ClassFAirspace
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- Joined
- Mar 16, 2025
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There's plenty of horror stories online about this particular spark plug and wire on the passenger side. While it is indeed cramped on the passenger side of the engine, I just wanted to put the info out there for anyone who has a plug and wires job coming up that you only need one adapter to remove this plug. Yes, just one: A 4 inch long swivel adapter for 5/8 spark plugs, preferably magnetic. Any 3/8 drive ratchet or torque wrench will work, I tested with both a long 24 inch Kobalt ratchet to have some leverage to break the plug free initially and then switched to a Pittsburgh dual-flex ratchet for more flexibility around the hoses. There is around 5 inches of room by the #8 plug, so no room for additional adapters nor are they needed.
See pictures below:
There is talk about removing the wheel well liner on the passenger side to have direct access to the plug. I tried looking under the car to see how much better access would be than over the top, as on this hot summer day in Texas laying on top of the engine to turn the ratchet was resulting in some sun burn.
As I shrimped myself below the car, feet first going in so you are facing the appropriate way, I found even without the car jacked up or the wheel removed there is plenty of flex in the wheel well liner to just pull it back and stick your head in there to see what's going on. See pictures below:
By peeling that liner back at the opening, it created a large gap and I was able to stick my head in there. I used that to access the boot for spark plug #8. I tied a long zip tie around the metal portion and gave it a good yank to break it free. For all of the other 7 plugs, you can just use a set of long handle hose pliers to break them free.
As you can see, there's no need to remove the wheel/liner or even jack the car up. User preference whether you want to do it above or below the vehicle. Above the vehicle requires you to lay on top of the engine for a little bit and you'll be feeding in the socket and wires blind during re-install. Below the vehicle gives better sight, but you'll be popping your head in and out of the gap to go from placing the socket/wire boot on to actuating the ratchet with only your arm in there. Speaking of the wire boots, if you buy the AC Delco spark plug wires it looks like there's no need to add dielectric grease as it comes pre-installed already and the factory ones came off without any damage as well from the old grease.
Lastly, here's some pictures I took of the old vs new plugs and some shots inside the cylinder walls while I had plugs open. Looks like I'll need to start dumping some Redline or Techron in to clean up carbon on the pistons, but otherwise the cylinder walls look pretty good for 145k miles.
This was completed on a 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV with 6.2 L engine, but will work for any large GM SUV of the same generation. Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe, XL or ESV, 5.3 or 6.2, doesn't matter as long as it was from 2015-2020.
Hopefully this info gives some of you fellow DIY home mechanics the confidence to tackle this job and save some big money doing it yourself.
See pictures below:
There is talk about removing the wheel well liner on the passenger side to have direct access to the plug. I tried looking under the car to see how much better access would be than over the top, as on this hot summer day in Texas laying on top of the engine to turn the ratchet was resulting in some sun burn.
As I shrimped myself below the car, feet first going in so you are facing the appropriate way, I found even without the car jacked up or the wheel removed there is plenty of flex in the wheel well liner to just pull it back and stick your head in there to see what's going on. See pictures below:
By peeling that liner back at the opening, it created a large gap and I was able to stick my head in there. I used that to access the boot for spark plug #8. I tied a long zip tie around the metal portion and gave it a good yank to break it free. For all of the other 7 plugs, you can just use a set of long handle hose pliers to break them free.
As you can see, there's no need to remove the wheel/liner or even jack the car up. User preference whether you want to do it above or below the vehicle. Above the vehicle requires you to lay on top of the engine for a little bit and you'll be feeding in the socket and wires blind during re-install. Below the vehicle gives better sight, but you'll be popping your head in and out of the gap to go from placing the socket/wire boot on to actuating the ratchet with only your arm in there. Speaking of the wire boots, if you buy the AC Delco spark plug wires it looks like there's no need to add dielectric grease as it comes pre-installed already and the factory ones came off without any damage as well from the old grease.
Lastly, here's some pictures I took of the old vs new plugs and some shots inside the cylinder walls while I had plugs open. Looks like I'll need to start dumping some Redline or Techron in to clean up carbon on the pistons, but otherwise the cylinder walls look pretty good for 145k miles.
This was completed on a 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV with 6.2 L engine, but will work for any large GM SUV of the same generation. Suburban, Yukon, Tahoe, XL or ESV, 5.3 or 6.2, doesn't matter as long as it was from 2015-2020.
Hopefully this info gives some of you fellow DIY home mechanics the confidence to tackle this job and save some big money doing it yourself.
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