Removing #3 spark plug on 98' Blazer. Impossible?

[joe johnson]

you need to place your spark plug socket on the number three plug then take a 1/2 inch box wrech i believe thats the size and inch out the old plug threw the wheel well

[Chris _knowswhathesdoi n]

you guys are all idiots (IMO) no need to remove ANYTHING to get access to #3 plug. do not remove your stearing components, do not remove your left front tire. use a 5/8 univarsal joint, spark plug socket on 2, 12" extensions plus a nother 6" or 12" extension (the last one, a 6", will put you to the edge of the fender, while a 12" will put you out past it. you go in through the rear side of the front tire, near the bottom of the fender, on a slight upwards angle. the extensions will rest on the top of the frame and just clear the stearing to "crack" the spark plug free.***YOU CAN NOT REMOVE THE PLUG FULLY THIS WAY---USE YOUR FINGERS TO REMOVE IT THE REST OF THE WAY. and use your fingers to restart it into the head (you'll be able to pretty much bottom out the plug by hand). slip in the socket and extensions to tighten the plug, and you're good to go. this only takes like 2-3 mins to do. that's the one benifit to having a 4WD truck, access to the hard-to-reach-spots.

[Marshall]

I used a swivel long extension and the shortest spark plug socket, and the number 3 spark plug comes right out. To install a new spark plug, use a long peace of rubber fuel line and put it on the top of the spark plug, and turn it clockwise until it is tight, then use your socket/swivel extension to tighten it, and you are done in no time. Good Luck.

[Chris _knowswhathesdoi n]

hey Marshall, if you need to be told which way to turn your plug to tighten them, then you shouldn't be messing around on a vehicle then.

[morse008]

paulie1967 wrote:

Hello all
Doin tune up on 98' Blazer.#3 spark plug is completely blocked by the steering column. No way to get at itfrom up top or thru the wheel well. anyone have experience with this? thanks in advance.
Paul

'

well in fact if you pull the rubber boot up off the steering coll-um and turn the wheel a bit to the flat side of it and either get the plug[socket in there on it and with the aid of either a flexible extension or a swivel it will fall into your hands ..

[morse008]

well in fact if you pull the rubber boot up off the steering coll-um and turn the wheel a bit to the flat side of it and either get the plug[socket in there on it and with the aid of either a flexible extension or a swivel it will fall into your hands ..

[Jennifer]

Bill wrote:

I did it without removing the steering shaft, but it tool a long time to figure out how. I cut a crescent wrench in half and after removing the left front tire/wheel I placed the spark plug socket over the spark plug and slipped the non-crescent (the circular wrench that is on the opposite end of the crescent wrench which was now only about 4 inches long and had duct tape over the sharp steel edge where I cut/broke it in half and the handle to make an easier and safer to grip tool) circular part of this newly formed tool over the end of the spark plug socket and tapped it counter clockwise from inside the wheel well to loosen it (using a screwdriver and a small hammer from inside the wheel well. Once loosened the spark plug can be removed with your fingers using the spark plug socket. Putting the new plug into the socket and rethreading with my fingers all the way to the point where it needs to be tightened, I reversed the procedure and placed the tool back onto the end of the spark plug socket and used an extension from above to tap on the end of the tool where the duct tape was wrapped from above until it was sufficiently tight. You get a real feel for that process and it works. Did not need to peel back the sleeve on the shaft but it helped to do so, so I did that too. I did this process twice and got real good at it(put in a different brand new set of spark plugs) because I thought that one of the plugs was bad but it turned out that the engine misfire after all plugs and wires had been replaced was due to a faulty new wire.
It does not seem like it can be done but it can. Good luck!!
Bill

I wish I would have read this post about an hour ago! I just got done with this job and it was a pain in the butt... It took forever to get #3 out. Thanks for the awesome post though. I'll def do it your way next time.

[Graham]

Dont use a sparkplug socket - grab a 5/8th in deep socket - without the ratchet or extension connected- slip the socket opening over the end of the plug - then slowly slide the socket at a angle until completely on the plug - then connect your extension and ratchet... when putting plug back in thread by hand first - with the socket already on the plug - then thread, followed with the ratchet to tighten, remove ratchet, then extension, then socket... If taking your time - and not forcing anything - this will speed up the time spent on your next tune up... and no need to even mess with the column

[Chris _knowswhathesdoi n]

why are people still getting hung up on the issue of removing the column? you don't need to do this.
people read all of the comments BEFORE you decide to rehash text already there.

[tommie]

so if i pull the orange boot down then i should be able to remove the spark plugs #3. it was too much of a hassle to try and move it i've never change a spark plug this hard.

[bob]

either way you slice it - 97 blazer sucks nasty dirty ass.

[bob]

i put a 5/8 deep well in there under the tire well but had to remove the tire to be able to angle the socket wrench extensions up to it. I cracked it with the swivel on and backed it out a couple turns then removed the swivel and just inserted the square end of the extension up to the socket without actually inserting to where it clicks. i hand inserted it which was a major bitch all by itself toi get the threads started, then used the extention square parts again at an angle without actually clicking it into the socket. got it tight like that. what fucking idiots designed this truck? i mean ive replaced every part on my and it all was so illogical and almost like it was DESIGNED to disuade you from fixing it yourself. i mean the whole truck design was made by retarded apes it seems like. ive got so much damn money into it i cant justify getting rid of it without feeling like im throwing all my money down the toilet so then something else breaks and its a goddam biotch to fix again. Answer???>>>> BOYCOT CHEVROLET FOREVER after i finally get rid of this piece of shit monstrocity. bye bye chevrolet i hope you rot in hell you sorry opieces of shit!:) hello anyone-but-chevy :)

[Chris _knowswhathesdoi n]

then why the hell did you buy your shitbox in the 1st place, bob from Asheville, NC? i've owned about 5 or 6 1st generation "S" series trucks, and currently have a '99 S10 Blazer, and have never had as much issue with them as you seem to. ever think you might have bought a lemon? did you buy it used? that could go along way with how the truck was maintained before you. don't write off a product 'cause you got taken with a heap!
and EVERY vehicle out there now, is built to disuade you from working on them. i can sit beside the engine, under the hood of my 2nd generation Chevy p/u. try doing that with one built today. don't be such a tool, if you don't like working on it, pay a mechanic to fix it, or get rid of it. regardless of how much of a money pit it may be, is it really worth the head ache you seem to have with it?