What sparkplugs to you guys & gals recommend for a 2007 Uplander?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

I plan on replacing the plugs with the same thing that came in the van from the factory.
They seem to hold up well and because of the difficulty in changing the plugs I don't feel like "experimenting" ....

 

PB's advice is probably best. Since Walmart's have Autolite (AP or APP 606) plugs w/ a factory rebate thru Nov '11, and I haven't found the original plugs (AC Delco I think) locally at a reasnable price, I will try the APP's. I haven't yet gotten the courage or time to do them; the rear bank, whether to winch the engine forward or to remove part of the rear exhaust manifold to gain access. Nobody has yet reported an easier way to get to the rear plugs. I could pay a local shop to do them...but I'd rather do it. Two local shops I obtained estimates from advised us to wait until 100K miles; our '08 currently has 62K.

 

This is the first vehicle I let someone else change the plugs on....even then, my friend's dad, a long time mechanic and Chevy enthusiast had nothing good to say about changing them. Even ratcheting the engine forward, he said it did little good to reach and change the plugs w/o "busting knuckles".

If I were you, I'd change the wires as well as this engine doesn't use coil packs. I bought the plugs/wires at a Union Auto which is an AC Delco parts dealer and used factory parts...

 

As a mechanic with 27 years experience...I'll never install Autolite plugs in my vehicle. Been burned too many times with faulty plugs.

Just my opinion.

 

NGK, and yes its a pain to install them!

 

Last week I took my purchased set of Autolite APP606 plugs back to Walmart for full refund, because I found that my 08 Uplander came OEM from Chevy with the Pt-Iridium AC-Delco 41-100 spark plugs, which are both more efficient and longer lasting than any double platinum plug that Autolite makes. Currently there's 64K miles (the U.S. statute mile of 5280 ft with 640 acres per square mile, for our Canadian friends) on our Uplander. The Delco 41-100's have a minimum recommended life of 100,000 miles, and the one I removed for a quick inspection still looked brand new, so another 40K miles for them. It is certainly peculiar (or sad, depending on how you think about it) that all of this nation's Walmart store handbooks and computers say to use the Autolite APP606 plugs...I wonder if they simply picked plug numbers out of a hat. I compared the APP606's to the Delco 41-100 with my Starrett caliper and their physical reaches and electrode diameters are completely different. Even if I'd have to buy the Delco's later at full price, I'm still saving money and labor with them since they last that much longer. Maybe the older Uplanders used that equiv APP606, but I own an 08 so I don't care if they did.

 

Id stick with the stock iridium AC Delco plugs, they are not only designed for the motor but they are good for 100,000 miles. Excellent plugs. All the other cool hip plugs ulness you have a boosted ignition system are just for product bragging rights really, they just look cool, & no one ever sees them, lol.

 

I recommend you stick with AC DELCO! all of the others are garbage, I also recommend you DO NOT pull the motor forward or drop it. What I did was Lifted the front of the vehicle, got a creeper and crawled under neath and accessed the back ones that way. I did not remove anything except the old plugs. You DO NOT have to remove the exhaust. Mind you if you have the 3.9 I'm not exactly sure what you would expect. I imagine it would be slightly different. BTW the plugs DO NOT come pre gapped like we are told, triple check the gaps! hope I helped. BigD

 

Several knowledgeable mechanics advised me that if one has to readjust gap on an Iridium or Platinum plated plug, do it carefully because the coating is thin and can be damaged by the gapping tool.