I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Malibu CA
I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires
Sorry for the rediculous question, but I've stared at it long enough and need your help. My car is a '96 LT4. The water pump and opti have both been removed for replacement, so I have a good bit of room to work at the front of the engine. I've removed the passenger side wires OK.
Now, I've removed everything holding the wires on the driver's side but I can't get them to go through the very small space between a power steering pump (I think) pipe and the block. They get hung up on the boots.
I could cut off the boots and get them off, but that still doesn't help me in getting the new ones (Taylor) on. This is driving me crazy. Is there a trick you can teach me? Thanks. :seeya
Now, I've removed everything holding the wires on the driver's side but I can't get them to go through the very small space between a power steering pump (I think) pipe and the block. They get hung up on the boots.
I could cut off the boots and get them off, but that still doesn't help me in getting the new ones (Taylor) on. This is driving me crazy. Is there a trick you can teach me? Thanks. :seeya
Team Owner
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (jkingsbury)
I think that on the LT-1s the guys have to loosen the bolts to move the PS assy forward slightly to get the wires through one at a time.
Le Mans Master
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From: More cowbell...
St. Jude Donor '04
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (jkingsbury)
OK.. here is what you have to do.. there is a bracket that holds those wires that go through that space. It uses 2 10mm headed bolts. Take em out, and get the bracket off. Now unclip the bracket that holds the wires in place.. Then simply, take the wires out, one at a time. I use my left hand to push the other three wires all the way to the bottom, and my right hand to pull one wire out at the top of the "hole". Once you get one out, the other three are even easier. Hope that helps!
-Mark
-Mark
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,751
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From: Miami, FL, USA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (MarkLT1)
Heres what you need to do--
Get rid of that Opti-crap!
L98's rule baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont takeit personal- its just a shot to all the guys alwys fighting with optis after a tune up or car wash!!!
Good luck!
Get rid of that Opti-crap!
L98's rule baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont takeit personal- its just a shot to all the guys alwys fighting with optis after a tune up or car wash!!!
Good luck!
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Malibu CA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (GusBustamanteJr)
Yeah, the Optispark works fine. I'm just replacing it because I'm in there. It's the :eek: wires that are driving me nuts........
L98? L98? I'm afraid I don't know anything about those. They weren't very popular, were they? ;)
L98? L98? I'm afraid I don't know anything about those. They weren't very popular, were they? ;)
Drifting
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,874
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From: Garden Grove CA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (jkingsbury)
No problem at all. You did say you were replacing the wires right? In that case just CUT the old wires off. Next, upon installation of the replacements DO NOT route them through that same space, simply route them UNDER the bracket instead of THROUGH it. Remeber that the factory does things a certain way to appease production line concerns, no reason why you can't make things easier for your self.
Thomas
Thomas
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,212
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From: Sun City West Az
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (The Green Rocket)
No problem at all. You did say you were replacing the wires right? In that case just CUT the old wires off. Next, upon installation of the replacements DO NOT route them through that same space, simply route them UNDER the bracket instead of THROUGH it. Remeber that the factory does things a certain way to appease production line concerns, no reason why you can't make things easier for your self.
Thomas
Thomas
Exactly correct!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Malibu CA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (65Z01)
65Z01 You're exactly right! I loosened up the bolts on the ps pump and moved it out 1/4" or so and the first boot popped through. I ran out of time, but the rest should be easy now. Thanks! :seeya
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Malibu CA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (The Green Rocket)
Great tip. Thanks! :chevy I had figured out that I could cut the old ones off, but hadn't made the mental leap to rerouting the new ones.
You see, I have this disease called NCRS-itis. It causes the victim to have to replace everything in exactly the same way that it left the factory :bb. Decades from now some poor fool will thank me for it :blueangel:
You see, I have this disease called NCRS-itis. It causes the victim to have to replace everything in exactly the same way that it left the factory :bb. Decades from now some poor fool will thank me for it :blueangel:
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 111
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From: Heidelberg Germany
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (jkingsbury)
I'm going to do a wire change soon.... what brand of wires are you using and how do they fit compared to OEM??? My question relates to the fact that I've found that custom fit wire sets don't exactly "custom fit", at least in a couple of non-vette applications I've done.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 3,570
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From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (Reneiria)
There are two things you need to do.
1. Remove belt tensioner. Not the wheel itself but the whole tensioner assembly. Its only one bolt.
2. Remove the three bolts holding the power steering pump and move it forward 2-3 inches.
3. Remove front wheel and A-arm shield to get clear view of wires.
In my signature is a link to my web site. I have photos of the engine area and a set of New Old Stock (NOS) LT4 wires. As people have discovered, replacement wires are not factory correct. I have brand new factory original LT4 wires for sale for the collector who wants only new factory correct wires. They came from the engine factory after production stopped.
1. Remove belt tensioner. Not the wheel itself but the whole tensioner assembly. Its only one bolt.
2. Remove the three bolts holding the power steering pump and move it forward 2-3 inches.
3. Remove front wheel and A-arm shield to get clear view of wires.
In my signature is a link to my web site. I have photos of the engine area and a set of New Old Stock (NOS) LT4 wires. As people have discovered, replacement wires are not factory correct. I have brand new factory original LT4 wires for sale for the collector who wants only new factory correct wires. They came from the engine factory after production stopped.
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Malibu CA
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (Reneiria)
I'm using the Taylor 8mm Spiro Pros. I haven't put them on yet, so its hard for me to answer your question on fit. Just eye-balling them, they look fine. However, they don't have the spark plug number molded into the wire, so you need to match them by length. The color is perfect, and the Optispark end boots are a good match. The spark plug end of the wires have some sort of weird connector, which I assume is intended to be better than stock. One problem I had is that it took over a month to get them. I was told that they were custom and weren't made up until someone placed an order. :crazy: On one wire they added a better angled boot than the stock wire, so I like that. I have no reason to believe that they won't fit well. Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,928
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From: More cowbell...
St. Jude Donor '04
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (Reneiria)
I'm going to do a wire change soon.... what brand of wires are you using and how do they fit compared to OEM??? My question relates to the fact that I've found that custom fit wire sets don't exactly "custom fit", at least in a couple of non-vette applications I've done.
-Mark
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 848
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (jkingsbury)
I just did this same job on my 96 this Saturday, and jkingsbury is right. Loosen the 4 bolts on the ps pump, and move it forward a little bit. From there, you can route the wires through the bracket. By the way, buy yourself a tube of dialactic grease at Auto Zone for $2, and use it on all the terminals. Prevents corrosion and makes installation a lot easier. By the way, I installed 8.5mm MSD wires, and they fit fine.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,230
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From: VA
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: I'm Stuck Replacing Spark Plug Wires (GusBustamanteJr)
Heres what you need to do--
Get rid of that Opti-crap!
L98's rule baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont takeit personal- its just a shot to all the guys alwys fighting with optis after a tune up or car wash!!!
Good luck!
Get rid of that Opti-crap!
L98's rule baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont takeit personal- its just a shot to all the guys alwys fighting with optis after a tune up or car wash!!!
Good luck!
