Easiest Way To Change Spark Plugs for a 2000 3.0L OHC Taurus

Vehicle - 2000 Taurus, 3.0L OHC (2V) V6

It looks like the plugs on the back of the engine are impossible to
reach from up top without removing the upper intake manifold. Am I
missing something? Is there a better way? Can they be reached from
underneath?

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Ed

On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:19:39 -0400, "C. E. White"
> wrote:

>Vehicle - 2000 Taurus, 3.0L OHC (2V) V6
>
>It looks like the plugs on the back of the engine are impossible to
>reach from up top without removing the upper intake manifold. Am I
>missing something? Is there a better way? Can they be reached from
>underneath?
>
>I'd appreciate any suggestions.
>
>Ed

I *think* I can do it but you need the right tools, small hands, and a
lot of patience.

change them One at a Time, so as to eliminate the possibility of
getting the wires mixed up.

Nick

"C. E. White" > wrote in message
news:48d10423@kcnews01...
> Vehicle - 2000 Taurus, 3.0L OHC (2V) V6
>
> It looks like the plugs on the back of the engine are impossible to reach
> from up top without removing the upper intake manifold. Am I missing
> something? Is there a better way? Can they be reached from underneath?
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Ed

If it's anything like the Escape 3.0L, the upper manifold does need to be
removed. It's a number of screws, and the throttle and cruise control cables
need to be removed. Took me about 3 hours to do all six plugs, but was worth
the effort. It's not a LOT of work, but it is time-consuming.

SC Tom

I see the same situation for the rear three plugs on my 08 fusion with
the 3.0 engine.Stuff is in the way. You would think Ford would have one of
their better
ideas and make it easier. Even what used to be a simple thing as replacing
the headlight
or taillight bulbs is a task on this car. Hopefully I won't have to do these
things too often.
I wonder if consumers reports tests cars for ease of maintenance?

Fred

"C. E. White" > wrote in message
news:48d10423@kcnews01...
> Vehicle - 2000 Taurus, 3.0L OHC (2V) V6
>
> It looks like the plugs on the back of the engine are impossible to reach
> from up top without removing the upper intake manifold. Am I missing
> something? Is there a better way? Can they be reached from underneath?
>
> I'd appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Ed

On Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:19:39 -0400, "C. E. White"
> wrote:

>Vehicle - 2000 Taurus, 3.0L OHC (2V) V6
>
>It looks like the plugs on the back of the engine are impossible to
>reach from up top without removing the upper intake manifold. Am I
>missing something? Is there a better way? Can they be reached from
>underneath?
>
>I'd appreciate any suggestions.
>
>Ed

They're accessible. You just have to have the right extension
length for the socket. A flex-head ratchet can also be useful.
Do the work by feel, with the engine stone-cold.

Fred > wrote:
>I see the same situation for the rear three plugs on my 08 fusion with
>the 3.0 engine.Stuff is in the way. You would think Ford would have one of
>their better
>ideas and make it easier. Even what used to be a simple thing as replacing
>the headlight
>or taillight bulbs is a task on this car. Hopefully I won't have to do these
>things too often.

But that WAS one of Ford's better ideas... from the standpoint of their
shareholders anyway. Need new bulbs? Take it to the dealer. New wiper
blades? Take it to the dealer. Ashtray needs cleaning? Take it to the
dealer.

>I wonder if consumers reports tests cars for ease of maintenance?

I wouldn't trust them, but usually asking an independant mechanic before
buying a car is a good idea. Or flip through the Haynes manual... if
there's a 20-page section showing all the belts you have to take off to
get to the oil filter, just stay away.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

If it's like my V6 Contour, the rear plugs are a different number than the
front plugs. Something about the platinum tip. One set is reverse polarity.

Al

"Big Al" > wrote in message
...
> If it's like my V6 Contour, the rear plugs are a different number
> than the front plugs. Something about the platinum tip. One set is
> reverse polarity.
>
> Al

True for the OE plugs, but when you buy replacements, you get double
platinum plugs and you don't need to care anymore.

Ed

Some of the plugs are reverse polarity? I never heard of that before.
cuhulin

wrote:
> Some of the plugs are reverse polarity? I never heard of that before.
> cuhulin
>
This is the case for engines employing the "coil-pack" or waste spark
ignition systems. In it the coil fires two spark plugs at once; one on
the compression stroke and the other on a cylinder 360 deg out of phase
(on its exhaust stroke). The current flow (conceptually) goes from the
high-tension lead to the center electrode on one cylinder, across the
gap, to the ground strap through the engine structure to the ground
strap on the cylinder 360 away, across that gap, and finally returns to
the coil pack. Because the current flow is always in one direction, the
platinum only needs to be on the plug electrode that erodes the most. By
arranging the coil wiring appropriately one bank can have platinum on
the center electrode while the other bank has platinum on the ground
strap side. This saves a lot of money in the cost of platinum. One might
think that having to jump two gaps will significantly sacrifice ignition
energy. It doesn't because the properties of the burnt gases in the
waste spark cylinder are very easy to ionize with very low energy losses.

In the field, to avoid confusion on which bank should have the platinum
electrode, aftermarket plugs simply have platinum on both electrodes.
These are commonly call double-platinum plugs.