Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - Spark Plug Removal

1987 Wellcraft Nova with 260 Mercruiser (350ci) engine.
I have the rear seat area out because I am changing out the starter. I want to change the plugs while I am in there but it looks as if the exhaust is in the way. Can these plugs be pulled and replaced without taking the exhaust loose?

Thanks,
James

I stopped by a marina today and talked to a guy in the service dept. He said they were hard to get to but could be removed. Loosen with a socket and then remove with fingers. If someone had exhaust off and retightened without lifting on the exhaust, it may be closer than normal to the plugs.

I wasn't paying that much attention but I'm guessing you have a mercruiser. All the spark plugs are accesable from under the manifols the second one back from the front may be easier to get to if you take the cooling hoses off. As far as the manifold positioning when installed they can't be adjusted up or down there isn't any plat in the mounting holes. It isn't worth removing them to make it easier to get to the plugs as the gaskets are a pain to clean and the manifolds are heavy and not fun to install.

Yes you can get a socket on the plugs; but found it's easier once you break them loose, to pull the socket off the nut about halfway or it will get in a bind against the exhaust.
Everything changed: distributor cap, rotor, distributor sensor, starter, starter slave solenoid, coil, fuel pump, fuel/water seperator filter, carb. filter, and plugs... Now it cranks and runs better than it did when I bought it 8 years ago.....

Way to go, It's a good feeling knowing you did the work yourself not to mention you probubly saved yourself about $500-1000 in labor at a shop. Your next project should be your water pump impeller. Oh ya have fun with the "new" boat.