How do you change the 3 rear spark plugs on a 1996 3.3 Dodge Caravan?

We've got a 3.3 Liter Engine 1996 Dodge Caravan, and we want to change the spark plugs. I can get to the front three, but I can't get to the 3 rear ones.

I've hear they sell a special socket at Sears, but I don't know if this is true. Is there any way I could do it without a purchase. I don't want to drop the sub frame either.

So if anyone knows of any forums or guides I can go to, or something you might know. I've Googled it already, but I can't find anything.



Thanks a million!How do you change the 3 rear spark plugs on a 1996 3.3 Dodge Caravan?
This is when you have to ask yourself ';What were they thinking?'; It seems sometimes there was no thought at all given to ease of maintenance. I came across this, which may or may not be of help in your case. It sounds like a real nightmare. Good luck:



Changing spark plugs on the Chrysler 3.3/3.8 litre engine is very awkward. You can do the aft leftmost two by working from underneath on the back side of the engine (it does not take much lift of the vehicle for appropriate reach when crawling under on your back, to reach standing up would take a high lift), using a non-swivel socket with medium extension bar and preferably a 3/8'; ratchet drive. The rightmost is a long reach from above.



(All directions are from driver's seat. You'll be working almost blind thus it is difficult to judge the angle of the plug and your wrench. I recommend blowing air into the well around the plug to remove sand and pebbles that would fall into the cylinder once you've removed the plug.) You'll want a good wire puller, preferably that locks onto the plug wire below the bend in it and has very good grips for your hand as the tight space makes gripping difficult and there is little room to pull, though I have pulled the wires off with my bare hands. A normal spark plug socket without swivel should work, using short to medium extension bar, but wrench space will be tight and you'll need an experienced touch to start threading the replacement plug in correctly.

For the centre aft one you can get both hands in, one each side of exhaust take-down pipe.

For the aft right one some people detach the alternator bracket.

The aft plugs are angled opposite to the front ones, as if the same head casting was used, with a bend %26amp; tab in the wire as the front ones have. Looking at the front ones you can also see how far they are recessed.



- While you are underneath reaching up the back side of the engine, tighten the centre aft bolts of the rear valve cover with a 10mm wrench.

Preferably medium length with open and closed ends, one angled with a bit of offset as is common on closed-end wrenches (as the cover has a lip around the edge). There is not enough room for the height of a 1/4'; socket wrench.

You should be able to reach the middle two from the back side, and perhaps one or two more that can also be reached from under the hood.



- Back around the front of the engine (well, start there first so you know which ones are left to do from the rear), you can reach these valve cover bolts: %26gt; with a 1/4'; swivel and long extension on a 10mm socket, the right most aft bolt of the rear valve cover (through the cutout in the alternator bracket), the left-most aft bolt of the rear valve cover (with care), and with even more tricky maneuvering the front RH bolt of the aft valve cover (otherwise you can take the coil pack off: 4 bolts, the underneath ones on more of a pedestal than the top ones). %26gt; with a long extension on a 10mm socket all other valve cover bolts.





Kokopelli think painted pony much better option. No have spark plug.How do you change the 3 rear spark plugs on a 1996 3.3 Dodge Caravan?
under the wheel well
There are two methods. (1)Assuming you don't have a lift, put the van on jackstands or ramps. You don't need any special tools, but it is a difficult reach to remove the wires carefully and the plugs. Also it is hard to get the install angles for the plugs as it mostly a by feel operation and a real stretch on the hands and joints. But very doable with a lot of patience and flexibility. (2)A dealer mechanic has indicated to me that they take off the windshield wiper cover surround and pull it to gain the additional clearance needed to do the job from above, and apparently this is the smarter move as a dealer guys usually have scienced out the better ways to do things and maximize the return.