is the bottom bolt to the thermostat is a difficult spot that makes it hard to remove. This took me about 3 days of fooling with it. Might want to just take a a shop and let them fool with it. Not easy job
They make a special tool for it and sell it at napa or on Amazon as " ATD Tools 3310 gm thermostat wrench . I recommend getting it. It makes it a very quick job
Hey Joey...I have an 05 impala 3.4 liter...do you replace the coil pack too when you change the plugs? What is the relation of the coil pack to performance of the vehicle? Thanks for any help you can provide.
randolph2k7 you do not need to replace the coil packs unless a problem persists with them. As far as performance if they are not working properly you wont get full spark capacity
do you still have this car?! I have the same motor and everything. Took my car to a mechanic months ago and just realized he left a line loose (he didnt strap it back on).
The line im talking about is the one to the right hand side of the motor oil cap and the dipstick (you can pause the video at 2min:18 seconds to see it)
where does that line go? its connexted in the front but its loose in the rear
Молодец! Спасибо за видео!
i saw that you can also easily change o2 sensor on that position?
melvin beboso yes it gives you good access to that