SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

Got the plugs done today, the first 7 took me about 2 hours total, and the last one (#8) took me an hour itself. It's a long story. But now i'm just waiting for my MSD wires to come in the mail and then that part of the tuneup is done. Gah I wanna drive it soo bad... anyone know how to clean the connection on the coil where the plug wire goes in?

777Shock777

iTrader: (5)

Awesome!

Yeah for the wires I've read that you want to put some dielectric grease for the connections on the wires.
For cleaning I'd assume just using a slightly wet rag and using that elbow grease

Your further then me now. I've been waiting for these specific bolts to come in so I can't mount my coils back yet :\

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

The more time you're waitin for the bolts though the more time to clean and detail other things I guess haha!

I meant like the inside of the connection on the coil. I may just pull them off and use a q tip with rubbing alcohol or something in there? They may be fine to just leave alone but I want to be very thorough with the job.

I will be cleaning the outsides of the coils with simple green or something of that sort so that its nice and clean and then i'll be putting dielectric grease all over everything. I'm hoping that the plugs, dielectric grease, and new plug wires solve my misfire issues lol. I somewhat regret putting the delco's in the car already though...

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I have never cleaned the inside of the coil connections. But I've never seen a need to, as the wires have always come out with clean prongs and a good boot seal around the coil. There shouldn't be any dirt or corrosion inside that connection unless the boot was not sealing well.

There is nothing wrong with the AC Delco iridiums. I put them in my '02 this last summer, and the engine runs great with them. I have NGK TR55s in my '98 right now, and they don't seem any better or worse (but they won't last as long with the copper tip).

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

I had very bad misfires in the rain and I found on my older cars that when I had misfires at the cylinder, it would make the prong on the distributor cap get dirty quicker or like need to be cleaned. It might have just been a coincidence but I kinda thought that this could have made my connections at the coil get "dirty" or corrode or something a little bit. But I could be wrong and maybe I should just leave it alone.

I wanted the Delco's because i'm adamant about putting American stuff on my car but I found that seemingly everyone is using the NGK's, as you yourself are. I found that the plugs that were on my car already were the NGK TR5gp. They were black on the tips but I have no idea how else to read them.

But I ran into the dilemma of my iridiums and their gapping. I ended up having to leave them gapped at .040 because there are so many people saying you can't gap them because of the delicate tip. Since the install of these plugs wasn't that strenuous for me, I think i'll leave these in for a year and then change to the TR55- something that is already gapped at the preferred range i've read which is .050-.060, or something that CAN be gapped rather than having to stick with a .040, which may be okay but still. Maybe i'm a little bit **** but....

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Maybe the dirt was the cause of the misfires, rather than due to the misfires. Perhaps the boots weren't sealing well, or the cap was cracked?

I would agree, and I always try to stick with domestic parts whenever I can. But the assembly line plugs for these cars were Denso (asian), so I didn't feel too bad about replacing them with the NGKs. Next time I change the plugs in this car, I will most likely use the Delco iridiums though.

I don't really see an issue with the smaller gap. This plug was designed to be used at that smaller gap, and is indicated by GM for this engine to be used at that smaller gap. Like I mentioned above, I put these in my '02 last summer, they replaced the original factory platinum plugs that were still in the engine. I have seen no downside at all from the smaller gap on these plugs.

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

The cap that this happened on, was essentially new- changed that season, and the plug wire ended up burning because of the header. Anyways, i'll forget cleaning the connection at the coil if it doesn't seem essential. It was just a thought that I had. Could have been pure coincidence though.



Well then, I don't feel so bad about it anymore now that you say that. It just felt weird to me to go against factory specifications, but if the gap matters based on the PLUG just as much as it matters based on the ENGINE, that makes sense. I've never used iridium plugs before so I didn't realize all of this until now. Thanks for the information and feedback RPM

777Shock777

iTrader: (5)

Hopefully it does! - I've seen posts where it has fixed the misfires people have been experiencing, so that'd be neat if it did

And yeah, I've been cleaning everything I can for the most part, but since its been 7-9 degrees these last couple nights I've been staying inside haha. I need to get a garage heater sometime.... :o

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

I sure hope it does. My friend has a really expensive scanner and claims that the misfire was between the plugs/plug wires, because his scanner said the coils were functioning fine. So those two things, with a sealed connection, should solve the misfire I hope.

