Funny or Sad? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

mulehead7 · 08-13-2012, 07:20 PM

I stopped by my "used to be" Pontiac dealer to schedule my every two year state vehicle inspection and asked the service agent what it would cost to change the spark plugs and wires on my '94 T/A. They still sell GM cars just not Pontiacs. Alas, nobody sells Pontiacs but I've had service work done there.
He punched the keyboard a few times, asked a service tech a couple questions and with a totally straight said "That will be $1106.79".
I smiled, really I wanted to laugh out loud, but I realized he was serious.
I said "wow, kinda high, let me get back with you after I talk to my wife".
I guess I'll just stock up on some band aids and search out the thread about accessing each of the spark plugs on the LT1. I know I read it once. I've changed lots of plugs on lots of cars, though none recently. Plugs last a lot longer now.
Any recommendations from those of you who have already done this. I have some good wooden ramps. Can I get to the tough ones while laying on my back under the slightly raised car?
Any plugs? Stock replacements or NGK, etc?
Wires?
One of the service techs said I should change the cap and rotor too. I thought the optispark controlled the timing of the ignition. After 18 years of sticking my head in that engine bay I don't recall seeing a distributor cap or rotor. Am I a fool? Am I a blind fool?

Maxspeed · 08-13-2012, 07:24 PM

"That will be $1106.79"

Zabo · 08-13-2012, 10:25 PM

The opti is basically a overly complicated digital cap and rotor ignition system; optical sensors in the distributor pick up marks on the crank and time the spark. Mechanical style has the whole rotor spinning and the contacts sending power to the plugs. It's like solid state hard drives versus the kind with the disc that spins.

Plugs aren't bad if you pull a good chunk of the emissions and sensor equipment. Went to NGKs and after that I made it a mission to pull what I could. 1100 bucks is honestly fair for the royal PITA that is a 4th gen plug change.

Word of advice: go from under the car to get to the plugs. Easier and less painful.

meissen · 08-15-2012, 01:35 PM

I spent hours trying to change my dad's spark plug and got all of ONE plug removed. The next time I have to change plugs, I'm going to drop the entire engine assembly out of the car from the bottom just to change the spark plugs. The 4-5 hours it takes for me to drop the engine out of the car is much more efficient than trying to do the plugs with the engine in the car.

mulehead7 · 08-15-2012, 10:01 PM

Thanks Zabo, Meissen. I'm only putting about 2,000 miles a year or less on this garage queen. I seafoamed the engine a month ago and the idle is just a little rough. It has 95k on the odometer. Maybe I'll pay the $150 to have it put on the diagnostic machine. Could just be one wire or plug but I'd feel better changing all of them. I've got a full set of tools and my patience level is fairly high. I think I will buy the plugs and wires and see if they'll do it for $500 labor. Their quote was $768 for labor. I need some new tires too. Maybe that will get them some extra mark up. Kind of a package deal. The shop is pretty busy. I hate to drop it off to use as fill work. Might not get the same tech to start and complete the job. Anyway, thanks for the replies.

fielderLS3 · 08-15-2012, 10:12 PM

How the hell can spark plugs cost $1100? Last summer, I was quoted a similar price to change a transmission.

mulehead7 · 05-26-2014, 08:46 PM

Well I broke down and bought the plugs and wires that I complained about in this thread nearly two years ago. I had just short of 96k on the odometer and it had to be done. 8 AC #14 Rapid Fire platinum plugs were $5 apiece. The AC Delco replacement wires were $103. Add in a little anti seize and some dielectric grease and for $162 I got the parts I needed. I changed the four plugs and wires on the drivers side on Sunday afternoon. They seemed to be the easiest to see. I think maybe the toughest part was getting the plastic clips off without breaking them. I got to three of them from the bottom of the car and the other from on top. Today I tackled the four on the passenger side. Man those were tough! I took off the alternator and that gave me just enough room to get a hand in between. After four hours today (and no band aids, hooray) she's purring like a kitten. No more rough idle. I'll keep and eye on gas mileage because that had really tumbled. If I can keep my foot out of it I think that will improve. Put in a fresh change of Mobil 1 while it was on the ramps and now that I have new rubber I'm proud to be driving her around again. Now I hope I don't have to change those plugs again for another 20 years!

