Pumba

Gentlemen,

I run headers, and over the past six years I have burned the boots on my spark plug wires four times. Recently, I installed a new engine:



As part of the engine install I relocated my coils using the Katech coil relocation kit. Their kit supplies brackets and MSD spark plug wires. To help insulate the 600 degree silicone spark plugs boots from the heat of the headers, I installed ThermoTec heat socks as you can see in the picture above.

About 10 days ago I started to notice a part-throttle miss. Over the past I had noticed the same type of miss three times. The other three times it had been an indication of burned spark plug boots. So, I started pulling spark plug wires and here is what I found:



Everything looks fine in this view.



When you turn the wires over everything is not fine. These two wires come from cylinders #4 and #7. In spite of the added protection of the ThermoTec heat socks, the heat from the headers has burned through the 600 degree silicone boots. In the past I would have purchased two new wires, or a new wire set, installed them, and waited until the next time my engine started missing so I could replace them again.

Things are different now!

ACCEL, the makers of spark plugs and wires, has recently released spark plug wires with a CERAMIC boots:



Unfortunately, ACCEL does not make a kit that works with the Katech coil relocation kit. So I called ACCEL and talked to one of their tech support personnel. He told me that if I purchased the ACCEL Universal 45 degree V8 wiring kit - 9002C, the Taylor Products boot kit - 46069, and the ACCEL wiring crimping tool - 170036, I could make up my own wire set. So I went to the Summit Racing web site and entered the part numbers he provided me and here is the result:



I made up eight of these wires, adding about 1-inch in length above what Katech provided, installed them, the miss is gone, and my spark plug wire boot future is much cooler.
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5 Liter Eater

Very interesting. I've seen the exact same thing happen to my MSD wires (also using the Katech setup) so I bought fire sleeves similar to those. Haven't looked at them inside yet, I assumed the sleeves would prevent this issue. I'm dismayed to see that they did not fix the issue for you. I've been looking for other options for the sole fact that I hate how the MSD wires do not positively click onto the plugs and it's very hard to tell if its properly connected. The Accel boots look neat. How much did the whole setup run you? Was it pretty easy?

Pumba

• The ACCEL 9002C Univeral 45-degree V8 wiring kit was $92.97.
• The Taylor Wire 46069 boot kit as $17.97.
• The ACCEL 170036 crimping tool was $48.97.

The nice part about the Universal 45-degree V8 wiring kit was that it came with a coil wire and extra connectors. So, I was able to practice crimping connectors on the coil wire until I perfected the crimping method.
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5 Liter Eater

Little spendy but I think I'll be doing this. Again, sick of my MSD's. I do like the idea of adding an extra ~inch. The Katech specific wires are just long enough.

Thanks for the info.

5 Liter Eater

Alright, I'm in. Ordered everything. Thanks for the part numbers.

SUB VETTE

I'm wondering if the socks are trapping heat rather than insulating from it and melting the MSD's. I have been running MSD's without socks on my AR header installation quite successfully for about 3 years now. No indication thus far of what yours looked like.

Dano523

Food for thought,

But if the ceramic boots end up getting that hot (ceramic transfers heat), granted that the ceramic boots themselves will not melt, but what is happening to the inner rubber and copper spark plug crimp connectors within the boots (copper expands when it gets hot)?


Hate to say it, but bring on the Asbestos spark plug boots.

dennis50nj

Funny how I have ran kooks headers and stock wires for 9 years and never burned a wire or had a miss, I changed them last year for new oem wires from gm

5 Liter Eater

All I know is F*** MSD wires. I just got my setup back together after rebuilding my turbos and when putting the wires back on I could not tell if they were connected. They don't click on. When I went WOT it broke up like a ****. So I need to try something else and this should kill two birds with one stone.

deadsexyii

I just put on MSD's too, and found the same thing. They wouldn't click on. I put some dielectric grease on the tip of the plug but still couldn't get them to click. I then put some more grease inside the tube and the slid right on and clicked. Personally I think they are a little to short, I'm keeping an eye on them, I can see them pulling right off the coil. I also have Kooks 1 7/8 and DEI socks. We'll see how it goes, I don't have twin turbos though so I think the difference in heat between our two engine bays will be significant. Keep me posted on how the ceramics do!

TxLefty

I gather from the above that the standard Accel wire set would work fine with stock coil location?

Pumba

If you mean the ACCEL CERAMIC wire set that is for the stand coil location, the answer is yes.

victorf

Congratulations! Your amazing C5Z's continuing evolution has an new engine? How is that working out along with the C7 7 speed transplant?

Dr. Jacob of Jacob Electronics sold out his company to Accel awhile back, I really missed some of his products, ceramic plug boot is one of them. Before his closing, I did purchase one remaining 10 foot long, high purity graded battery cable, which I kept for close to 15 years, here I am finally putting it to good use on my C6's big four application:



I always value your opinions! More continue feed back would be appreciated!

Pumba

Victor,

Thanks for your kinds words.

My new engine has 675 SAE horsepower and is working out great. It has a slight lope at its 900 idle. Obviously, I notice a tremendous performance imrovement over my 450 SAE horsepower LS6.

The TREMEC 7-speed transmission is the best improvement I have made to my Z. It allows me blazing acceleration in the first six gears and exceptional fuel economy in 7th gear. At 75 mph my engine is only turning 1,600 rpms. I encourage all high performance C5 and C6 owners to consider the 7 speed. Changing out TREMEC's 0.50 6th gear and replacing it with one of their 0.63 6th gears really turns it into a great trans.

I would also encourage those same C5 and C6 owners to have RPM Transmissions, or someone else who is competent, install a 4.10:1 final drive gear set as I have. It is a fabulous package!
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victorf

Right on! Sounded like your combo is a beast!!

I have followed your advice, went 4.10, RPM's route and again, a BIG Mahalo!

SteveDoten@ARH

Pumba,

You always do things very well though out and define "Attention to Detail".

Appreciate the posts, one of the best built and looking C5's on the forum IMHO.

Steve

Pumba

Steve,

Thanks for your generous comment.

I hope to be able to talk to you next April about a set of ARH headers for a '15 Dodge Durango HEMI.

JR

glenB

I found that 'Truck' wires also work with the Katech coil kit. The truck wires are longer... don't know why

5 Liter Eater

Hmmm Glen I would think they would be very tight if they did fit. The truck wires are only slightly longer than the regular ones.

In any case my Accel wires came in yesterday and I made the set and replaced all my plugs and it ran great.

glenB

I run the 'truck' wires from Crane using the Katech coil mounts, so I know the fit.