Sparkplugs! Im pissed!!!!!
thats good to know....yeah i just found out that its normal for the metal shield to come out with the plug boot.
hmmm...the majority of the people run TR55's gapped at .50
why does no one run a platinum plug?
im taking these plugs i got back and trading them in on TR55's
hmmm...the majority of the people run TR55's gapped at .50
why does no one run a platinum plug?
im taking these plugs i got back and trading them in on TR55's
As far as the engine bay being crammed and a pain to work on....put an LS1 in a 3rd gen, problem solved.
Haha...well I may be biased a little, but anyways, take it slow and once you get it tuned up you'll be glad you did. Shouldn't have to change plugs for a long time after this.
I change spark plugs in 30 minutes. Always use copper plugs. I change them every 10K-12K miles. Looking at your plugs tells you how your engine is running. So I check it often. I do 1-7 from the top and number 8 from the bottom. NGK TR55 when I had stock compression and TR6 now with 11.5 compression. I Gap them at .050 and they work great. 1,3,5, & 7 take less than 10 minutes. 2 and 4 are very EZ too. 6 takes a little time and 8 you get from the bottom and it is not bad to change from under the car. I threw the metal shields away the first time I changed plugs along with the rear bolt on the driver side coil bracket. I Always use plenty of antisieze and do not tighten them very tight. I tighten them 1/4 -1/2 turn past snug. I use plenty of dielectric grease on the plugs which makes getting the spark plug boots off EZ the next time I change plugs. Using the right tools always makes a job easier to. I use a 3/8 inch flex head ratchet, a 3 inch extention, and a 3/4 inch extention. For number 8 I use a 1/4 inch drive ratchet with 3/8 inch adapter because of limited space. Once you figure out a method it does not take long to do. After 236,000+ miles I have changed these plugs probably 20 times. So I have it down pat to say the least. If you relocate your coil brackets it gets even easier to change plugs.
See how much more room you have to work in when you relocate your coils...
See how much more room you have to work in when you relocate your coils...
Last edited by slt200mph; Jul 30, 2011 at 07:35 AM.
NO, NO, NO.....do not gap them to .34....NOT for N/A. Thats a nitrous gap. TR6 is a colder plug for nitrous too. N/A....TR55 or TR5...these two plugs are 100% identical, they have a different model number because they come from the factory gapped differently. The plugs are the same.
Fact about gaps........
Its not that important really. I've tried different gaps when my 98 WS6 was bone stock and I've tried different gaps with my 427ci. I tried ranged from .040 - .060.
.060 is factory stock...and GM put out a memo to use a smaller gap, I think because of all the piston slap complaints, not sure why.
Either way.......my stock engine and my 427ci.........showed ABSOLUTELY zero performance or gas mileage changes when using gaps from .040 - .060.
Since for a bone stock LS1 and my 427ci, there is zero difference.....I have since 2003 used a happy medium.... .050 and everything has been perfect.
Gaps become important when higher horse-power set-ups are attained. A larger gap is useful for a wider, larger spark to ignite a high compression and larger area of fuel/air...maybe even a real large bore......but thats not gonna happen unless you also upgrade the ignition system to be able to throw that larger spark.
These LSx engines we have are nothing special....they are regular old Chevy V8 engines........they need nothing exotic or special. Until they start to get really up there in HP or boosted apps.
NGK TR55 or TR5...gapped to .050....N/A
****And no matter which plugs you buy....always check the gaps, do not trust that they are correct. One drop of the box could smash an electrode. Just check them all before putting them in. Anti-Sieze on the threads....di-electric grease all over the ceramic parts and put a glob up into each boot, coil end and spark plug end. Just snug with the ratchet, they will not come out.
.
Fact about gaps........
Its not that important really. I've tried different gaps when my 98 WS6 was bone stock and I've tried different gaps with my 427ci. I tried ranged from .040 - .060.
.060 is factory stock...and GM put out a memo to use a smaller gap, I think because of all the piston slap complaints, not sure why.
Either way.......my stock engine and my 427ci.........showed ABSOLUTELY zero performance or gas mileage changes when using gaps from .040 - .060.
