1980 Spark Plug Wiring Issue - Against Valve Cover
10-06-2013, 05:25 PM
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1980 Spark Plug Wiring Issue - Against Valve Cover
Hi everyone. I need help with the spark plug wires on my 1980 corvette. Everything is stock with no mods. The plug wires were just replaced and I cannot for the life of me get the wires off of the valve cover on the passenger side. The wires are fine until I put the distributor cover on. Then they become pinned against the valve cover. I've posted some pictures below. The old ones were like this too. Is it a bad design or has something been done wrong?
10-06-2013, 09:05 PM
#2
Drifting
It's hard to say looking at just the photo, but it looks like that one wire is routed wrong. I think it should go down behind the head, not over the end of the valve cover. Perhaps the wire is too short?.maybe you need to trade the wires around so you have a longer for that cylinder.
Pete
Pete
10-06-2013, 10:20 PM
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
This should help you. 
10-07-2013, 03:16 PM
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Thanks for the diagram! I rearranged the wires on that clip to match. The wires are no longer pinned against the valve cover but they are still touching. Everything is fine until i put the distributor cover on. That's when they start touching the valve cover.
The correct length wires are on each plug and they are for my specific model year. Unless I am missing something I truly believe it is a bad design at this point.
Anymore thoughts?
The correct length wires are on each plug and they are for my specific model year. Unless I am missing something I truly believe it is a bad design at this point.
Anymore thoughts?
10-07-2013, 03:23 PM
#5
is there a reason why you are concerned that they touch the valve cover? Is that preventing you from installing the cover?
10-07-2013, 04:00 PM
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10-07-2013, 04:09 PM
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10-07-2013, 05:28 PM
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Drifting
10-07-2013, 06:27 PM
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10-07-2013, 08:27 PM
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
There must be something else wrong. Are you sure the cover isn't warped. The two legs should come pretty much straight down from the top of the shield when it is installed over the distributor.
Also.. I'm not sure what year has this issue... But in some printed assembly manuals the above picture is missing.. I'm pretty sure the 78 book doesn't have them. So you might want to snag a copy of the original pages (2) from our web site. You'll find it under the technical pictures tab on the main page.
Willcox
