Why do I torture myself like this???? On vacation this week, and my ol' 97 just turned over 100,000 miles (No probs since I bought it at 37,000; been just a great truck!). I changed plugs at 45,000 and figured they needed it again. I had put in Bosch PLUS 4s, and had been very satisfied, but lately the truck seemed kinda pokey and sluggish (or maybe getting the Lightning had spoiled me with its awesome performance).

So, bought new Autolite Platinum plugs and a NAPA "economy" set of plug wires ($60 is an "economy" set????). Installed them yesterday and got reacquainted with what a PITA it is to change these plugs! Really, the first 7 aren't all that bad, but that #8 (passenger side/rearmost) is just gawdawful! Still not sure how tight I got it...and the wires were no picnic either, as there must have been three dozen little plastic wire loom thingies to pop off and reinstall. My hands feel like someone took the round end of a ball-peen hammer and just pounded the crap out of them, and everything "down in the valley" around those heads has a sharp edge on it...blood everywhere.

The PLUS 4s looked very good, actually; only a couple had any "mud" deposits on them. And even though the NAPA wire set is supposed to be and "exact" replacement set, I had one wire that is about six feet longer than it needs to be.

So anyway, the job is done and the truck definitely feels like it has some "nuts" back, but God, this is an awful job. No wonder a dealership wants $150 to change plugs.

The only WORSE plug job is...yup, the Lightning! No wires to replace, but a little 7mm coil pack hold-down screw to lose and the damn supercharger to work around. Looking forward to that job all right!