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Anybody done a partial engine drop? I tried it the other day and it only dropped about an inch or so. I need it a bit further to drop further to access spark plug #'s 5 and 6. I cannot get my hands in there to access the plugs with a socket. Removed the sway bar and it didn't drop any further. Any suggestions and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Why are you dropping the engine to change the plugs ? It's totally possible without that, and I have done several cars - for #6, remove the access hatch in the sheet metal trim accessed via the wheel well. It takes a bit of manoeuvring and a few extensions to get to the spark plug but possible. Pulling the spark plug line off can be a bear, you can remove the spark plug wire support on the top side of the engine (just below the air box) which gives more slack in the line. It's not a straight pull out, you need to angle the head of the spark plug wire. For #6 I drop the spark plug socket into the head with the spark plug attached, then follow with a short extension which I connect to that socket via a bit of feel/wiggling, then attach a ratchet - low profile is better. When the plug is loose you have to pull it out in sections, and often a magnet is your friend.
#5 is no problem from the upper side. If you want to get some more room, remove the intercooler feed hose from the turbocharger - but we warned, that often can be a real bear to put back. I usually can change #5 without removing that (obviously the air filter cover and air box are removed) but it involves a lot of french words - but still possible.
As far a dropping the engine, you might have something hung up, it should drop a good 2-3" with no problems - but it does depend on if you have RS motor mounts. If so, it's easier, I just swap in much longer bolts and the engine can rest on those. I also take off the transmission support crossmember. I do this on a lift which makes it much easier since I have various screw tripod jacks to support the engine etc.
The problem I'm having with #5 plug is that, although I can get the socket in the well leading to the plug, I can't feel it slip onto the plug and there no room to get my hands in there to maneuver the extension. I thought by dropping the engine 2 or 3 inches, I could slip an extension in from the outside. I'll try dropping the engine again and see what happens. If that fails, I'm thinking of draining the power steering reservoir and moving the hard line leading to the pump. That would increase room for my hands exponentially.
Dropping the engine that inch or so should give me the room to access #6 through the tin cutout from underneath the car.
I agree that a lot of German cuss words will be used.
Let us know how it goes - funny its tight but #5 is doable but I agree it is extra tight in there. I have never dropped an engine for a plug change, and have fairly large hands. To me, the challenge is more getting the right combination of extensions (I have several at different lengths including ones only 3/4" long) to get the right fit. Removing the sheet metal is a PITA on a Turbo which is why Porsche put that access hatch for #6.
I'm taking another stab at the spark plugs today. I drained the p/s reservoir and will disconnect the hard line that attached at the back of the p/s pump. This will give me more access and easier to get the socket, extensions, ratchet and my hands in there to get at # 5.
With # 6, I'm going to take a different tack. I tried getting the socket, universal socket and extensions in there to access # 6 but it isn't gonna happen. There have been some cars I've worked on where there had to be some "adjustments" to the body to get at things. Like the 78 Caddies spark plug #8. Factory service manual said to loosen motor mounts and raise the engine. The fix was to drill a hole in the fender well to reach the plug and put a rubber grommet in after the plug replacement. There was a similar fix on late 70's VW buses to get at the fuel sending unit without dropping the engine to be able to remove the gas tank for sender replacement. It involved cutting a hole in the body over the tank. Later buses had a factory hole and plug already installed. I'm sure there are other examples of this as well.
My plan is to drill a hole with a hole saw in the engine tin to give me a straight access to # 6. If the drill wont fit, then I'll use a shortened hacksaw blade to cut an opening to access that plug. After I replace the plug, I'll create some sort of plug to fill the hole. Should I ever have to drop the engine, tin replacement would be easy. I'd also modify the new tin with a hole and rubber grommet.
I am not sure why this is an issue - take off the access sheet metal cover, pull out the spark plug wire - give it some slack by removing the cable holder on the engine side. It needs to be pulled out in between the body and the suspension frame, then swung over. Drop in the spark plug socket into the cavity for the spark plug, then drop in a short extension, fishing for the top of the socket. Once they are joined, push it onto the spark plug - if its a standard socket and 4" extension the top of the extension will be close to flush with the valve cover - then either use a very short extension or just the ratchet itself, unscrew the spark plug and once its loose you need to reverse the procedure, taking off the ratched, pulling out the extension/socket/sparkplug, undoing the extension which will drop the socket back into the hole - pull it out with a magnet and the removal is complete.
The installation of the spark plug is the reverse. It does help to have a super short extension so you can get to ratchet on, or a low profile ratchet, but I have done this on 993 Turbos a dozen times and never had to drop an engine - and have done many more on the NA cars. I also never had to modify the sheet metal either.
So this raises a question - on your car, you do have the access hatch on the sheet metal that allows you to remove the sheet metal piece off the engine giving access to #6?
I got # 5 done yesterday. I took off the lower hard line off the p/s pump and I had all the access I needed. 15 minutes to remove the line, 10 minutes to replace the plug and another 15 minutes to get the line back on.
With # 6, I have already tried to access it. The removable panel is not on the engine but there is a large black air pipe that blocks full access. At some time in the cars life, the engine has been out for some work and whoever put it back together wasn't too concerned about the fine details. The plug wire is out and moved out of the way. I had little success getting the 3/8 dr socket, a universal extension and a 3" extension in place. If I don't use the extension and the socket slips in too far I'd never be able to retrieve it with the magnet I have.
You may be able to get the job done with the way things are, but unfortunately it doesn't appear that I have your temperament or your level of skill for this job. So drilling the hole in the tin to give me direct access will be my best option. I'll let you know how it goes.
I wonder if someone in the past might have put in the NA sheet metal which does not have the access panel, then it would be a PITA to access #6 :-(, I don't have any great shots but here is #6 with the access cover off on my old 993TT.
My access port looks similar yet different. I can remove the spark plug lead and I can see the access hole to the plug. The spark plug access hole is about 1.5 inches to the left of the edge of the tin. Headed out there and I'll do some measurements.
For those of you following the thread, here's the final solution. Mike J was 100% correct. When I started the process this morning, I discovered that the plug port I was looking at was # 5. It was behind the tin and I couldn't see how to access it from the bottom without cutting the tin. # 6 was right there where Mike J said it was although I couldn't get to the plug in the manner he suggested.
Here's how it finally got done. My socket and universal extension wouldn't fit in the spark plug hole from the bottom. I did a partial engine drop to finish up the right timing chain gasket because I removed the rear engine mount crossmember. Fortunately, I didn't mount the engine and just left it dropped. I was able to feed a 3/8" extension up between the engine tin and the body. I had a friend helping and he raised the extension so I could get the socket into the spark plug hole. Between the two of us moving the socket, it dropped onto the spark plug. I broke the spark plug loose and backed it out of the head. I used a magnet to pull the old plug out. I put the new plug in attached to an old spark plug boot and wire which allows to get the plug started w/o cross threading. Once the plug was started and would no longer turn with the old spark plug boot and line, we used the same procedure we used to get the plug out to get the socket on the plug and tighten it down.
Thanks to everyone who offered assistance and I hope some of you have gained some insight in plug replacement.
06-22-2022, 10:13 AM
partial engine drop
