Just did my 200K sparkplug change
November 25th, 2015, 2:23 PM
#1
Just did my 200K sparkplug change
My 07 Tahoe was just about to hit 200K, 199,983 to be exact. So I went ahead and did the sparkplug and wire change today. This was my first time doing this myself, the dealer did my 100K tune up. So I had been watching youtube vids on how to change out the plugs and wires, ESPECIALLY the dreaded #8 plug. I decided to attack the #8 plug and get it out of the way first. Took me 20 mins to get it out, but I had to be a bit of a contortionist to do so. I had one knee on top of my passenger headlight and the other knee on top of something over the grill area, it held me up so I went with it, lol. I had an even more awesome (sarcasm) time trying to put the new #8 plug back in. To get #8 out I used my 5/8 sparkplug socket with a 1.5 3/8" extension and my 3/8 socket wrench, and it gave me enough reach and room to remove and replace the #8 plug.
The back of my left had is swollen and bruised, lol. After some time I managed to find the sweet spot and tightened it down. I also had an awesome (more sarcasm) trying to put the new plug wire on the #8 plug. My gripe is that I wish AC Delco made the rubber boot a bit more stiffer and not so squishy, I wasn't able to really feel the boot "pop" onto the sparkplug. It just didn't feel right. Plus there is no room to give a good push on the #8 wire. So I kept fighting with it, pulling the wire back off and trying to put it back on in order to feel/hear the "pop". But it just didn't happen.
So then I moved on to the other 7 plugs and plug wires. The others weren't a bear like the #8, but I managed ok. I may have had an easier time if my stupid step stool would slip out from under my feet as I leaned over to reach in the engine bay. After I finished the odd numbered plug side, I still had not started on the even numbered side, and since my OCD was going off about whether or not I got the plug wires completely onto the sparkplug, I went ahead and started the car, and it idled fine, no CEL, so I assume all was well on the odd numbered side.
All be told it took me a little less than 3 hours, and that's just b/c I was fighting my OCD and double, triple, and quadruple checking each plug wire connection. Afterwards I took a about a 50 mile test drive, all seems well. No issues at idle or WOT, no stuttering, nothing.
I spent about $67 on the plug wires (748RR) and $43 on the spark plugs (41-110), and there a $2 rebate per AC Delco iridium professional sparkplug, so total including rebate of ~$94. If I remembered correctly I paid a little over $500 (parts and labor) to the dealer for the tune up @ 100K. So I figured I saved myself about $400 dollars doing this myself. *fist pump*
Good luck to anyone who will be tackling this tune up!
Here are a few pics of the old plugs:
The back of my left had is swollen and bruised, lol. After some time I managed to find the sweet spot and tightened it down. I also had an awesome (more sarcasm) trying to put the new plug wire on the #8 plug. My gripe is that I wish AC Delco made the rubber boot a bit more stiffer and not so squishy, I wasn't able to really feel the boot "pop" onto the sparkplug. It just didn't feel right. Plus there is no room to give a good push on the #8 wire. So I kept fighting with it, pulling the wire back off and trying to put it back on in order to feel/hear the "pop". But it just didn't happen.
So then I moved on to the other 7 plugs and plug wires. The others weren't a bear like the #8, but I managed ok. I may have had an easier time if my stupid step stool would slip out from under my feet as I leaned over to reach in the engine bay. After I finished the odd numbered plug side, I still had not started on the even numbered side, and since my OCD was going off about whether or not I got the plug wires completely onto the sparkplug, I went ahead and started the car, and it idled fine, no CEL, so I assume all was well on the odd numbered side.
All be told it took me a little less than 3 hours, and that's just b/c I was fighting my OCD and double, triple, and quadruple checking each plug wire connection. Afterwards I took a about a 50 mile test drive, all seems well. No issues at idle or WOT, no stuttering, nothing.
I spent about $67 on the plug wires (748RR) and $43 on the spark plugs (41-110), and there a $2 rebate per AC Delco iridium professional sparkplug, so total including rebate of ~$94. If I remembered correctly I paid a little over $500 (parts and labor) to the dealer for the tune up @ 100K. So I figured I saved myself about $400 dollars doing this myself. *fist pump*
Good luck to anyone who will be tackling this tune up!
Here are a few pics of the old plugs:
Last edited by Typerod; November 25th, 2015 at 2:59 PM.
November 25th, 2015, 2:29 PM
#2
I forgot to mention, I didn't use the silicone paste that came with the new plugs b/c I didn't even know it was there until I was done and putting the old plugs into that box, lol. Should I use it? If so how do I apply it? Put some on the outside edge of the coil pack and just slip on the wire? TIA!
November 25th, 2015, 9:22 PM
#3
Administrator
It will make the next replacement of the plug wires a lot easier if you use the silicone.
Personally I put it on the inside of the the boot on each end. The plug end is the one that really needs it as w/o it, the boot wants to become one w/ the plug.
Personally I put it on the inside of the the boot on each end. The plug end is the one that really needs it as w/o it, the boot wants to become one w/ the plug.
November 26th, 2015, 1:54 PM
#4
Aww mannnnnn! lol! I'll probably put the grease on in a week or two, I'm super sore right now from yesterday's Tahoe work, lol!
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November 30th, 2015, 7:50 AM
#8
Here is the write up I did on my 100k , I did #8 through the wheel well
https://chevroletforum.com/forum/tah...07-5-3l-63215/
https://chevroletforum.com/forum/tah...07-5-3l-63215/
