cgfcgf

First some notes:
I have worked on cars before.
I have 98 GXE 60,000 mi
I have the front strut bar and no ABS.

I replaced the spark plugs, fuel filter, pcv valve and put in K&N air filter.

Spark Plugs (1 hr.)(removed original)- Once the cover was removed, the front three were pretty straight forward. I only had to move one mount out of the way to get at the middle plug in the back. The other two(in the back) I didn't have to move anything. Just remember if you're going to do this be careful not to drop anything. Those spark plug wells are pretty deep. You'd definitely need a telescoping magnet to get stuff out. Also some people said you need a universal socket adapter. I did it without one.

Fuel Filter (30 min)(removed original) - I let the car sit overnight. The next morning I removed the fuse and cranked the engine 3 times twice. This one was tough to get at. I don't have pudgy arms so (standing at the tire on the drivers side). I removed the O2 sensor wire harness that is on the side of the connect tube (air filter housing to throttle body) and snaked my left arm through all the way (under all the throttle stuff) to the filter so I could move it around. I removed the filter from the firewall clamp that holds it. I loosened the top clamp screw (phillips) and twisted and pulled (mostly pulled) on the upper hose. It came free after a minute of hard pulling. I then held the filter sideways, loosened the bottom clamp screw and pulled the bottom hose off. There was maybe a half a cup of gas but I had a pan under the car to catch it. To install the new one I reversed the order. If I wouldn't have been able to hold the filter with my left hand and work from the top with my right, the old filter would still be on the car.

PCV Valve (20 min)(removed original) - I worked on this thinking backwards. I attacked it by removing the other end of the hose from the engine. Then I removed the hose and the old pcv valve (with the hose still attached). Also remember that grommet. I read all the horror stories of people who dropped it in the engine. Also, forcing the new pcv valve into the grommet was a tough push. be careful there.

K&N Filter - Standard air filter replacement.

I didn't have to remove the strut bar for any of these items.

Thanks to everyone who has posted their tips and suggestions (also the links to maintenance web sites). They really saved me from making rookie mistakes.

Thanks again everybody.

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