How do you remove the spark plugs on a 98 grand marque 4.6L?

Answer 1

1. Read and understand the following instructions before you service the vehicle. 2. Assemble the following tools before you start. (a) 9/32" socket with 1/4" drive; together with 6" extension for the 1/4" drive; 1/4 " drive swivel; and 1/4" drive ratchet or breaker-bar (b) 5/8" spark plug socket 3/8" drive; 6" extension 3/8" drive; 3" extension 3/8" drive (or a second 6" extension; and swivel 3/8" drive. (c) large flat head or standard screwdriver. (d) air compressor with blow nozzle (e) spark plug gaping tool. (f) 10mm 3/8" drive socket. 3. Purchase 8 spark plugs and I would suggest you replace the rubber boots that goes over the spark plug. The rubber, over time, will become brittle and crack which will lead to a misfire that could cause the spark plug ignition coil to become damaged and fail. The cost of the boot will double the cost of the repair but the replacement is the best option. Even if the boot does not appear to be dried and cracked still replace them. 4. The spark plugs are located under the ignition coil pack. It will appear as a round black plastic device connected by wiring connector to wires. There will be 4 coil packs on each side of the block and next to yellow color fuel injectors. You will not have to deal with the injectors therefore do not bother with them. 5. The engine should be cool for ease of work. using the blow gun attached to your air compressor, blow compressed air around each of the ignition coil packs to remove all dirt, leaves and debris around the coil. The spark plug is located in a spark plug well inside the block. Usually there is a lot of dirt and debris around the coil pack. When you remove the coil pack, the dirt and debris could fall in the spark plug well and that could present a problem. Therefore a thorough cleaning and removal of the dirt, etc. is essential. While you are at it, you might as well blow off the entire engine and area. 6. Start at spark plug #5 (plugs 1,2,3,4 are located on the passenger side with #1 closest to the radiator; plugs 5,6,7,8 on the driver side with #5 closest to the radiator). The number 5 plug should be relatively easy to replace and doing so will build your confidence and experience. Disconnect the wiring connector from the ignition coil pack. Grip the bottom of the connector near the wire that enters the connectore and squize to release the clip that holds the connector in place. Gentely slide the connector off the coil pack. The bolt that holds the ignition coil in place is located on the right side of the coil pack. Loosen the bolt using the 9/32" socket and remove the bolt with you fingers. Set the bolt aside in a safe spot so it will not be lost. 7. Tilt the coil pack away from under the polished chrome fuel line. Gently remove the coil pack and maneuver it back and forth to dislodge it from the socket well. At this time you may want to again use the compressed air blow pipe and blow any dirt and debris that wasn't removed earlier (BEFORE YOU COMPLETELY REMOVE THE BOOT FROM THE SPARK PLUG WELL). Next, completely remove the coil pack with rubber boot attached. Set it aside next to the bolt as describe in step 6 above. 8. Squirt a small amount of WD40 in the spark plug well. Wait about 15 to 30 minutes to allow the WD40 to lubricate the threads of the spark plug. Although I do not know this for certain, I have been told that a stuck plug when forced could break and that will present another set of problems (not covered here). The WD40 will aid in the removal. Using the 5/8" spark plug socket with extension and swivel if necessary, remove the spark plug. 9. Gap the new spark plug (the specs show .054). Place the new spark plug into the spark plug SOCKET and then using the extension bar as an aid attached to the spark plug socket, insert the new spark plug into the block. Hand tighten. When sufficiently hand tightened, use the ratchet wrench to tighten. There is a specific torque but I do not know what it is and recommend that you either find what it is (ask the parts store, look in the owners manual, or simply tighten to the point of a good snug). 10. Notice how the rubber boot is attached to the ignition coil pack. Remove the rubber boot from the ignition coil pack. Remove the old spring coil spark plug wire. The wire is attached to a clip inside the coil and it may take a good hard pull to remove it. Replace the spring with the new spring coil spark plug wire supplied with the new rubber boot. Probably the old spring wire will be shorter than the replacement spring wire. Further the original spring wire will likely have a carbon extension with a steel tip. Depending upon the manufacturer of the new product, it may or may not have the carbon extension with the steel tip. That should not matter. Insert the new spring onto the clip in the coil pack. Thread the rubber boot over the spring wire and attach the new rubber boot onto the coil pack exactly like the old one was installed (this is important). 11. Install the coil pack with the rubber boot into the spark plug well. The rubber boot should find the top of the spark plug and cover the spark plug without any difficulty. Press the coil and boot down so that the lip of the boot fits snuggly onto the block. The coil bolt bracket should be somewhat aligned over the bolt hole. This next step is probably the most difficult part of the entire process. Insert the bolt back into the coil bolt bracket and into the bolt hole. Press the coil down slightly so that the coil rests snuggly. USING YOUR FINGERS, TIGHTEN THE BOLT IN PLACE OR AT LEAST TIGHTEN IT TO THE POINT THAT YOU KNOW THAT THE BOLT HAS BEEN PROPERLY STARTED. THE BOLT-HOLE/NUT IS MADE OF SOFT METAL AND CAN BE EASILY CROSS-THREATED. ONCE YOU ARE SURE THAT THE BOLT IS STARTED PROPERLY YOU MAY TIGHTEN USING THE 9/32" SOCKET AND EXTENSION AS NEEDED. Reattach the wiring connector to the coil pack. 12. Continue for each spark plug. 13. Plugs # 7 & 8 (driver side near the firewall) will require that the large rubber air induction conduit be removed. It is held in place by an "aircraft" clamp at either end. Using the flat head standard screwdriver, loosen the clamp to the fullest extent. Rock the conduit back and forth to remove it from both the intake filter box side and the intake manifold side. You will also have to remove two vacuum hoses that feed into the air conduit. 14. Plug # 4 (passenger side near the firewall) is located under one of the heater hoses and near a device that nobody, not even the engineers at Ford know what it is (ha ha). You will see the device bolted to a bracket that extends from the firewall. It is held in place by two nuts. Loosen the two nuts using the 10mm socket and place them aside so as not to lose them. Gently remove the device from the protruding bolts and move it slightly so you can have easier access to the coil pack. I suggest that you be very careful not to move it around to much. Because I do not know what it is and what it does, it could create a real problem in the event that you accidentally do something to ruin the device. Also, the spark plug well faces toward the firewall, so you will have to insert the spark plug socket and extension behind the heater hose to get the proper angle to remove the spark plug. 15. Reinstall the device that was removed in step number 14 above. Be cautious not to drop the nut as you replace them on the protruding bolt. 16. Reinstall the air intake conduit and vacuum hoses. 17. Start the engine for testing. you should have a smooth running engine again.