Aftermarket wires bad for your car?
07-30-2006, 01:18 PM
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Aftermarket wires bad for your car? My godfathers brother is a GM mechanic. He said he would not recommend changing the sparkplug wires and plugs from stock.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
I purchased MSD 8.5mm wires, from what I got from my research they are the best, but he is a mechanic so it should hold some water.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
I purchased MSD 8.5mm wires, from what I got from my research they are the best, but he is a mechanic so it should hold some water.
07-30-2006, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Ubergeist
My godfathers brother is a GM mechanic. He said he would not recommend changing the sparkplug wires and plugs from stock.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
I purchased MSD 8.5mm wires, from what I got from my research they are the best, but he is a mechanic so it should hold some water.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
I purchased MSD 8.5mm wires, from what I got from my research they are the best, but he is a mechanic so it should hold some water.
07-30-2006, 01:40 PM
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Dude, no offense, but he doesnt quite know what he is talking about if he is telling you that it is bad to change to aftermarket spark plugs and wires. And it is not impossible for someone with limited experience to change plugs. It just takes time, patients, some beer, and a willingness to get your hands all cut up. It will take a couple hours to get it done but each time you do it, it gets easier and faster. Maybe he just wants you to take your car to him so he can charge you an outrageous amount of money to do a job that you can do for free. Do it yourself.
07-30-2006, 01:46 PM
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UH, NO, I have had NO probs and as far as difficult.... I did the drivers side and MY WIFE did the passenger side. Just have patients and some time. ITS NOT HARD
07-30-2006, 01:56 PM
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Sounds like he needs to go back to GM school and take some LS1 classes or visit this board and read a little. Nothing he said is true and if he's paying $700 for a coil, he's dumber than he sounds. Or maybe he's charging his cutomers that much and he might be brighter than I'm giving him credit for. 
07-30-2006, 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Ubergeist
My godfathers brother is a GM mechanic. He said he would not recommend changing the sparkplug wires and plugs from stock.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
He said it may damage the coils and they are 700 a piece. And he said it won't have the clips, and that is also bad. Also something about the wires being to big or something and they don't fit right.
Lastly, he said you need a special tool to do the install and there is no way a person will limited mechanical experience like me can do it. Last time I checked a turbo swap was more difficult than hard to get to plugs and wires.
1) What in God's name is he smoking?
2) Does he have any left?
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07-30-2006, 03:21 PM
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It took me about 25-30 minutes the first time I did the wires on my T/A. Nothing hard about it at all. Heck it took longer to change the wires and plugs on my Iroc than my T/A.
07-30-2006, 05:02 PM
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$700!!!!!!!!!! you could get ALL new MSD performance coils, with new plugs and new wires and a cold case of beer for less than that. and the last time i checked a new GM coil was less than $100
07-30-2006, 06:54 PM
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FWIW, around here all you need to do to become ASE certified is work at some sort of garage type job (even changing tires at wal mart will work) for 90 days and then you can take the ASE certification test. so not all "certified" techs know what they are talking about.
07-30-2006, 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by 1bdbrd
FWIW, around here all you need to do to become ASE certified is work at some sort of garage type job (even changing tires at wal mart will work) for 90 days and then you can take the ASE certification test. so not all "certified" techs know what they are talking about.
07-30-2006, 08:07 PM
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Originally Posted by 1bdbrd
FWIW, around here all you need to do to become ASE certified is work at some sort of garage type job (even changing tires at wal mart will work) for 90 days and then you can take the ASE certification test. so not all "certified" techs know what they are talking about.
it is 2 years on the job experience for ASE cert. in Ok
and it has to be tech work, as in changing tires doesn't count
07-30-2006, 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Beasst8
UH, NO, I have had NO probs and as far as difficult.... I did the drivers side and MY WIFE did the passenger side. Just have patients and some time. ITS NOT HARD
Dam man how the hell did she get in number 8 plug and wire took me forever.
about the wires.
07-30-2006, 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted by HavATampa
Little hands and skinny arms probably. Actually, getting #8 from the bottom is pretty easy.....at least with headers.
Actually, getting #8 from the bottom is pretty easy.....at least with headers.
p.s. msd 8.5 mm wires on here and no complaints at all.
07-31-2006, 01:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Beasst8
UH, NO, I have had NO probs and as far as difficult.... I did the drivers side and MY WIFE did the passenger side. Just have patients and some time. ITS NOT HARD