How do you remove the three plugs next to the fire wall on 2005 Chevy Venture?

Answer 1

Get ready, because this is an adventure. The front three plugs aren't that difficult. The back three are a real pain. 1. Loosen the four bolts that hold the front engine brackets (the long "through" bolts, not the bolts that attach the brackets to the front structure). These mounts are in plain sight when you open the hood; they're at the top front of the engine, over the top of the radiator. 2. Remove the two bracket bolts (long one through each bracket) closest to the engine, and swing the engine brackets up and out of the way (sorta). 3. Here's the weird part: these engines are designed to pivot forward once those brackets are disconnected and out of the way. How do you pivot it? I've used a come-along from the engine pull loop (a cast-iron loop at the front, right hand side of the engine) and then to a post in the garage (post and beam construction) or more recently I just used a heavy racheting nylon tie-down around the front bumper, through the pull loop, and it work. Just don't scratch the paint on the front bumper surround. BTW, my 92 Buick Regal uses that same concept (pivoting engine) for getting access to the back three plugs on it. 4. Once the engine is pivoted, remove the wiper arm cover (black plastic cover above the engine, left-hand side). 5. Loosen the wiper arm (the sliver colored arm above the engine that works the wipers, not the wiper arms that rest on the windshield) at the pivot point (two small bolts) and move it out of the way to the right. 6. Loosen the serpentine belt and take it off of the alternator pulley. 7. Remove the three bolts that hold the alternator in place. The two bolts at the back of it are not visible...just feel for them and remove them. Unhook the hot wire and the plug of wires from the alternator. Make sure the hot wire doesn't touch any metal or it will spark! 8. Carefully move the alternator aside...with the engine pivoted, you can't get the alternator out, so just work it over to the left (as you're facing the engine) and let it sit there. 9. Now, all this work so far is just so you can get room to change the plugs. So, what you do is, from the left-side of the engine (as you're facing the engine), where the alternator was mounted, you have room to reach over and behind the engine and get to the plugs. It's still a pain. You cannot see what you're doing, you're just feeling your way around. Oh, one caution: I've changed the plugs twice in 125,000 miles, and both times I've pulled the end off of at least one plug wire while trying to get the wire off the plug. They really stick tight. I put dielectric grease inside the plug boot to help, but they still stick. 10. Replace all three plugs, one at a time, then reverse the procedure to put everything back into place. Oh, and having those front engine mount brackets loose is helpful for replacing the front three plugs too. You may want to wait to put those brackets back in place once the front plugs are done.