Since for a bone stock LS1 and my 427ci, there is zero difference.....I have since 2003 used a happy medium.... .050 and everything has been perfect.
Gaps become important when higher horse-power set-ups are attained. A larger gap is useful for a wider, larger spark to ignite a high compression and larger area of fuel/air...maybe even a real large bore......but thats not gonna happen unless you also upgrade the ignition system to be able to throw that larger spark.
These LSx engines we have are nothing special....they are regular old Chevy V8 engines........they need nothing exotic or special. Until they start to get really up there in HP or boosted apps.
NGK TR55 or TR5...gapped to .050....N/A
****And no matter which plugs you buy....always check the gaps, do not trust that they are correct. One drop of the box could smash an electrode. Just check them all before putting them in. Anti-Sieze on the threads....di-electric grease all over the ceramic parts and put a glob up into each boot, coil end and spark plug end. Just snug with the ratchet, they will not come out.
.
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Salem, OR
+1 for taking the pass side coils off...its just a couple 10mm bolts and makes the process so much easier.
i usually use a 3/8 ratchet and spark plug socket and a 3/4 end wrench for the hex end of the socket. it usually takes me about 15 mins to change plugs if the motor is cold.
welcome to working on fbodies lol
i usually use a 3/8 ratchet and spark plug socket and a 3/4 end wrench for the hex end of the socket. it usually takes me about 15 mins to change plugs if the motor is cold.
welcome to working on fbodies lol
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I went with granatelli wires... So far completely content with them.. I paid 60 once for advance or oriely and they were burned up at the boots in a couple months... They had a lifetime on them too but I didn't care... I have a set of stockers with 28k miles on them I'll sell you for 30 bucks... Just pm me.. "30 shipped". Or just buy you some new ones... Eaither way.
IMO granatelli are better then msd based on granatelli has even less resistance and a solid core wire... Also they make a heat shielded wire but a little pricy unless your FI imo..
Oh and fwiw. NGK TR55 plugs @ .55 here
IMO granatelli are better then msd based on granatelli has even less resistance and a solid core wire... Also they make a heat shielded wire but a little pricy unless your FI imo..
Oh and fwiw. NGK TR55 plugs @ .55 here
Thread Starter
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From: Murrell's Inlet, SC
Plugs are out and new plugs are in.....TR55's gapped at .050 outta the box they came .060
Nowhere had any plug wires when i went by so i had AZ get some shipped from another store and i gotta pick them up in a few hrs.
all they had were Duralast 7mm....they were only $30.00
so for now that will have to do me.
but atleast the plugs are in!
This was a bitch to do!
and a stock 3rd gen is about just as bad!..........until u put long tubes
Nowhere had any plug wires when i went by so i had AZ get some shipped from another store and i gotta pick them up in a few hrs.
all they had were Duralast 7mm....they were only $30.00
so for now that will have to do me.
but atleast the plugs are in!
This was a bitch to do!
and a stock 3rd gen is about just as bad!..........until u put long tubes
Platinum retains heat. Not good when your cylinder pressures (dynamic) are already on the verge of detonation. Overly hot plugs can also lead to pre-ignition. Platinum is for grandma's economy car, not a true performance engine.
According to NGK, regarding their racing spark plugs:
To withstand the severe conditions that occur in racing engines, NGK Racing Spark Plugs feature electrode materials and configurations as follows:
Electrode materials - Many use precious metals such as platinum or gold/palladium for greater durability and lower voltage requirements.
Electrode configurations - Fine-wire center electrodes provide better sparking and enhanced ignitability. Fine-wire ground electrodes further improve the ignitability of the plug.
Insulator configurations - Special configurations are used for the insulator noses to improve throttle response.
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/product...ugs/racing.asp
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/docs/RacingSpecs2010.pdf
To withstand the severe conditions that occur in racing engines, NGK Racing Spark Plugs feature electrode materials and configurations as follows:
Electrode materials - Many use precious metals such as platinum or gold/palladium for greater durability and lower voltage requirements.
