I just changed the spark plugs on my 4.0 2003 Ranger. Ford certainly managed to bury the access to passenger side plugs. I could not see them or get a wrench on them without removing the front wheel and plastic inner fender. The good news is that plug replacement is much less frequent than in the past and I have a 2 post lift. I would not want to try it without the lift! Have others been down this road?

 

Yeah, I did a plug change on a 4.0L Ranger I had. I also removed the wheel, but since it was summer, I took a 2x4 and was able to wedge it in the plastic apron enough to access the plugs from there and from underneath the RH side of the engine.

 

Most engines/compartments are not designed for routine maintenance these days.Then again, with all the luxury components, real estate is at a premium. When I changed the plugs in my 4.6L F150, I had to literally crawl into the engine compartment. I used every extension and universal tool I had and my body was contorted like a Chinese acrobat.

There is a part of me that believes the vehicles were designed this way to force you to the dealership for repairs. They are starting to win the game as this tired old body doesn't have the drive or spring in its step anymore.

 

Tight spark plug access isn't just a "newer car" problem. I've ran across a few older cars that made me cuss and swear, too. Some of the cars built in the 60's actually required unbolting the engine and raising it up to get to the plugs.

As for the 4.0L, I had one of those in a 2001 Ranger 4x4. I hated it for different reasons. IMO, it was one of the worst engines Ford has built in the last 20 years. It knocked and rattled when it was cold and was generally noisy even after it had warmed up. And the fuel mileage! GAHHH!!!!! It was way worse than the F-150 4x4 with a V-8 that the Ranger was purchased to replace.

 

Back when I was wrenching for a living I used to swear that if I ever ran into a factory engineer that I would beat him bloody!

A 3' extension and a wobble socket were my favorite tools for doing spark plugs. There's tons of cars out there that you can reach most of the plugs through the wheel wells. There were several other cars that I'd do from underneath. The "F" body Camaro's and Firebirds, and the GM Astro vans were best from underneath.

I know this sounds scary but I'd use and air ratchet to both pull the plugs and to put them back in. The key is to not engage the drive on the air ratchet all the way in the plug socket. That way when the plug is tight it will kick the air ratchet out of the socket and you won't crack the plug.

I sure don't miss working for commission.

Bobby

 

Should try plugs on a V10 Ford van. Getting right up on top of the engine is an eveyday thing for me.We get all sort of coustomers coming into the shop and want just the back plugs changed on there mini vans or frt drive car where the firewall is right against the engine.They want a discount because they did the front 3 that only take 2 mins to change.Good luck with that!

 

LOL...I forgot about those types of customer's. On the early 80's Caddys the right rear sparkplug was dang near impossible to get to. We used to get those customers that would just want that one plug changed out (and like you said...they didn't want to pay for it)