Spark Plugs

[anupaum]

I thought, "Only 6 plugs? This should be easy!"

Ha! It isn't . . .

I have a 2004 Sport Trac with the 4 liter V6. I thought changing 8 plugs in my 2.3 liter Ranger was bad, but this is ridiculous! I can't even get my hands in there to pull the wire boots, and there is NO WAY I can reach the #3 cylinder.

Maybe if I pulled the wheels off and removed the fender skirts I couild get to most of them . . .

Good grief, it's a tight fit in there! This is almost as bad as my 1975 V8 Monza, which required loosening the engine mounts and jacking the engine up by the pan in order to reach the plugs.

How do the rest of you do this?

 

[RonD]

Never tried changing plugs on a 2004 Sport Trac, but have had a few cars that were similar.
I did end up drilling a large hole in the inner fender to get access.
Just as a heads up, find a hole plug that's the right size FIRST, then cut the correct size hole for that plug, on my first I drill the hole then looked for a plug, lol, as you might guess that was bass-ackwards.

And don't skimp on the size of the hole, 1" larger won't matter in looks but will in easy access.

I have also read of people hitting the wrecking yards to get inner fenders, then cut out larger section since they have a spare they can cut larger to fasten over the cut out.

 

[anupaum]

Apparently, it's a burnt valve in the #5 cylinder . . .

 

[JohnnyO]

I've had two Sport Tracs, an '05 and now my '08, and changed plugs on both of them. The left side is easy. On the right side, the first one is easy. The best way to get the middle and rear plugs is to jack it up and take the wheel off and go in through the fenderwell. I didn't think it was hard at all if you do that. It was actually easier just using the ratchet and socket with no extension or u-joint or anything else.