plug wires
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 5
From: Schuylkill County PA
plug wires
Is there any easier way to swap out the plug wires on my '82? I mean, the sets in front of the manifolds look like they pass through a little hole in the motor mounts, and the right side wires are hidden by the stater. The plugs themselves were easy to access but these wires look like a major task 
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 31
Likes: 1
From: Marietta Georgia
They do pass through the motor mounts!!!!! I recently did it on my Collector Edition, its not that bad, just pull em out the old plug wires (brute force may be needed), grab some electric wire or string, tie it to the end of the new plug wire, stick the wire/string through the mount and pull the plug end through. Now on the passenger side I had to remove the motor mount because of complications with a ground bolt and starter. Just jack up the engine and pull out the mount, run the wires, put the mount back and bolt it back up. Its not as much of a pain as it looks once you get down to it. Might be an easier way to do that side, but its done now and thats what really counts. Enjoy! 
I recently did it on my Collector Edition, its not that bad, just pull em out the old plug wires (brute force may be needed), grab some electric wire or string, tie it to the end of the new plug wire, stick the wire/string through the mount and pull the plug end through. Now on the passenger side I had to remove the motor mount because of complications with a ground bolt and starter. Just jack up the engine and pull out the mount, run the wires, put the mount back and bolt it back up. Its not as much of a pain as it looks once you get down to it. Might be an easier way to do that side, but its done now and thats what really counts. Enjoy!
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 31
Likes: 1
From: Marietta Georgia
I thought about removing the starter, but once you have the mount out, theres more than enough space to feed the wires up. The little bracket that they run through slides out from behind the starter pretty easily and its easy to get the wires back in to it when you put it back on. I did loosen the alternator to get to that last plug on the drivers side easier. Hey if its time for motor mounts you can kill 2 birds with one stone.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
Just did my 81'. Went to napa and got the old dude (who usually has a clue) to figure out what wires were for "over the manifold" instead of under the manifold. He pulled up my part number (under manifold), did a cross reference to every thing that fit, then found the ones that offered over or under for that model. 1980 chevy truck was the trick. Bought some of those silly little crome wire holders (mr. gasket I think)that bolt to the valve cover bolts and now the entire thing looks great with NO wire touching the block or starter or mount or...... (and no wires that I can't see and always wonder if they are burned and arcing to ground)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
From: Santee CA
That's what I did on my '74...the originals ran all through the shielding, which was bolted to the motor mounts and the starter. We ended up cutting the old wires up and just ripping them out, then snaked them over the valve covers.
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Greendale Wisconsin
When I did my 80, I removed the distributor-end boot on each wire, slid the wire through the mount per the AIM and put the boot back on. This tip came from the forum a couple years ago, and it worked fine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
Originally Posted by Star79
If you don't care about originality (like most of us...) just cut em off and put new ones up over the valve covers.
Starter? Alternator?? MOTOR MOUNTS??!! That's crazee talk
Starter? Alternator?? MOTOR MOUNTS??!! That's crazee talk
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Oita, Japan
Originally Posted by Lee80
When I did my 80, I removed the distributor-end boot on each wire, slid the wire through the mount per the AIM and put the boot back on. This tip came from the forum a couple years ago, and it worked fine.
It's not too hard and looks much cleaner than having plug wires going over the valve covers.