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Plug wires??

Old Mar 27, 2003 | 07:36 PM
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Default Plug wires??

Do aftermarket plug wires help any with the stock ignition system? Is it worth spending money on?
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Old Mar 27, 2003 | 07:46 PM
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Default Re: Plug wires??

I don't think that plug wires help so much in the sense that they add power.... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> I have aftermarket MSD wires and just comparing them to the stock wires, I am thinking for $61 it is a worth while investment because the stock ones just look like thin, flimsy sphagetti noodles in comparison....

I do know a few people where the stock wires more or less just vibrated itself apart on the spark plug end of the wire, this is why I upgraded when I changed my plugs. If you are taking them out anyways you might as well get something better.

However from what I understand, the stock ignition system is pretty good overall on LS1's.

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Old Mar 27, 2003 | 08:20 PM
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Default Re: Plug wires??

A set of spiral core wires will have lower resistance than the stock carbon core wires. This will allow higher voltage to the plugs.

Here's a write up from my website:

Why Spiral-Core?
The use of a spiral-core conductor provides the ultimate in low resistance, high spark energy, and ultimate magnetic and radio wave suppression. For maximum spark energy, you want the lowest resistance in the wires carrying the spark energy from the coil to the spark plug. A solid copper or steel core wire is the absolute lowest resistance conductor. However, this type of ignition wire will have very high magnetic & radio wave emissions .... interfering with radio reception and the operation of computer controls (not good on a street car). Stock GM wires are built like inline resistors. The conductor is a graphite impregnated cord. This drops down the spark energy in the wire and reduces the magnetic and radio emissions ....... while reducing the available spark energy to the plug! That's like the coil saying to the spark plugs .... "Hey, I've got 50,000 volts ready here for ya" and the wires saying .... "Naaa, those stinkin' plugs don't need all that, we'll let 'em have 25,000...".

Spiral-Core wires are the best of both worlds. Spiral-core wires use a thin continuous steel conductor, wrapped in a spiral around a supporting core made of a ferro-magnetic material. This design not only reduces, but effectively eliminates magnetic & radio emissions. At the same time, it is inherently very low in resistance. Therefore, delivering maximum spark energy and maximum horsepower!

8mm - 9mm - 10mm ?
PPC Ultra-Performance Spiral Core Ignition Wires use premium quality 8mm virgin silicone insulation. Why not 9mm or even 10mm? First, the thickness of the insulation has nothing to do with the resistance - or spark energy, of the wire. It is simply, well, insulation. We feel that we would rather offer a premium spiral-core ignition wire set at a more advantageous price point, than charge more for a "cool" set of 10mm wires.

Gordon
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com

<img src="http://www.provenperformanceconcepts.com/wirediagram.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://www.provenperformanceconcepts.com/IgnWires%20LS1bMED.jpg" alt=" - " />
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Old Mar 28, 2003 | 08:08 AM
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Default Re: Plug wires??

IMHO, with coil per plug and only about 6" of wire, don't expect any aftermarket wire to give you any kind of SOTP gain. Also the stockers fit very snug, unlike some of the aftermarkets. Personally I went with Accel 9000s just because they are supposedly much more resistant to heat over the stockers for a header application. Now if you've racked up 50k miles on the stock wires, it sure wouldn't be a bad idea to invest in a new set.
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