Joined
·
4,977 Posts
(click on thumbnails to enlarge)
Tools needed:
Red items are specific to the PCV valve
*Vise grips (optional)
*Pliers
*Adjustable wrench (optional)
*7/8 12-point deep socket (preferred tool, I substituted with a 7/8 combination wrench)
*A good light
*Toothbrush to clean the throttle body
*(not shown) PCV valve, P/N EV-243 (YF1Z-6A666-AA), $4.55
*(not shown) Throttle body cleaner
*Antiseize
*Spark plugs (DUH
) - I used ACDelco RapidFire plugs, part number 8 (yes, just '8'), $6.89 a plug
*White grease - spray can for electrical connectors, tube for spark plugs and COP boots
*Teflon lubricant, or other "dry" lube, for throttle and cruise control cables
*Torque wrench, as small (short) as possible, that will do 9 to 11 ft-lbs. I recommend a small inch-pound wrench for reasons that will later become apparent.
*Magnetic snake - MUST be the snake variety that will bend around the intake manifold
*Ratchet(s) for your socket sizes
*8 mm socket for the engine cover (if you have one)
*Spark plug gap tool
*Small screwdriver (optional)
*4" extension
*1/2" to 3/8" adapter (used as a 1" extension)
*6" extension (optional)
*8 mm wrench
*Spark plug socket
Unplug the battery first, both to keep yourself safe and to make the computer re-learn the idle strategy for the new plugs. Follow the relearn procedure in your manual.
PCV Valve
Remove the engine cover, if you have one. There are three 8 mm nuts holding it on; I put antiseize on the threads when I replaced the cover.
Loosen the hose clamps on the intake. Unplug the MAF and pull out the crankcase vent hose. Unclip the airbox at the filter and lift the assembly out.
Now you have access to the PCV valve, shown here:
Pull the hose off, and depending on where it separates, you may have this small piece of hose still stuck to the PCV valve. Pull that off as well.
In this picture, you see the adjustable wrench on the PCV valve. The ideal tool would be a 7/8 12-point deep socket, but I had to improvise. My adjustable wrench was too beefy to have clearance to turn, but the tool that finally did the job was a 7/8 open end wrench placed the same way as the adjustable wrench. A 1/4 turn will loosen it, then you can either pull it out with pliers or reach your hand in and grab it.
If that small piece of hose separated, pop it back onto the rest of the hose before you connect it back onto the new PCV valve. You will have more leverage that way.
While you are in there, clean out the throttle body as well.
Here are the new and old valves side by side. The old valve still sealed properly, but at $4 a pop I changed it anyways.
Spark plugs
As with all aluminium heads, make sure the engine is cold before proceeding.
With the engine cover off, you have easy access to the front three plugs. Use the 8 mm wrench to remove the COP mounting bolt.
Remove the electrical connector and pull the boot out. Inspect the spark plug well for debris and blow it out if necessary; mine were spotless.
With the old plug out, gap the new spark plug to 0.052".
Apply a light band of antiseize to the centre of the threads, and grease up the positive terminal.
Use your torque wrench to torque the spark plugs. I reduced the factory specification of 11 ft-lbs to 9 ft-lbs because of the antiseize. I sprayed white grease over the inside of the boot, and put grease over the boot lip to help keep water out. I noticed some corrosion on the COP mounting bolts, so I applied antiseize there as well. I also sprayed grease into the female end of the electrical connectors. Repeat these steps for the other two plugs.
Now the hard part begins. All three plugs in the rear bank will be removed from the passenger side - you may want to lay down a fender cover or cotton towel if you have a belt buckle or shirt buttons. This is the first one.
Feel down to get an idea of where the other two COPs are, and unplug the electrical connectors. The third connector can be easily accessed from the driver's side, from under the EGR valve.
