2002 Impala plugs, 178K miles

[PF52]

These were the original plugs in my parent's Impala. I'm certain they were original; my dad was never one to make what he considered "unnecessary expenditures" on a car that is already running and driving just fine. In his mind, a car that needed periodic maintenance (translation: $$$$$$) was a car that was a piece of junk. Anyway, the car is now my backup and even though its rusty and has a few scrapes and dings, it needs to be reliable. So I decided to treat it to new plugs and wires. And I couldn't resist the opportunity to pose one for the macro lens.

I'm surprised the car had Iridium plugs in it. Rock Auto also lists regular copper plugs for the 3400 but I don't know which cars would have used them. This is a base model Impala and like I said, it had Iridiums.

I've seen worse. All six looked a lot alike, although it was just the three front ones with all that oil on the threads. I think I'll replace just that one VC gasket too, while I'm there. The rear one doesn't seem to leak.

 

[zzyzzx]

Did you have any trouble getting them out? My daily driver is a 1999 Alero 3400 engine and still has the original plugs in it at almost 90K miles. I see more than one spark plug listed for this vehicle and I think they are either single or double platinum.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I hope you installed iridium

 

[John105]

Thanks for sharing. Is the back side hard to get at for the vcg? It really doesn’t seem like the plugs are worn too badly. I felt that way at 118k on the Lexus and 43k on the BMW, both replaced just shy of recommended interval. Felt I could have gone on ok…

 

[PF52]

Did you have any trouble getting them out?

Not really, other than the usual issues involved with reaching the rear bank. I always skin a few knuckles either when I pull the boots, or when the plug loosens and I bang the ratchet into something. Removing some vacuum lines and the plug wires first gains some room.

Yes I used Iridiums. The old ones looked pretty good.... I dunno what they would look like had they been regular copper plugs.

I'm not touching that rear gasket. I am sure it is no picnic.

 

[nascarnation]

Thanks for the info. Makes me even less interested in changing plugs on my 03 Saturn Vue with 160,000. (requires pulling intake manifold to access plugs).

Does the 3400 engine have cast iron or aluminum heads? Thanks.

 

[John105]

Thanks for the info. Makes me even less interested in changing plugs on my 03 Saturn Vue with 160,000. (requires pulling intake manifold to access plugs).

Does the 3400 engine have cast iron or aluminum heads? Thanks.

Confession I have not done the Enclave and have not been looking forward. Same thing, intake manifold must come out. My wife said you can do it mostly based on the cost of a dealer or shop

 

[PF52]

Thanks for the info. Makes me even less interested in changing plugs on my 03 Saturn Vue with 160,000. (requires pulling intake manifold to access plugs).

Does the 3400 engine have cast iron or aluminum heads? Thanks.

Aluminum.

 

[nascarnation]

Aluminum.

Encouraging that they came out ok with no thread issues. I've been way more concerned about stripped plug threads than the difficulty of R&Ring the intake manifold. This car is only accumulating 4000 miles a year so I'll continue to drive it and monitor performance and fuel econ.

 

[PF52]

Encouraging that they came out ok with no thread issues. I've been way more concerned about stripped plug threads than the difficulty of R&Ring the intake manifold. This car is only accumulating 4000 miles a year so I'll continue to drive it and monitor performance and fuel econ.

You'll be fine..... Good luck. Or does yours have the Honda engine? I'm not qualified to comment on those.

I forget to mention all I pulled was the coil pack and module assembly. Some people use a ratchet strap to roll the engine forwards, but I find that with the coil packs out of the way, there's more than enough room.

The older 2.8 and 3.1 MPFI engines were a little different; for those I removed the alternator and reached in there in the space where the alternator came out of.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Thanks for the info. Makes me even less interested in changing plugs on my 03 Saturn Vue with 160,000. (requires pulling intake manifold to access plugs).

Does the 3400 engine have cast iron or aluminum heads? Thanks.

Oh yeah, that Vue will be a lot harder! Do you have the awful Opel 54-degree V6, or is it the Honda motor?

 

[nascarnation]

I have the 54 degree.
It seems to run better than its reputation, at least this one.
It's got comprehensive records from the two previous owners, and other than cam cover gaskets at 90,000 miles there's been no engine work. Apparently never had the oil cooler leak into the coolant and vice versa.
I put a cam belt on it when I got it at 160,000 because the belt had a lot of cracking and I knew it was fatal if it broke.
A guy I used to work with sold it to me for 500 bucks and I'm just using it as a local runabout.

 

[zzyzzx]

I've been way more concerned about stripped plug threads

That is what concerns me as well. On my car those plus have been there since 1998, and never removed.

 

[SHOZ]

My son had 2000 Impala with the 4 cylinder in it. We changed plugs at about 150k and they looked OK. OE went back in. But the coils started to fail and clogged up the cat.