Doing my first "on my own" Tuneup... Got questions...

[Need4Camaro]

I'm talking everything from plugs/wires to the bank 2 O2 sensor on the passenger side under the manifold. I'm not changing the ignition coilpacks or the other O2 sensors. Ignition Coils are relatively new. The O2's are to expensive but I have to replace my passenger side one because it's throwing a code.

What I'm asking is what am I going to need to do all of this? Can I perform this on jacks or should I invest in ramps? Are there ANY kind of SPECIAL ramps I must use? I ask this because our cars are low and I also have ground effects. What am I going to need to get all the plugs out? What kind of plugs/wires should I buy? how about that O2 sensor, where exactly and how will it come out? Will I need to buy heatsheathing and boot protectors for my wires? I really don't even know what they look like or where to buy them. I could use some help, apparently... gimme some shouts for oppinions, thanks all!

[BLLDOGG]

ok, first parts. MSD 8mm or 8.5mm wires are a good investment. NGK plugs are dang good but not needed. just get stockers from oreilly's or something. also, get stock replacement O2s from the dealer if you can cause they are the best you can get. stuff at orielly's that i have heard from people with the experiance that they dont last as long. also, buy too cause if one is throwing a code. the other will follow shortly. ramps...rhino ramps work good for our cars and they are cheap at wlamart. like less than 20 bucks. and some tire stops too for safty. [img]smile.gif[/img] removing the wires only takes time and patience. the plugs are fairly easy but still a PITA and takes some time. you will need i believe a 5/8 spark plug socket from somewhere like oreilly's or autozone. if you cant tell, i get my **** at oreilly's [img]tongue.gif[/img] removing the sensors only take the right size open end wrench. they have sensor sockets but those arent worth the extra money to buy them. all it is a a long socket with a slit for the wires to come out the side. or something like that. i think thats it. i'll edit if i think of something else

EDIT: since you have stock manifolds, and heat shields, you shouldnt need wire covers as long as you route them the right way, a.k.a. the stock way

[98_birdman]

Using ramps with our cars you need to stick some boards in front of the ramp and drive onto them first...or you'll just push the ramps forward

[Loochy88]

depending on how low your car is you may not be able to find very many jacks that fit under it. you can drive up on a piece of wood (one under each front tire) and then jack up the car, make sure its there on the way down. if you dont want to do that you can use the scissors jack. use jack stands of course afterwards, dont get under there with just a jack, and chock the rear wheels. if you can find ramps that will fit under the car with gfx let me know!

they sell special tools for spark plug removal at autozone. they are just a big socket with a slit down the side for the wires, but they work wonders. depending how tight its in there, you may even need a breaker bar. of course, if youre going to be doing any work on the car you should probably have one.

[tWiStEdBird]

When doing a tune up dont go cheap on anything. Buy the best of everything. And Jack stands are the way to go.

[99W68Firebird]

yea, took my mechanic 6 hours to do a tuneup on my car, but he also had to run places to get parts cuz my coil was bad, but yea with those stock manifolds its sooo hard to get to, now that i got headers you can actually see every spark plug boot over the spark plug.. soo much neater

[ellik]

Having put in new O2 sensors not too long ago, fair warning the passenger side is a real *****. Not too bad putting the sensor in, its getting the wire reconnected. Sensor goes in from the bottom, connect the wire from the top.

Id buy a decent set of jack stands. Its all you really need, and you'll find them really useful in the future.

[Die Ford V8]

Yeah definitely DO NOT GO UNDER YOUR CAR WITHOUT JACKSTANDS!!!!.

A few people I know have lost some friends that way. NOT THE WAY TO DIE. Anyways. Go to Walmart. they have two 2ton jackstands for $8 and obviously they couldnt sell them if they were faulty. Anyways I bought four and have used them for months now. they are light. easy to set up and most of all CHEAP!!!.

plugs you may need some special tools and wires will be easy, but time consuming. just make sure you have wire looms on the wires and that they are away from teh exhaust manifolds. zip tie the looms away from the manifolds. your car will run better when the wires arent burning up.

as far as o2s go. I replaced mine with an open end wrench. no sense in buying tools you will only use once if you are careful. and if you have to get that tool. borrow one from a mechanic or from schucks. also dont pay to get your car scanned either, go to schucks or autozone.

i have been a cheapskate with my car and have only paid for oil changes and a shift kit to be put in. and i have 154,000+ miles. i have done shocks, springs, wires, alt, battery, fuel filter, air filter, exhaust, and many other things to my car. if I were to have paid a mechanic to do these things i would have paid probably thousands. AND the funny thing is all except for wires I have never done before. this forum and my love to work on cars have saved me money. oops sorry for the long post anyways good luck

http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...d=188&pcid=104

best for your money

http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...ories&pcid=102

get what if required for your car.

[Need4Camaro]

Okay so let me get things straight.

Spark Plugs - Go Stock?

Wires - 8mm Taylors? (Can I find these at Autozone, if not will ANY 8mm wire for our engines work in this case?)

O2's - Go to dealer?

Lifting Method - Two 2ton Jacks?

Oh yeah, at what gap do I set the plugs? and what special tools will I need to take them out? The 5/8 Open end wrench will work on our O2's? This maybe alittle demanding but can someone throw my a picture of where I might find those O2's cuzz I'm still alittle lost, and how would you reconnect the wires from the top of the engine?

[ellik]

Plugs: NGK TR-55's I believe Advance sells them. not sure about Autozone. Most likely they can order them for you.

Changing the plugs w/ the stock log manifolds are going to be a *****. Take your time and Good luck.

Quite often Advance or Lowes or Wal Mart will sell a pair of jack stands and a little hydraulic floor jack together for like $25 The little floor jack is definately worth it. Once you gt one, you will throw away any of those ****ty scissor jacks or whatever you might have.

If your staring at you engine bay, follow the manifold as it heads back and down to the Y-pipe. The bung is just before the Y-pipe. On the passenger side, the wiring for the O2 comes out of the wiring harness and the connecter is almost directly behind the rear engine hoist bracket. I could just barley reach it from underneath to pop the little tab and pull the connecter apart, but no way could I get the new one plugged in from below. I had to kinda half climb ontop of my engine bay and try to work around that bracket to get it connected.
It'll be dark by the time I get home, but will try to get a pic and post it.

[ November 12, 2004, 10:59 AM: Message edited by: ellik ]

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

i would do both 02 sensors........

[Need4Camaro]

Originally posted by viper04af:
i would do both 02 sensors........

I would if they costed less than $80 a piece, I don't have enough for them and Thanksgiving I have to have enough to go to Florida.

What do I gap the plugs at? I don't have a manual.

I just realised those plugs cost $9.99, thats ganna be $60!! any cheaper but worth it?

[ November 12, 2004, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Need4Camaro ]

[asdf1234]

At thunder racing i bought 6 NGK TR6's for like 2 bucks a pop.

[ARTFART]

Originally posted by asdf1234:
At thunder racing i bought 6 NGK TR6's for like 2 bucks a pop.

That's where I got my plugs from :cool:

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by Need4Camaro:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by viper04af:
i would do both 02 sensors........

I would if they costed less than $80 a piece, I don't have enough for them and Thanksgiving I have to have enough to go to Florida.

What do I gap the plugs at? I don't have a manual.

I just realised those plugs cost $9.99, thats ganna be $60!! any cheaper but worth it? </font>[/QUOTE]O2 = 50 bucks it you get bosch

gap plugs at .60 like it says on the sticker in the motor bay