Electrode configurations - Fine-wire center electrodes provide better sparking and enhanced ignitability. Fine-wire ground electrodes further improve the ignitability of the plug.
Insulator configurations - Special configurations are used for the insulator noses to improve throttle response.
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/product...ugs/racing.asp
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/docs/RacingSpecs2010.pdf
Thread Starter
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From: Murrell's Inlet, SC
well **** im glad i took it upon my self to trade in the platinum plugs that i had in exchange for some Tr55 copper plugs..
seeing the plugs that i replaced were shot! but had a good burn pattern to the electrode i should get my mileage back and some performance that i think ive been gradually loosing. Not lead footin it and with 100% long trip highway driving I was only getting 25mpg to a tank when i used to get in the area of 30+
all this tune up and sending my PCM to frost....this is gonna feel like a brand new car......LOL
whatcha think?
anything else i can do as far as tune up?
i wont get the PCM back til middle week....so might as well do something
I change spark plugs in 30 minutes. Always use copper plugs. I change them every 10K-12K miles. Looking at your plugs tells you how your engine is running. So I check it often. I do 1-7 from the top and number 8 from the bottom. NGK TR55 when I had stock compression and TR6 now with 11.5 compression. I Gap them at .050 and they work great. 1,3,5, & 7 take less than 10 minutes. 2 and 4 are very EZ too. 6 takes a little time and 8 you get from the bottom and it is not bad to change from under the car. I threw the metal shields away the first time I changed plugs along with the rear bolt on the driver side coil bracket. I Always use plenty of antisieze and do not tighten them very tight. I tighten them 1/4 -1/2 turn past snug. I use plenty of dielectric grease on the plugs which makes getting the spark plug boots off EZ the next time I change plugs. Using the right tools always makes a job easier to. I use a 3/8 inch flex head ratchet, a 3 inch extention, and a 3/4 inch extention. For number 8 I use a 1/4 inch drive ratchet with 3/8 inch adapter because of limited space. Once you figure out a method it does not take long to do. After 236,000+ miles I have changed these plugs probably 20 times. So I have it down pat to say the least. If you relocate your coil brackets it gets even easier to change plugs.
See how much more room you have to work in when you relocate your coils...
See how much more room you have to work in when you relocate your coils...
sorry it took so long to change everything out,I can change it all in tweny five to thirty minutes,I have ran the tr 55's in every motor i have had 383,402,408 with great results,I tried those E3 plugs once ran terible right of the bat poppin all kinds put my old plugs back in.
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Per NGK Tech Dept, the TR55 has a gap of 0.060" and the TR5 has a gap of 0.040". Both are the same basic plug (ie, heat range, etc) except for the gap setting. The prongs are slightly different to achieve this gap difference.
If someone wants a 0.040" gap then they should buy the TR5 instead of re-gapping the TR55. NGK said they only recommend moving the factory gap +/- 0.008" ... so re-gapping a TR55 to 0.040" is over stressing the prong on the plug.
NGK Tech Dept also said they see no problem running either plug, and don't know why GM decreased the gap spec ... maybe to help the coils run cooler and not over stress them with firing over a larger gap (?).
BTW - I removed my OEM plug wires last night and destroyed 3, damaged 1 out of the eight. Lesson on OEM plug wires is ... if you plan on removing them, plan on replacing them.
If someone wants a 0.040" gap then they should buy the TR5 instead of re-gapping the TR55. NGK said they only recommend moving the factory gap +/- 0.008" ... so re-gapping a TR55 to 0.040" is over stressing the prong on the plug.
NGK Tech Dept also said they see no problem running either plug, and don't know why GM decreased the gap spec ... maybe to help the coils run cooler and not over stress them with firing over a larger gap (?).
BTW - I removed my OEM plug wires last night and destroyed 3, damaged 1 out of the eight. Lesson on OEM plug wires is ... if you plan on removing them, plan on replacing them.
Thread Starter
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From: Murrell's Inlet, SC
tell me about it! i did the same thing.
oh and i shorten my gap on the tr55 to .050 ...they were at .060
so im good to go.