PHXLT1 · 05-27-2014, 11:50 AM

I'll do it for 6, no, 500! That's a steal! Going once, going twice..........

That's outrageous! I don't care how hard they are, It's not $1000 hard.

punkindave · 05-27-2014, 11:57 AM

The plugs on the LT1 are a bear..
I did my '94 Z28 and it took the better part of the morning and some bloodshed.. Never did get the #8 plug out (I think i would need to drop the starter to get at it..)

PHXLT1 · 05-27-2014, 01:12 PM

Pain in the a$$?! Yes but doable. with #8 passenger side I took out the starter. Much easier to get to. I see what you guys are saying though.

08-13-2012, 07:24 PM	#2
Maxspeed ~COTW 6/30/14~ Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mansfield Mass Posts: 2,906 View My Garage	"That will be $1106.79" __________________ Mods: Heritage Grill, Blade Spoiler, Corrado Hoodliner Mural, Premium Engine Boxes, Radiator Shroud, Custom Painted Bowties, Dipstick & Engine Caps, RX Catch Can, Corsa cat back exhaust, CAI black powder coat cold air, Apex cold air intake scoop and Apex washer tank relocate kit, Dynatech SuperMAXX Ceramic Coated LT Headers, High Flow Cats, JRE470 Rough Idle Cam Package, DSS 1,000 RWHP Axels, Slowhawk Mustang Dyno Tune, QTP QTEC 66 Low Profile Cutouts and iTSX. 453 RWHP 427 RWTQ WEB LINKS BUILD TIMING CHAIN FAILURE TRANSITION FROM STOCK TO CAM VID

08-15-2012, 01:35 PM	#4
meissen Founder - Michigan FBody Drives: 1994 Camaro LT1, 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New Haven, MI Posts: 2,599	I spent hours trying to change my dad's spark plug and got all of ONE plug removed. The next time I have to change plugs, I'm going to drop the entire engine assembly out of the car from the bottom just to change the spark plugs. The 4-5 hours it takes for me to drop the engine out of the car is much more efficient than trying to do the plugs with the engine in the car. __________________ 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS L99 - *"Zooma"* 1994 Camaro LT1 A4 - *"Red Alert"* - v6-to-LT1 Swapped Cruiser; Cammed, Stalled, Enjoyed "Gone But Not Forgotten" 2016 Camaro 1LT A8 - "Elmo" 2014 Camaro 1LT M6 - "Cherry Bomb" 2012 Camaro 1LS M6 - "Clifford" Michigan FBody Association http://www.mifbody.com/

08-15-2012, 10:01 PM	#5
mulehead7 stubborn as a ... Drives: '94 Trans Am Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: K.C. MO Posts: 464 View My Garage	Thanks Zabo, Meissen. I'm only putting about 2,000 miles a year or less on this garage queen. I seafoamed the engine a month ago and the idle is just a little rough. It has 95k on the odometer. Maybe I'll pay the $150 to have it put on the diagnostic machine. Could just be one wire or plug but I'd feel better changing all of them. I've got a full set of tools and my patience level is fairly high. I think I will buy the plugs and wires and see if they'll do it for $500 labor. Their quote was $768 for labor. I need some new tires too. Maybe that will get them some extra mark up. Kind of a package deal. The shop is pretty busy. I hate to drop it off to use as fill work. Might not get the same tech to start and complete the job. Anyway, thanks for the replies. __________________

08-15-2012, 10:12 PM	#6
fielderLS3 Drives: 2016 Mazda6, 2011 Mustang 5.0 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Portage, Wisconsin Posts: 4,049	How the hell can spark plugs cost $1100? Last summer, I was quoted a similar price to change a transmission. __________________ 2022 1SS 1LE (Arrived 4/29/22) "The car is the closest thing we will ever create to something that is alive." . 2022 1SS 1LE (Coming Soon)

