Warning: Rant Ahead...
So it's time to renew our car's registration. DMV says it needs a smog check first, for the first time for us since buying it used with 50K on it a couple years ago. OK, I know the routine: new spark plugs, new air filter, make sure the MAP is clean, clean the throttle body and butterfly. clean the PCV valve and filter, good to go. Been here, done this before to many other cars and trucks.
9:00AM at the auto parts store to get new spark plugs and air filter. Back at teh house, I remove the first sparkplug (it was a little loose)(bad omen) and take a look at it and the new plugs. The terminal at the top is small on the old plug, new plugs have the larger type terminal, which usually screws off so it can be used either way. But the new plugs do not have the screw off type terminal, so I have to take them back to the store and exchange for the right ones.
So I replace all the plugs on the left side (V6 engine), all small terminal like I took out and button it up. Moving to the right side, I unscrew the back plug, (it was also loose), I take a look at it and it has the large terminal on it!
The middle plug comes out, also large terminal. WTF? I take the coil + cap assemblies out into the light and see that the spark plugs are supposed to be the large terminal type!!!
So somebody replaced the plugs at sometime prior and really messed it up. 50/50 mix of terminals and none properly tightened. Amazing the car ran good all this time.
Now the bad part! The front plug on the right side was never fully tightened...so now carbon has worked its way up into the threads and the sparkplug will only turn 1/4 turn max before locking up. Removing the plug could ruin the threads in the cylinder head, due to the deep in the engine thspark plug location, the engine will have to dissassembled / cylinder head removed to fix the threads.
So it is soaking in penetrating oil and carb cleaner now...maybe it will come out, maybe not. Has to come out sometime, needs to come out now.
I hoped to have the whiole job, including smog check, done by noon.
Some butt head who did crappy work 2-3 years ago has made for a tough day for me, final outcome still unknown. Grrrrrrrrr....
It's 2:00, I am gonna go eat. Then back at it.
Rant off.
