95 Aerostar - How easy to change plugs, wires, cap, and rotor?
jeff findley
I've got a 95 Aerostar with the 3.0L V6 which has about 60,000 miles
on it. It has the original spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor
cap, and rotor. I'd like to know how hard it is to change these
myself. I've done this type of work on other cars, but I'm worried
about limited access in the engine compartment of this thing. I
suppose what I'm looking for is tips and suggestions for what tools I
need for this job.
Thanks,
Jeff
--
The last Apollo mission to the moon was launched on December 7, 1972.
EJ
jeff findley wrote:
>
> I've got a 95 Aerostar with the 3.0L V6 which has about 60,000 miles
> on it. It has the original spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor
> cap, and rotor. I'd like to know how hard it is to change these
> myself.
It's a major pain. Techs seem to cringe when they draw a plug wire
change on an Aerostar. I just had mine changed, and I watched two techs
spend nearly 3 hours doing it. They had both front wheels removed, and
were raising & lowering it on a lift as needed. You can't get to the
engine from either end very well. I think their shop manual listed it as
a 2.5 hour repair. For what it's worth, my plug wire set was factory
original, and the van has 165,000 miles on it.
Good luck.
ian dalton
It's a bugger job, but do-able :)
Get Bosch Platinums... they last longer so it won't need re-doing as
quickly and buy very good cables.
It takes real patience. Remove the plugs one at a time... the left bank
are bad but accessable from the front through the hood with a regular
swivel head ratchet and plug socket with or without extensions on,
depending on the cylinder. The right side is only accessable through
the side with the wheel off. You'll need some major extensions to make
it easy, but the swivel before the socket might help. It takes me about
2 hours to swap cap, rotor, wires and plugs. As always, take out each
plug and wire and replace 'em before moving to the next so there's no
confussion or cross wiring. Take your time, make sure the engine is
cold and use the looms for the wires.
The cap is accessed through the interior access panel. That bit is
easy!
Good luck!!
In article <354669...@sprynet.com>, joh...@sprynet.com says...
NLW TFW NM
That's one job I'm HAPPY to pay a dealer to do on my full-sized Ford van. They
charge flat rate, and that job's worth paying some poor captive dealer slave
$49.95 plus platinum plugs to do.
The other approach I tried was changing the 7 easy plugs myself and paying an
independent shop to change the inaccessible one. It cost $95 in labor, 'cause
it took the poor sucker almost two hours.
But if ya have a dealer do it, CHECK HIS WORK. The Ford dealer in The Dalles,
Oregon broke two of my plug wires, duct-taped them back together without
admitting it before I headed home -- 1,300 miles away. My hometown dealer had
to repeat that job -- and all other work the Oregon dealer had done -- free of
charge ... at 90,000 miles.
Mike
Sonya
They're are mechanics and there are ASE Certified Technicians.
EJ
jeff findley wrote:
>
> I've got a 95 Aerostar with the 3.0L V6 which has about 60,000 miles
> on it. It has the original spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor
> cap, and rotor. I'd like to know how hard it is to change these
> myself.
I know I've already posted about this, and I've posted about my own
beloved Aerostar and it's recent spark plug and spark plug wire problem.
But anyway... I had to mention that the tech who just changed the plugs
in my Aerostar actually changed all 6 of them in less than an hour,
which may be some kind of record for those. He appeared to have done
this before, and he had some kind of "special tool" that looked like it
was about 2 feet long. I'm not sure exactly what this tool was, because
I wasn't close enough to get that good of a look. But I know it was
still worth the $50 or so that I paid to have it done. As I mentioned in
another post, be sure you know who you're dealing with. About a year
ago, I paid someone to change all six plugs, and they told me they did.
I found out this week that they did not. It was discovered that I
actually had 3 different brands of plugs in it. You can bet they're all
the same now, and it runs great.
EJ
Dan Reed
EJ wrote:
>
> jeff findley wrote:
> >
> > I've got a 95 Aerostar with the 3.0L V6 which has about 60,000 miles
> > on it. It has the original spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor
> > cap, and rotor. I'd like to know how hard it is to change these
> > myself.
> __________________________________________________
>
> I know I've already posted about this, and I've posted about my own
<snip>
> actually had 3 different brands of plugs in it. You can bet they're all
> the same now, and it runs great.
The special tool is a long extenstion (3/8") with a good swivel Snap-On spark
plug socket at the end. Going in throught the wheel wells (front!).
Thats how I got to the plugs on the Aerostars. The 3.0 is easier than the 4.0
but the dogbox under the dash sucks just the same to get at the cap and rotor
(or coil pack). Plugs seem to fall out easier of the Craftsman plug socket.
(No tool wars please!)
The worse part is getting fibre'glass in your skin while reaching for the wires/cap
while inside the van. I itch for days after that..
-Dan
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