Windstar plugs

[Rick in PA]

OK, so I'm changing the spark plugs on my wife's Windstar (transverse V6). The front three are a breeze. The back three... ugh. I don't want to be the guy going to the service station with "I bought these spark plugs at Pep Boys, and I installed the easy ones, can you do the hard ones?" So I do the back ones.

Take the cowl off, laying over the motor, reaching around the back of the motor to get the spark plugs, can't see where I'm working. Getting the first spark plug out, there's a bolt slowly burning my wrist, ow, ow, ow, got it out. Prep the new plug, go to put it in. Once again there's that bolt slowly burning my wrist, ow, ow, ow, but this time I think "Hey, that's great! I must be in the right spot to get the plug in". The rest of the job went OK.

Just thought I'd share that.

 

[duaneb9729]

Talk about the power of positive thinking!

Good for you taking on a tough job!

 

[beast3300]

Good stuff, try a Aerostar.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
OK, so I'm changing the spark plugs on my wife's Windstar (transverse V6). The front three are a breeze. The back three... ugh. I don't want to be the guy going to the service station with "I bought these spark plugs at Pep Boys, and I installed the easy ones, can you do the hard ones?" So I do the back ones.

Take the cowl off, laying over the motor, reaching around the back of the motor to get the spark plugs, can't see where I'm working. Getting the first spark plug out, there's a bolt slowly burning my wrist, ow, ow, ow, got it out. Prep the new plug, go to put it in. Once again there's that bolt slowly burning my wrist, ow, ow, ow, but this time I think "Hey, that's great! I must be in the right spot to get the plug in". The rest of the job went OK.

Just thought I'd share that.

I did just that.
The E430 has a total 16 plugs, V5 with 2 plugs per cylinder, the 8 plugs on the driver side is easy to do, the 8 plugs on the passenger side was PITA because of may tubes on top are needed to be removed.

I asked my mechanic, he said the total labor was $120 for 2 hours work but if I do the 8 plugs on the driver side then he would charge $70 for the 8 plugs on passenger side. It took me 1.5-2.0 hours to do the driver side to save $50, it should be 1 hour or less for them to do it.

 

[kkreit01]

Sounds fun. In about 20K, I'll have to tackle the 16 on my Hemi. I've read it's about 3-4 hrs for the first-time DIYer. I think I can...I think I can.

 

[occupant]

I remember at age sixteen, sitting on the fender of my 1965 Biscayne, changing the plugs and wires out one by one. I was bent over quite a bit because I didn't take the hood off or anything, but there was ALL SORTS of room in there with the narrow 230cid straight six, no air, no power steering, no nothing. But it still ran like dog poo when I was done because I didn't do anything with the points. Didn't even know what points were!

 

[ethangsmith]

Wow. I guess I'm spoiled with my Capri especially. I can stand in the engine bay and work on the engine. No bending over required! 4 spark plugs on the 2.3L are maybe like half an hour to do- and that's if I have to let the engine cool down for 10 minutes!

 

[RWEST]

Dad had a '69 Torino Cobra-Jet with the 428 engine. Changing plugs was an all-day job.

Same thing with brother Brad's 427 '67 Mustang.

Glad those days are over...