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Chevrolet Impala Spark Plug Replacement

27 messages,  Last post on Dec 04, 2011 at 6:30 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Impala, Engine, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 3

#18 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [nosirrahg] by bena8837

Sep 11, 2007 (7:45 am)

Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 10, 2007 8:58 pm)
The transmission and the proper changing of gears is something I am always very conscious about, so I always feel when it changes gears and even try to help it when I am in town, by easying off the gas pedal when I think it's to that point. As for the overdrive, I have been out on the highway and have released the gas pedal and it coast a long way. I have been wondering if the fact that I have not taken any 4-500 mile trips in the last few monhts due to my back surgery, might have caused an accumulation of carbon in the ejectors! Someone told me to clean the MAF Sensor, and I did, but I didn't notice it being very dirty. Also, I have been told that the only way to really clean the ejectors is to have it done professionally with a machine, do you agree with that? I have already put ejector cleaner in the fuel tank. Please let me know. Thanks

#19 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [bena8837] by nosirrahg

Sep 11, 2007 (9:37 am)

Replying to: bena8837 (Sep 11, 2007 7:45 am)
Early on I had an injector get clogged on my 2000 (got a message on the dash and took it Autozone to have it read); I took it to the dealer and they charged me somewhere between $100-200 to fix it. Around the same time someone told me they always ran a bottle of fuel injector cleaner through their fuel system every time they changed oil, and never had any problems. I've actually started doing that, and have had no trouble since.
 
Getting the car out on the highway certainly couldn't hurt it. I actually started to suggest if you had a grandson who was driving age to turn him loose in the car and he'd more than likely "blow the soot" out of it as we used to say about older cars with carbs back in the day. Not 100% sure the same would work for fuel injected cars, but still probably a good highway run would help it. Even a 100 mile trip would probably be beneficial.

#20 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [nosirrahg] by bena8837

Sep 13, 2007 (8:29 am)

Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 11, 2007 9:37 am)
I took a 100 mile trip today. When I got to my destination I thought about taking a look at the A/C Compressor to see if it was cycling on/off. I never noticed it to cycle off, is it suppose to, how does it work?

#21 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [bena8837] by nosirrahg

Sep 13, 2007 (10:52 am)

Replying to: bena8837 (Sep 13, 2007 8:29 am)
I don't know that I've never noticed mine cycling on/off (either visually or aurally), like I used to in previous cars. I know if I turn the button on the dash on/off I can hear the compressor kick in and out, but in normal driving with it on I never notice it cycling. If could just be that because of your surgery you're not taking longer trips, and over the summer you've probably been running the AC more, which combined are hurting your gas mileage.
 
I've noticed over time that my gas mileage typically improves in the summer, but the reason for that is I'm not delivering/picking up kids from school at that time, so even though I'm running the AC more I'm also actually driving more than idling. It's always September when my mileage drops because it's still hot AND I'm sitting in school traffic that I notice a drop and think maybe something is wrong when it isn't.
 
If your car has the 3.4, do you have the driver information center that tells you your fuel mileage and such? If you do, one thing you can do is reset it each time you fill up the tank, not only on the gas mileage but on the average speed as well. I've done that since day one on my car, and I've seen a definite trend between lower average speed (due to idling and such) and lower gas mileage. So whenever I see my mileage average is low, I toggle over to the average speed indicator...if it's low too (as in under 30 MPH) then I pretty much know why my gas mileage is bad.

#22 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [nosirrahg] by bena8837

Sep 21, 2007 (5:24 pm)

Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 13, 2007 10:52 am)
I still haven't resolved my fuel consumption problems in my Impala. I just bought a scanner/code reader but am having problems getting it to work or to power up off my car. This is the way it is suppose to work according to the individual I bought it from on Ebay. I have checked all the fuses in the car and they all checkout ok. I have also checked the terminals in the OBD Connector and it appears I have power between terminal 5 & 16. Any Ideas, any help would be greatly appreciated. I have already written the person who sold it to me, new. He has not responded, I just got it today. Thanks

#23 of 27 Follow-up / Halo plug experience by nosirrahg

Sep 23, 2007 (9:29 pm)

Earlier this summer I had a set of "Halo" spark plugs intalled in my 2000 Impala 3.8l which were supposed to provide a gas mileage improvement, but unfortunately I never saw any improvement, and in fact I had problems show up almost immediately with a missing problem that would kick in when lugging the engine somewhat when going uphill at modest speeds (especially with the AC running). I noticed the metal posts on the plugs where the wires connect to the plugs were the screw-on type, and these tended to work themselves loose over time. Tightening them up would help somewhat, but the problem would never go away.
 
I finally got fed up with the missing problem and went and bought a set of AC Delco iridium plugs and put them in this weekend. I started with the #2 plug knowing it was the most difficult, and when I finally got this plug off it was broken. The problem is I don't know if it was broken when my mechanic installed them originally (which IS when my missing problem began), if I could have damaged it mid-summer while trying to tighten the metal posts, or if it only broke as I was trying to remove them this weekend. I doubt I damaged the plug tightening the posts, since the #2 plug is the hardest to get to, and I'd think if I'd break one it would be one of those I could get a better handle on. Either way, I know the car runs perfectly fine now that I've gotten the Halo plugs out of there. I've gotten so accustomed to the car missing at set points on my daily commute that I almost feel like I'm driving a new car now that the problem has been resolved.

#24 of 27 Re: Spark Plug Replacement [bena8837] by kaleighnmatt

Sep 28, 2007 (2:36 pm)

Replying to: bena8837 (Aug 18, 2007 5:48 pm)
My firned told me that there this tool that you use by, taking off one of the front motor mounts and replacing it with the tool.the it makes the motor tilt, he says its easily accessed after u get the tool. maybe u can rent the tool , i duunno.

#25 of 27 A/C Controls & Interior Lights Problem by bena8837

Sep 02, 2008 (8:13 am)

As of late I have noticed that eventhough the a/c is turned on when I start the car, it does not come on. I have also noticed that the dash light are on but very dim. After I drive for a bit I notice that the interior dash lights brighten and the a/c starts blowing. This is on a 2002 Base Model Impala 3.4 with 61K miles. I do not get any mil so I have no idea what is going on. Has anyone had this problem or does anyone have any suggestions as to where or what to check? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks

#26 of 27 Dimming Dash Lights by bsquare

Mar 13, 2011 (11:06 am)

I have a 2005 Impala. Lately the dash lights will come on full brightness when the car is started. After about 30 seconds, they will then dim so that it is not bright enough to read, along with the radio, climate control, gear indicator and overhead display. Other times they will act normal. I've tried manually turning lights on, etc. , but it seems to have a mind of its own. Anybody have any thoughts on the issue? I've heard it might be the Body Control Module, but not a real inexpensive "fix" if it is not the fix.
Thanks

#27 of 27 Re: Follow-up / Halo plug experience [nosirrahg] by dkdean

Dec 04, 2011 (6:30 pm)

Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 23, 2007 9:29 pm)
I had the same problem with mine changed the plugs and now it misfires any thoughts

Messages Page 3 of 3

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