Use your 8 mm wrench to remove all the COP mounting bolts and set them aside - you will need to have all three COPs removed at once, unlike the ones in front. You will have to do a lot of feeling around. With the first COP pulled up against the bottom of the intake manifold, it needs to be bent towards the driver's side, then pivoted towards the rear of the car to clear the intake manifold. Once the coil pack is out, the boot will flex and pull out. Drop your spark plug socket (without any extension) into the hole, then drop the 4" extension in. DO NOT click the two together. Use your ratchet to loosen the old spark plug, again without clicking the ratchet onto the extension. You may need the 1/2" to 3/8" adapter for that little bit of extra reach - that can be clicked onto the ratchet. Fully unscrew the spark plug by hand, and then take out just the extension. Use your magnetic snake to grab the spark plug socket, and again to get the old spark plug. Gap, grease, and apply antiseize to a new plug and screw it in by hand - use the same method as before by dropping in the tools one by one. Now a small torque wrench will come in handy, as my smallest one was still too long to work in this space. From working on small engines, I know what force to apply to get 10 ft-lbs of torque fairly consistently, so I "cheated". Once it is torqued in, stuff a shop towel into the hole to prevent debris from falling in. Do not reinstall the COP yet.
The middle plug comes out by rotating the COP so that the electrical connector faces the rear, then pulling it up and bending it towards the passenger side. This is why the first COP could not go back in, as the second COP needs this room to come out. Install the new spark plug as above and stuff the hole with a shop towel. The last COP is the trickiest one. It will come out in the same way as the middle COP, but you need to make sure the wiring is out of the way in order to both rotate and pull out the COP. Install the new spark plug and put all three COPs back in, starting with the driver's side and moving towards the passenger's side. Spray grease inside the boots and use grease on the boot lip as with the front bank. I sprayed white grease on the COP side of the electrical connector, as I could not reach the engine side. Reverse the steps and rotations involved in getting them out. Use your 8 mm wrench to reinstall the mounting bolts, and put the electrical connectors back on. Before replacing the engine cover, clean and lubricate the throttle and cruise control cables with a dry lubricant.
The plugs that came out looked really good. The whole job took me three hours, including taking pictures, taking notes, and a lot of trial-and-error with the rear COPs. If I had to do this again, I could probably complete the job in 1-1.5 hours.
Tools needed:
Red items are specific to the PCV valve
*Vise grips (optional)
*Pliers
*Adjustable wrench (optional)
*7/8 12-point deep socket (preferred tool, I substituted with a 7/8 combination wrench)
*A good light
*Toothbrush to clean the throttle body
*(not shown) PCV valve, P/N EV-243 (YF1Z-6A666-AA), $4.55
*(not shown) Throttle body cleaner
*Antiseize
*Spark plugs (DUH
) - *White grease - spray can for electrical connectors, tube for spark plugs and COP boots
*Teflon lubricant, or other "dry" lube, for throttle and cruise control cables
*Torque wrench, as small (short) as possible, that will do 9 to 11 ft-lbs. I recommend a small inch-pound wrench for reasons that will later become apparent.
*Magnetic snake - MUST be the snake variety that will bend around the intake manifold
*Ratchet(s) for your socket sizes
*8 mm socket for the engine cover (if you have one)
*Spark plug gap tool
*Small screwdriver (optional)
*4" extension
*1/2" to 3/8" adapter (used as a 1" extension)
*6" extension (optional)
*8 mm wrench
*Spark plug socket
Unplug the battery first, both to keep yourself safe and to make the computer re-learn the idle strategy for the new plugs. Follow the relearn procedure in your manual.
PCV Valve
Remove the engine cover, if you have one. There are three 8 mm nuts holding it on; I put antiseize on the threads when I replaced the cover.
Loosen the hose clamps on the intake. Unplug the MAF and pull out the crankcase vent hose. Unclip the airbox at the filter and lift the assembly out.
Now you have access to the PCV valve, shown here:
Pull the hose off, and depending on where it separates, you may have this small piece of hose still stuck to the PCV valve. Pull that off as well.
