Engine Help!!!

[JHill9]

Thanks everyone for your help. I am picking up a better jack and some jack stands tonight. I tried using the Jack that is in the truck but that was a pain in the butt to use. It also doesn't look like the one in the picture from the owners manual.

I am hoping to do all the work tonight since I have some time to kill. If you had to guess how much time would all this take to change the plugs (I already have AB wires) and O2 sensors for a beginer? 3hrs?

Also, I was planning on changing the oil. Opps, I mean I was planning on taking it somewhere to get the oil changed. If I already have it up on jack stands to change the O2 sensors is it easy enough to change the oil while I am under there?

 

[RTTTTed]

Do the oil change yourself too - No point in paying someone else to wait for the oil to drain out. (11qt?).

3 hours sounds about right. Only 4 bolts to the heater box top, remember to grab the wires just above the plugs. Pull on the ends, not the wires. Gap the plugs before instal.

Ted

 

[JHill9]

Heater box top the same as the Air box?

 

[RTTTTed]

LOL, ... if you look at the passenger side of the engine you'll notice that not only can't you see the plugs, but you can't get you hand in there, nevermind hold a socket and rachet. The airbox is above the radiator and nowhere near the sparkplugs. When you stand on the passenger side of the car with the hood open that is the heaterbox in front of you. The top of the box has a 4" opening that lines up with the hole in the back of the hood. There are 4 11(?) mm bolts holding the top of the heater box on. Remove the 4 bolts (2 minutes) and lift the cover off. There are your rear passenger spark plugs. Piece of cake. Do not overtighten when re-installing as there are not a lot of threads holding.

Ted

 

[RTTTTed]

If you havn't done it yet read all the threads in the Illustrated Upgrades section (for mmebers only). There is a lot of pics there and it'll help you understand various parts of the car. I believe that there is an Ill Up about the heaterbox gasket for $1.29? That would have pics of the heater box top. When you're comfortable a cheap, easy upgrade would be the Roe Racing front fascia scoop. Since you live in Texas it's an excellent upgrade for your car as well. You may be kinda nervous to start, but you'll like working on it soon.

Ted

 

[hou99gts]

The plugs have been changed recently Justin, I wouldn't do it unless you are bored. You'll want to have the car level if you are going to change the oil.

 

[JHill9]

The plugs have been changed recently Justin, I wouldn't do it unless you are bored. You'll want to have the car level if you are going to change the oil.

Thanks Eric. You sure know a lot more about my car than I do. Ha ha. Looks like I will just change out the o2 sensors then.

 

[1TONY1]

Get a fuel pressure gauge and hook it to the schrader (sp?) on the fuel rail then tape it to the windshield. You should be able to buy a cheap fuel pressure gauge at Autozone or similar store. Needs to be able to read to at least 75 psi. The schrader valve looks like a tire valve. You must remove the valve cap and the inner valve stem on the schrader valve using a tire valve removal tool.

You should NOT have to remove the valve to use a fuel pressure gauge. Same as you do not remove the valve in a tire to check the pressure.

LOL, ... if you look at the passenger side of the engine you'll notice that not only can't you see the plugs, but you can't get you hand in there, nevermind hold a socket and rachet. The airbox is above the radiator and nowhere near the sparkplugs. When you stand on the passenger side of the car with the hood open that is the heaterbox in front of you. The top of the box has a 4" opening that lines up with the hole in the back of the hood. There are 4 11(?) mm bolts holding the top of the heater box on. Remove the 4 bolts (2 minutes) and lift the cover off. There are your rear passenger spark plugs. Piece of cake. Do not overtighten when re-installing as there are not a lot of threads holding.

Ted

I think the heater box would be two 10mm and two phillips screws.

 

[RTTTTed]

could have been changed, 4 bolts on mine. You couls pull all the spark plugs, check the color to make sure none are black and re-insert them for practise. Just to say you did?

Justin you could jack up the car, insert jackstands or blocks undo oil plug and filter with drain pan under the car. Remove the jackstands/blocks and lower the car to get the oil out of the pan (plugs in the middle pass side). After oil is out, jack up the car again, reinsert the jackstands/blocks and instal new (mostly prefilled with oil) oil filter and the oil pan plug. Then refill the oil. When car is level and dipstick shows full start engine, run for a couple minutes, shut off engine. After 5 mintues check oil and fill to line.

I think this is just a repeat of the oil change in Illustrated Upgrades?

Ted