Ford must hate us

[snake]

Just rolled 100K on my truck (4.slow) and decided to do a tune-up. Bought all motorcraft OE stuff. Got the driver's side in about 30 minutes, wires and plugs, and then I moved over to the passenger side. Holy s*** batman! I spent at least an hour per plug. This is the worst vehicle I have ever worked on for plug accessability. I'm cut up, beat up, beat down, my back hurts, and I lost my religeon. But I got 'er done... I guarantee the factory had the plugs and wires on before they dropped that bitch into place. Anyone else had the pleasure?

 

[Grey_04]

sounds a lot like the old 8 plug 4 cyl... the driver side was similar.....

 

[97ranger19]

1997 4.0 is exactly the same thing took me about an hour just for the passenger side on doing plugs and wires driver side like 20 minutes wtf lol

 

[straycat]

Pain in the butt all right. I had to swap out plugs as well earlier this year!!! What a nightmare!!!! Wht is up with the reason of the weird plug wire routing?????

 

[Tedybear]

Most of the time they (all makers...not just ford) cram so much stuff on top it's darn near impossible to even get a finger to touch a plug wire.

I've done so many 'tune up's using either a rack and reaching UP around the exhaust manifold....or pealing back the inner fender protector and reaching through the wheel area.

Then I get to work on our '75 F250. I can darn near drop a chair into the engine compartment, kick up my heals...and replace anything on either side LOL.

S-

 

[dasfinc]

I'm a bit confused....

Why didn't you just lift the nose up a little, and pull off the fender well shroud and tire? With the shroud off, it takes 30 seconds or so per Plug... I leave the shroud off of my V-8 swapped summer/street truck just for this reason.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, pull the wheel. It makes it so much easier. Most people just don't think about it.

 

[xkotyx]

sounds a lot like the old 8 plug 4 cyl... the driver side was similar.....

x2

 

[snake]

I pulled the wheel and tried to work through the rubber flappy around the upper control arm. Didn't think about yanking out the fender liner thingy- silly me... I guess I'll know better next time.

 

[Ranger44]

I'm about to attempt plugs on my SOHC, things for the tips.

 

[88_Eddie]

I'm about to attempt plugs on my SOHC, things for the tips.

the sohc is way worse. have one in my 2000 explorer. had to take off the drivers side tire and go through the wheel well for the back 2. pain in the ASS.

 

[kevinsranger]

my 94 4.0 was cake, but i think it may be due to the body lift cuz i had no problems whatsoever from the top

 

[alyssasdaddy]

Just did my 4.0 SHOC the damn heater and a/c stuff is in the way.. I have headers as well don't know if that makes it easier or harder but they were a PITA only the back two on the pass side.

Made a new tool while doing works great, Good thing cheap ratchets bend easy under heat. I went out to grab the ratchet and take a pic but i could not find it.. I know i saved it for next time i am sure i will end up making a new one.

 

[AllanD]

All you whiners have obviously never owned a big block Chevelle...

Want fun changing spark plugs?

BWhahahahahaha...

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[MountainMike]

my 94 4.0 was cake, but i think it may be due to the body lift cuz i had no problems whatsoever from the top

^This^