Changing Plugs - '93 JGC V-8

Hi Bill -

I can see the injectors between the valve cover and the intake manifold. These are definitely the plug wires coming from the distributor, and going between the valve covers and the exhaust manifold. I could e-mail you a picture if you want.

Dick

That is not a 1957 318". I don't even have to look in the book for that one.

Earle

Let's see:

Check gap - 1min Pull old plug - 5 min Install new plug - 4 min

Total 10 min/plug avg. X 8 plugs = 80 min. Labor rate in my parts $50-70/hr, so $60 bucks for labor sounds reasonable to me.

I doubt you will be able to do the job yourself in under an hour on an I6 let alone the V8 if you haven't done it in 40 years. And that is without losing 20 minutes trying to find the damn spark plug wrench that should be right there in the tool box that your neighbor "borrowed" 2 years ago, dropping any wrenches or plugs into god-awful places where the sun never shines such as skid pans or those "metal sleeves" you mention, no beer/butt breaks, no time lost trying to locate the aft plugs or removing shrouds and chunks of engine that don't even look familiar because they weren't around

40 years ago, and no breaks to stop for bleeding/first aid. I can't even change a fuse any more without 2 days of back pain!

Must be the fancy gloves!

Bill,

Actually, the proliferation of hoses gave it away more than the valve covers. I believe that the transition to the new small block design was

1966, give or take a year.

Earle

http://www.hemm> >

The "new" 318 came out in 1967

http://www.hemm>> >

The metal sleeves are heat shielding and keep the plug wires from move it side to side. You should have changed the plugs every 30K (my opinion). You need to get a new set of wires, distributor cap and a rotor too. Just wiggle the wire until it comes free, use a plug wrench with several extensions and universal joints. If they are OEM plugs they will be a bastard to remove the factory always over tightens them, you might even break the porcelain but no biggy.

Thanks. Everything was changed at the Jeep dealer at 64,000. A little past the 60,000 mile point. At 90,000, only the plugs and air cleaner are scheduled for change. The next major replacement point is

120,000 miles. Do you know if the metal sleeves can stay in place when you remove the plugs?

Dick

Except for being a little late sometimes, I have had everything required by the maintenance schedule done as specified. I did use an ASE certified transmission shop for the transmission, transfer case and differentials at 30K and 65K as they were about 20% cheaper than the Jeep dealer. Other than that, all maintenance has been done at the Jeep dealer. I figure this Jeep has to last as long as I do, so I better take care of it. :-)

Dick