Yeah that's freezing I don't blame you for staying inside. I'm spoiled and get to use my dad's heated garage, but I don't always get to have my car in the garage which is why i'm taking major advantage of it right now

777Shock777

iTrader: (5)

Well, it sounds like thats what it could be then! - Maybe upload pics of what ur plugs look like. Im sure someone could take a look at em

Yeah, same here, during the winter I can have my car in my parent's garage-but any other time my bird is in the driveway :c

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Just to ease your mind further, here is the info from GM Bulletin 03D-J-171, publish date 12/12/2003 (which applies to RPOs LR4, LM4, LM7, L59, LS1, LS6, LQ9, LQ4). This is a service bulletin that provided info to GM techs about the change in plug material and plug gap. I have a copy of it, but no scanner. You might be able to find it online using the bulletin number above. Here is the text:

"A new spark plug has been released for use in the above vehicles. The new spark plug has an Iridium tip instead of the current Platinum tip. Due to the different tip design, the gap of the spark plug has also changed. The new spark plug, ACDelco Part Number 41-985 (12571164), is gapped to 1.01mm (0.040 inches) when the spark plug is made. The spark plug gap is set during manufacturing and should not be changed to the gap required with the Platinum plug, or damage to the spark plug may result"

Hope that helps. And again, I put these same plugs in mine with the Delco specified .040" gap and have had no issues at all after doing so.

PS. Don't worry about the different part number. GM changed that number several years ago, but it's the same plug.

777Shock777

iTrader: (5)

Is there anything better about the ACDelco plugs over the NGK?
I just put NGK in.

baalic

iTrader: (8)

US operations

Established in 1966 - NGK Spark Plugs (USA), Inc. was founded as a subsidiary of NGK Spark Plug Co, Ltd., of Japan.

NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A), Inc. corporate headquarters was first located in California and then moved to its current location in Wixom, Michigan. NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A), Inc. produces products from two manufacturing locations: one location in Irvine California, which produces spark plugs; and another location In Sissonville, WV which produces both spark plugs and oxygen sensors.

In early October 2008 NGK launched the Art of Fast project.

baalic

iTrader: (8)

Also for what its worth OP, when I changed out the factory plugs on my 28k mile Trans Am, they were Denso's, not even Delco's....and a lot of other Vette and F-Body guy have found the same thing....just food for thought.

baalic

iTrader: (8)

WOW........the very first time I ever changed the plugs on a 4th gen, I called my dad because I see all the people on here talking about how it took 3 hours or 4 hours or 2 hours.....

My very first time, it took 2 hours, and that as with an hour of having to run into town, buy new plug wires since I broke 3 of them trying to get them off and had to replace all plugs and wires at that point........

Total time under the hood the very first time including wires..... 1 hour.....

Dunno why it takes you guys so long to get this done lol.


On that note, I can usually get them all done in about 35 minutes now even if I have to do wires too..

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

Lol I missed the memo that there was a contest going on of how fast spark plugs and wires could be replaced. I was actually watching football, talking with a friend, and being thorough with the job instead of blowing through it. But anyways thanks for the information on the NGK's and Denso's

777Shock777

iTrader: (5)

I was able to do the Driver's side pretty quickly, 15-20 mins taking my time. But the Passengers is another story... haha.

SteveWs6

iTrader: (1)

The hardest part was getting the plug started on the passenger side cylinders lol

01 CamaroSS SLP

If it hasn't been done yet look into changing out your rear end oil ( very easy )
You can also change out your Transmission fluid as well. My GM service brochure says it never has to be change but i would change it. My car is a 01 it could have 12 years+ old fluid in there.

RPM what do you think about changing the transmission fluid?

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

For the T56 listed in your sig? I don't believe there is any factory recommended change interval for this. But I am not an M6 expert. Either way, this fluid is under much less stress than fluid in an auto trans, so it would not need to be changed as often.