I am not that concerned about the torn boot, and it did not come all the way apart, just tore about three quarters of the way through, so it is not stuck in the spark plug hole. This was the passenger side one, which has the most clearance, so I can only guess at how the others will be destroyed! I did find the replacement boots at O'Reilly's for $7 each, by the way...

I just wanted to know how Chrysler techs did this operation? There must be a trick to it, versus using multiple short locking extensions (I now have two 3" ones), a flex coupling plus the spark plug socket...

Thanks for the feedback, in any case.

 

In examining this engine, there is a front engine mount that looks like it might be used to rotate the engine towards the front of the car, if that would not cause a myriad of other problems! Could one remove the bolt from the mount and then lower the front part of the engine, causing the engine to move away from the cowling and create a good bit more room to work on the spark plugs?

I would hate to damage other components just to change the plugs, but it cannot be this hard to do!

 

No you cannot rotate the engine around the motor mount. It's connected to the transmission and drive line. Forget that. A 3/8 ratchet with two short extensions and a u-joint between them will get the rear plugs out. I've done it. It works.
You'll need to remove the coils first obviously, but once you've done the front ones you'll be able to do the rear coils too. Then "roll" the spark plug socket down into the hole using the above combination. You'll be able to swing the handle of the wrench between the engine and the cowl.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I will have to try the tried and true way, but the boots on the coils seem to break off when bent, and I cannot find a replacement locally for these. O'Reilly's shows them on their website, but tells you to contact the store. When I did that, they had no listing for the part on their computer!

I just thought that if the bolt in the front mount were to be removed, then the front of the engine might drop 2-3" and allow for better accessibility.

This is indeed a poor design, as a few others that I have seen are also. It took two technicians on a lift two hours to replace the back three spark plugs on my old '95 Ford Aerostar van a good while back. Amazing! Yet, I just changed the 6 NGK plugs on my wife's Honda Odyssey in about 30 minutes, saving myself about $260 in the process. Too bad Chrysler cannot make it easy!

 

I lost a part of the magnet used to pull the loosened spark plug out of the valve cover on the passenger-rear spark plug hole. Is there a magnet small enough to retrieve it out of the cylinder without removing the head?

 

I just lost a piece of the magnet I was using down the passenger-rear spark plug hole. Is there a magnet small enough to grab it from the cylinder without removing the head?

 

go some place and find one I have small ones that work for something like that and there are bigger ones as well just haft to go look around

 

Okay this helps ALOT but i was looking last night and a bigger concern for me is how do I get the coils/boots out without breaking them. Is there a trick to this because there is not enough clearance to pull them straight out. I got the front ones out no problem, and the bolts on the back wont be a problem but the coils and boots will. Can someone inform me on this. a video would be fantastic or pictures would be too. Any help is appreciated!!

 

the boots bend look at the front ones

 

Alright guys, it was alot more simple than I thought. The only one I had a problem with was the rear one closest to the drivers side, I had to get a mini socket wrench to do it. The fronts were a breeze, The rears I had to drop the socket down, then an adapter, a second adapter then attach the wrench. I also changed the transmission solenoid because it had a leaky gasket there. All I have left to do on the car is a transmission filter, transmission pan gasket, valve cover gasket, thermostat/coolant housing, and front and rear rotors and pads.