Well, I managed to get the remaining 2 plugs out, without removing the heat shields. So, I did: spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, and pcv valve. And it only took 2 days and a 2 page thread on DF ! Thanks to everyone who helped out, much appreciated!

 

By golly you stuck with it and got the job done! Good goin!

 

damn that's dedicated. congrats, and thanks for convincing me to pay someone else to do the plugs on my truck.

 

Aside from the 2 stuck plugs, it wasn't a difficult job at all. If those 2 had come out normally, it would have taken me about an hour to 90 minutes total.

 

the only thing i would pay someone to do on my truck is transmission, setting up new gears or an alignment.
spark plugs are easy.

 

so after reading this thread (which has been real helpful) i'm gonna post the pics i took earlier. this thread i think asnwers my question tho. my question was: what is circled in the pic?

i think its heat shield...and the boot is the gray piece at the end of the wire that you squeeze di-electric grease into correct?


anybodys exhaust manifold look this bad? jesus, i bet those bolts would snap before i could get the manifold off.

what is this power source that the wire is plugged into? and where does this wire run to...dis cap?

 

Yes that is the heat shield around the end of the spark plug wire.
Yes you squirt a little dielectric grease into the end of the spark plug wire or put it on the spark plug before putting it in.

The manifold looks normal, it's light brown from mud and dark from rust. My bolts looked like that and didn't give me a bit of fuss taking them out with a shot of Knock'er Loose on each of them before removing them.

The last one is the coil, it is the wire that plugs into the center of the distributor cap and if you unplug it then none of your spark plugs will get fire.

 

do u replace coil when doing "tune up"? thanks for your input so far sheriff

 

Nope. Coil is one of those things you replace when you either want to upgrade, or, the original dies.......

 

And you can test it with a multimeter to see if it's still putting out at an optimum level or if you suspect that it's on it's death bed.