How to Change the Spark Plug Wires in a 1994 Firebird
If you have begun to have problems starting your 1994 Pontiac Firebird, or the engine is stalling out when you try to accelerate, then it is time to replace the spark plug wires. The internal connections can become loose over time or the external insulation damaged enough to allow the heat from the engine to affect the integrity of the wire core inside. You can change the spark plug wires in a 1994 Firebird in about 20 minutes.
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Instructions
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Loosen the retaining nut on the negative battery terminal, and pull the battery cable off the negative post. This ensures that there is no risk of the engine starting while you are replacing the spark plug wires.
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Locate the ignition coil pack or distributor cap on your engine block. If your Firebird has a distributorless system, then you will look for the ignition coil pack located on the upper part of the engine block on the passenger side of the engine. It is rectangular in form, and the wires from the sparkplugs connect to it in a single line. If you have a distributor system, look for a round plastic cap at the rear of the engine block with the spark plug wires plugged into the cap. The easiest way to find either is to trace one spark plug wire from the engine block to the cap or coil pack.
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3
Work on one wire at a time; spark plugs are connected to specific points of the distributor or ignition coil in a firing order that must be maintained. Remove the wire from the spark plug by grabbing it by the boot (the thicker part of the wire that covers the end of the plug) and pulling it off the plug. Then remove the wire from the distributor or ignition coil connector by grabbing the boot at that end and pulling it free.
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Open your new spark plug wire set and separate the wires. Find the wire that matches the one you just removed in length and in the shape of the boot at each end. Boots are angled differently, depending on which spark plug they are designed to reach (straight, 45 degree and 90 degree are common shapes).
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Push the boot of the new wire onto the end of the spark plug and the distributor or ignition coil connector. Check that you have pushed it on far enough by trying to wiggle the boot. If it feels loose, remove it and push it on again.
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Repeat these steps until all of the wires have been replaced. Reconnect the negative battery cable to the battery, close the hood and start your 1994 Firebird.
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Tips & Warnings
Mark your wires at both ends with a fine point white paint marker so you know which spark plug needs to be connected to which point on the distributor cap. This will keep you from getting confused if you need to disconnect a wire on one end in order to be able to reach another one to change it.
Make sure you keep track of which spark plug wire goes to what point on your distributor cap. If you connect the wrong wire to the wrong plug, you engine may not run at all.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit spark plug image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com
