On Fri, 02 Jan 2015 10:44:22 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:52:35 -0500, wrote:

You are just pulling it out your rear as ALL Chevy small block V8s
from 1955 on to the early 80s were virtually the same.

Call it what you like Clare. I'm not trying to convince you, just that
_once_ I had to loosen a mount to get a plug in (307). Maybe it was a
fluke, I don't know. Maybe I needed a different socket. I spent
plenty of time trying to get the one plug started to not avail. It
****ed me off so I jacked the engine ~ inch for some clearance. It
was the ONLY time I ever had to do that.
OK, you were putting the plug IN. I'll share a secret. Get yourself
a piece of vacuum hose about 8 inches long and put it in your tool
box. When you need to install a plug, put the hose on the end of the
plug and use it to guide the plug into the hole and spin it to start
it in the thread. You will never crossthread another plug, and it will
save your knuckles and a lot of swearing - plus save you resorting to
removing engine mounts.
Your problem wasn't access, it was alighnment.

I use the same trick for removing plugs in tight quarters. Get the
wrench on and break tt loose, then get the hose on and you don't have
to reach the plug or swing the ratchet in an almost impossible spot.