05-26-2014, 08:46 PM	#7
mulehead7 stubborn as a ... Drives: '94 Trans Am Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: K.C. MO Posts: 464 View My Garage	Well I broke down and bought the plugs and wires that I complained about in this thread nearly two years ago. I had just short of 96k on the odometer and it had to be done. 8 AC #14 Rapid Fire platinum plugs were $5 apiece. The AC Delco replacement wires were $103. Add in a little anti seize and some dielectric grease and for $162 I got the parts I needed. I changed the four plugs and wires on the drivers side on Sunday afternoon. They seemed to be the easiest to see. I think maybe the toughest part was getting the plastic clips off without breaking them. I got to three of them from the bottom of the car and the other from on top. Today I tackled the four on the passenger side. Man those were tough! I took off the alternator and that gave me just enough room to get a hand in between. After four hours today (and no band aids, hooray) she's purring like a kitten. No more rough idle. I'll keep and eye on gas mileage because that had really tumbled. If I can keep my foot out of it I think that will improve. Put in a fresh change of Mobil 1 while it was on the ramps and now that I have new rubber I'm proud to be driving her around again. Now I hope I don't have to change those plugs again for another 20 years! __________________

08-13-2012, 07:20 PM	#1
mulehead7 stubborn as a ... Drives: '94 Trans Am Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: K.C. MO Posts: 464 View My Garage	Funny or Sad? I stopped by my "used to be" Pontiac dealer to schedule my every two year state vehicle inspection and asked the service agent what it would cost to change the spark plugs and wires on my '94 T/A. They still sell GM cars just not Pontiacs. Alas, nobody sells Pontiacs but I've had service work done there. He punched the keyboard a few times, asked a service tech a couple questions and with a totally straight said "That will be $1106.79". I smiled, really I wanted to laugh out loud, but I realized he was serious. I said "wow, kinda high, let me get back with you after I talk to my wife". I guess I'll just stock up on some band aids and search out the thread about accessing each of the spark plugs on the LT1. I know I read it once. I've changed lots of plugs on lots of cars, though none recently. Plugs last a lot longer now. Any recommendations from those of you who have already done this. I have some good wooden ramps. Can I get to the tough ones while laying on my back under the slightly raised car? Any plugs? Stock replacements or NGK, etc? Wires? One of the service techs said I should change the cap and rotor too. I thought the optispark controlled the timing of the ignition. After 18 years of sticking my head in that engine bay I don't recall seeing a distributor cap or rotor. Am I a fool? Am I a blind fool? __________________

08-13-2012, 10:25 PM	#3
Zabo Gunning for Sixth Drives: '03 ZR2 Blazer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Woodhaven, Michigan Posts: 9,358 View My Garage	The opti is basically a overly complicated digital cap and rotor ignition system; optical sensors in the distributor pick up marks on the crank and time the spark. Mechanical style has the whole rotor spinning and the contacts sending power to the plugs. It's like solid state hard drives versus the kind with the disc that spins. Plugs aren't bad if you pull a good chunk of the emissions and sensor equipment. Went to NGKs and after that I made it a mission to pull what I could. 1100 bucks is honestly fair for the royal PITA that is a 4th gen plug change. Word of advice: go from under the car to get to the plugs. Easier and less painful.

05-27-2014, 11:50 AM	#8
PHXLT1 Drives: black Z28 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: el mirage Posts: 1,323	I'll do it for 6, no, 500! That's a steal! Going once, going twice.......... That's outrageous! I don't care how hard they are, It's not $1000 hard. __________________ My family 1994 Z28 (mine) 2015 Camaro (wife's) 2015 Silverado (mine!) 54 Belair (wife's) 2004 silverado (daughters)

05-27-2014, 11:57 AM	#9
punkindave The Great Punkin Drives: 2013 2SS M6 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 185	The plugs on the LT1 are a bear.. I did my '94 Z28 and it took the better part of the morning and some bloodshed.. Never did get the #8 plug out (I think i would need to drop the starter to get at it..) __________________ Who opened up a fresh box of idiots without finishing the old box, now they're everywhere!! Tesla > Edison

05-27-2014, 01:12 PM	#10
PHXLT1 Drives: black Z28 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: el mirage Posts: 1,323	Pain in the a$$?! Yes but doable. with #8 passenger side I took out the starter. Much easier to get to. I see what you guys are saying though. __________________ My family 1994 Z28 (mine) 2015 Camaro (wife's) 2015 Silverado (mine!) 54 Belair (wife's) 2004 silverado (daughters)