In this picture, you see the adjustable wrench on the PCV valve. The ideal tool would be a 7/8 12-point deep socket, but I had to improvise. My adjustable wrench was too beefy to have clearance to turn, but the tool that finally did the job was a 7/8 open end wrench placed the same way as the adjustable wrench. A 1/4 turn will loosen it, then you can either pull it out with pliers or reach your hand in and grab it.
If that small piece of hose separated, pop it back onto the rest of the hose before you connect it back onto the new PCV valve. You will have more leverage that way.
While you are in there, clean out the throttle body as well.
Here are the new and old valves side by side. The old valve still sealed properly, but at $4 a pop I changed it anyways.
Spark plugs
As with all aluminium heads, make sure the engine is cold before proceeding.
With the engine cover off, you have easy access to the front three plugs. Use the 8 mm wrench to remove the COP mounting bolt.
Remove the electrical connector and pull the boot out. Inspect the spark plug well for debris and blow it out if necessary; mine were spotless.
With the old plug out, gap the new spark plug to 0.052".
Apply a light band of antiseize to the centre of the threads, and grease up the positive terminal.
Use your torque wrench to torque the spark plugs. I reduced the factory specification of 11 ft-lbs to 9 ft-lbs because of the antiseize. I sprayed white grease over the inside of the boot, and put grease over the boot lip to help keep water out. I noticed some corrosion on the COP mounting bolts, so I applied antiseize there as well. I also sprayed grease into the female end of the electrical connectors. Repeat these steps for the other two plugs.
Now the hard part begins. All three plugs in the rear bank will be removed from the passenger side - you may want to lay down a fender cover or cotton towel if you have a belt buckle or shirt buttons. This is the first one.
Feel down to get an idea of where the other two COPs are, and unplug the electrical connectors. The third connector can be easily accessed from the driver's side, from under the EGR valve.
Use your 8 mm wrench to remove all the COP mounting bolts and set them aside - you will need to have all three COPs removed at once, unlike the ones in front. You will have to do a lot of feeling around. With the first COP pulled up against the bottom of the intake manifold, it needs to be bent towards the driver's side, then pivoted towards the rear of the car to clear the intake manifold. Once the coil pack is out, the boot will flex and pull out. Drop your spark plug socket (without any extension) into the hole, then drop the 4" extension in. DO NOT click the two together. Use your ratchet to loosen the old spark plug, again without clicking the ratchet onto the extension. You may need the 1/2" to 3/8" adapter for that little bit of extra reach - that can be clicked onto the ratchet. Fully unscrew the spark plug by hand, and then take out just the extension. Use your magnetic snake to grab the spark plug socket, and again to get the old spark plug. Gap, grease, and apply antiseize to a new plug and screw it in by hand - use the same method as before by dropping in the tools one by one. Now a small torque wrench will come in handy, as my smallest one was still too long to work in this space. From working on small engines, I know what force to apply to get 10 ft-lbs of torque fairly consistently, so I "cheated". Once it is torqued in, stuff a shop towel into the hole to prevent debris from falling in. Do not reinstall the COP yet.
The middle plug comes out by rotating the COP so that the electrical connector faces the rear, then pulling it up and bending it towards the passenger side. This is why the first COP could not go back in, as the second COP needs this room to come out. Install the new spark plug as above and stuff the hole with a shop towel. The last COP is the trickiest one. It will come out in the same way as the middle COP, but you need to make sure the wiring is out of the way in order to both rotate and pull out the COP. Install the new spark plug and put all three COPs back in, starting with the driver's side and moving towards the passenger's side. Spray grease inside the boots and use grease on the boot lip as with the front bank. I sprayed white grease on the COP side of the electrical connector, as I could not reach the engine side. Reverse the steps and rotations involved in getting them out. Use your 8 mm wrench to reinstall the mounting bolts, and put the electrical connectors back on. Before replacing the engine cover, clean and lubricate the throttle and cruise control cables with a dry lubricant.
The plugs that came out looked really good. The whole job took me three hours, including taking pictures, taking notes, and a lot of trial-and-error with the rear COPs. If I had to do this again, I could probably complete the job in 1-1.5 hours.
