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Old 04-04-2009, 10:15 AM
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Default Spark Plugs and Wires

Im going to change my spark plugs and wires and hope it can cause some of this power loss issue im having. What does everyone recommend for plugs, wires, and the gap? Im having a friend at his dealership see how much it would be to change them lol because im not attempting that.
Old 04-04-2009, 11:01 AM
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I like AC Delco Iridium plugs, and MSD wires, The gap should be between .50 and .55. You should really just do it yourself, you could do it in the driveway and it'll take 30-45 minutes, and save you hundreds of $
Old 04-04-2009, 11:46 AM
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its 1.5 hours i believe. just do it yourself and save yourself the money. lots of write ups on how to do it too
Old 04-04-2009, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Unertl42
I like AC Delco Iridium plugs, and MSD wires, The gap should be between .50 and .55. You should really just do it yourself, you could do it in the driveway and it'll take 30-45 minutes, and save you hundreds of $
damn, 45 minutes, how many times have you done it to get down to 45!? haha. lucky.
Old 04-04-2009, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by airmaxon1
damn, 45 minutes, how many times have you done it to get down to 45!? haha. lucky.
the first time i swapped plugs and wires...it took me about 2.5-3 hours. DS took me 30 min at a slow pace. All i did was remove the AIR hose on that side. PS took about 2.5, maybe a little more. Had to remove AIR and coil packs. Atleast and hour was spent trying to break the 2 rear plugs loose (fuggin 10yr old antisieze), and atleast a half hour spent trying to figure out the right combo of extensions and swivels.

If i had to do it all over again, itll probably take me 45min- an hour. Its nice i got long tubes now, and deleted the AIR and EGR systems
Old 04-04-2009, 12:06 PM
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oh yeah, lts help, thats probably why it takes me so damn long.
Old 04-04-2009, 12:23 PM
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ya they could be worse though.... lol i can usually get mine in under a hour with antiseize and gapping..seeing as in that i havnt even touched a tool or anything to the car in over a year it might take me a little longer , i used to have it down which swivel and where to get at them im sure it would allll come back
Old 04-04-2009, 12:31 PM
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ngk tr-55's gapped at .055 if your stock or bolt on, ngk tr-6's gapped at .035 if your spraying or heads cam and msd wires. Do it yourself its not that hard my first time took me less than 2 hrs, take off the pass. side coil pack bracket and leave out either the last or last 2 bolts (not too sure whick it is) and get the last on the pass side from the bottom and your golden. I've realized its not hard working on these cars just time consuming
Old 04-04-2009, 04:08 PM
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I run MSD wires and NGK TR-55 plugs gapped at .050, works well for me.
Old 04-05-2009, 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by HWI
I run MSD wires and NGK TR-55 plugs gapped at .050, works well for me.
x2
Old 05-10-2009, 06:37 PM
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i can only find plugs gapped at .59
Old 05-10-2009, 06:48 PM
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If you buy the plugs they come gapped to ball park specs because of bumps in shipping. .04 wont kill ya but if you want to get a feeler gauge and just bend the plug end on a table closed a bit and regap.
Dan-
Old 05-10-2009, 08:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Unertl42
I like AC Delco Iridium plugs, and MSD wires, The gap should be between .50 and .55. You should really just do it yourself, you could do it in the driveway and it'll take 30-45 minutes, and save you hundreds of $
Originally Posted by Zerokube
i can only find plugs gapped at .59
haha I'd like to see yall run with that much of a gap....

alldata calls for a .06 gap, but as these other guys have said .055 will work just fine.
Old 05-11-2009, 02:08 PM
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the mag article ls1 dos & donts recommends those TR55s because they run cooler. i have bosch platinum 2 that i like, plus crane fire wires i think i paid $40 for the wires. cheers!
Old 05-11-2009, 02:16 PM
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I used NGK TR-55 plugs and MSD wires. Both can be had shipped for $68 from sponsor on here.
Old 05-11-2009, 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by DANOZ28
the mag article ls1 dos & donts recommends those TR55s because they run cooler. i have bosch platinum 2 that i like, plus crane fire wires i think i paid $40 for the wires. cheers!
No Bosch plugs!!

Bosch plugs tend to run very poorly in all but a few select German cars. They are designed differently than other brands, and I've even seen them cause misfires on certain engines. The problem is that they are designed for German engines, and then they create a cross reference based on the physical specs of the plug, not the actual performance in your engine. So just because it fits doesn't mean its designed to work in that engine.

I'd only reccommend AC Delco or NGK plugs for LS engines. I have the AC Delco Iridiums, and I've been very happy with them. Iridium is best because maintains its gap and will last much longer than other plugs.
Old 05-12-2009, 10:48 AM
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while your probably right TPIS catalog from 2003 recommends, probably because they sell the bosch 4's, are you going to call a well known engine builder / racer an idiot? (myron cottrell). not sure of spelling. the back of the catalog has a 2001 zo6 vette they gained like 3 rwhp from the plugs. i will fax you the page if you'd like to see it.
Old 05-12-2009, 11:01 AM
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ps i've had the plugs for 3 yrs and 3 diff dyno tests and never had a missfire. (knock on wood). the mag article says they run hotter, thats why tr55's are better. how much better can they be?
Old 05-12-2009, 02:29 PM
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Just a note. Changing the wires yourself. If you can get a reputalbe place to do it under 100 dollars. Do it.

i have huge hands, and half the scars on them are from doing the spark plug/wire change on my old 02 t/a. Not to mention almost ever wire snapped.Major pita.

I;ll pay if i ever have to do it again.
Old 05-12-2009, 02:48 PM
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Originally Posted by DANOZ28
while your probably right TPIS catalog from 2003 recommends, probably because they sell the bosch 4's, are you going to call a well known engine builder / racer an idiot? (myron cottrell). not sure of spelling. the back of the catalog has a 2001 zo6 vette they gained like 3 rwhp from the plugs. i will fax you the page if you'd like to see it.
I've seen the claims, and I've seen claims from other companies with similar results. I don't believe any of that. If the TPIS catalog is selling Bosch 4's, of course they are going to reccommend them. And while they do fit the application (reach, heat range, size, ect) they were not designed for our engines, period.

Electricity only follows one path - the shortest to ground. So its only going to travel down one ground electrode. Meaning the other 3 are doing nothing more than shrouding the spark from the atomized mixture. I don't see how thats beneficial at all.

I'm not calling anyone an idiot. I'm just saying you have to question a company's "recommendation" when its only in their best interest to sell the product that they are recommending.



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