Spark Plugs in a 2003 Astro

[chemist]

I know that folks change their plugs through their wheel wells. I just had a frustrating experience with that. I get the van jacked up, pull a wheel, pull back the plastic cover and can only get at the plug in the front of the motor... It seems GM heard about that trick and fixed it to make it harder on the little guy...





Anybody else do plugs on an 03 or late model that experienced this? How did you change 'em?

[mikedamech]

Aloha, I use a swivel spark plug socket, not a swivel and a socket. or in the drivers side where the swivel and a 24" extension won't work I lay on my back and reach it from under with a 3" extension.

[ihatemybike]

Here's a write up I did earlier.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2019&p=20259&hilit= ... nch#p20259

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I moved the write-up to the "General Procedures" section.

[Rebel]

It seems GM heard about that trick and fixed it to make it harder on the little guy...

Yep..don't take um long does it ?

After installing headers I found that cutting about 1/4" off the plug socket I could pretty well get to them all from dog house area. Did have to dimple tube on number 6.

[kings-x59]

I do the drivers side from underneath the van ( up on ramps ), and the passenger side through the dog house. Swivel spark plug socket ya say? might have'ta get me one of those. The tools I've collected working on my 'stro are worth 2 or 3 times what the van is...this is an astrocrak addiction isn't it.

[chemist]

Did anyone happen to look at the photos I took? It's the flikr links in my original post. They show that Chevy now has some metal block were your back 2 plugs are, and they are no longer visible from the wheel well. Only the plug on the front of the motor can be seen. So now what can I do?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Those are the ones you have to do by feel! My 98 also has that steel in the way. The 2" body lift makes it a piece of cake to do plugs and wires.

[dunedog]

The 2" body lift makes it a piece of cake to do plugs and wires.

another good reason for a 2" lift

[niagaradood]

changing plugs were a piece of cake on the 93 Astros, but the 98 I have not, not so much.. last plug change was done by Midas in Welland, ON, and it cost me $75, I supplied the plugs. I did the wires, the shop did the plugs.. by having the shop do it, I managed to save a lot of knuckle skin that could be used somewhere else.. lol