I am getting ready to change the plugs in my 01 coupe. This will be the first time they have been changed and I have about 18 k on the car. I use the car mainly for cruisin, no racing and I am looking for advice on the best plug to use in this situation. Also any special tools needed ? I have heard the drivers side rear can be a knucklebuster and what about anti siese compound ?? any advise will be helpful as I did a search an didn't find anything on here. Again thanks

 

I just got ZO6 Red high performance wires and a set of Iridium plugs from Fichtner's. The wires are all sized and have the ends already installed on them. The Plugs are pre-gapped from the factory. Everything fit perfect and it only took about 1 hour to put everything on. The drivers side rear is the most dificult but not nearly as bad as some people say it is. A 1 inch extension on a swivel was all it took. The plugs at Fichtners cost $5.95 each ($47.60 for 8). The Wires are on sale for $48.89 (retail for $98.03) I can't tell you the shipping because I also bought ZO6 shocks at the same time and they are heavy.

 

The best advise might be to leave em alone for another 32k and then take them out just to check em at 50K, then use care and some anti seize on the plug thread when you re-install (same or new set). Remove them before 50K only if you have a reason; they're supposed to be good until 100K (not too many people wait that long).

 

Mine were done at 85K. Put the AC Irridiums back in...

 

The LS-engines use a tapered plug that compress fits. Re-installing the plugs is not a very good idea. I changed my plugs at 65,000 miles and the original plugs still looked very good. (BUT) I did pick up 3MPG with the plug and wire change.

 

I replaced mine at 10,000 miles simply due to the concern about "loose pucks". The back plug on the drivers side is the only hard one to change, but it's only mildly difficult. The other 7 are just so easy...

I installed Bosch platinum +4s, so far, so good. I wouldn't "leave them in for another 32K", only because they might sieze in the head due to time, then you've got a problem. I would, however, at least remove them, and hit them with a dab of anti-sieze. Also, get yourself a good torque wrench, if you don't already have one.

 

It doesn't hurt to reinstall the plugs.Compress fits I thought they thread in like all plugs. Never heard of the above.
but it is bad info, Ls-1's use the same plug as the lt-1's .

 

Make SURE that you only remove the plugs when the engine is cold!! Make sure that you use anti seize on the plug threads!
Never pull the plug wire off by jerking on the wire portion of the spark wire. Always twist the boots until they break free and then only pull on the boot. Silicone Dielectric grease helps keep the boots from sticking.

I use silicone dielectric grease on the boots for both ends. I insert the flat end of a small plastic tie wrap between the coil end boot and coil tower. It will allow the air that is trapped inside to BURP out and the coil boot so it won't pop off later down the road. Been there!!! Pull up on the tie wrap, burp the air out and slide the tye wrap out.

If your plug wires are good, switching to expensive aftermarket wont get you anything but poorer. The OEM wires work good. The GM red wires are better only because they are made of better materials. They are the best bang for the buck if you need wires!

The internal resistance (end to end) on the wires is 250- 750 ohms. If they are way out of that range, the spiral windings on the inside of the plug wires is broken. (Read BAD!!)

There is a torque specification required for the plugs~!! The plugs use a taper seat vise a crush gasket (old style late 60's-70's type of design)
Not too loose~Not too tight. Use the torque wrench for JUST RIGHT!!!

If you don't torque them in properly, they could back out and or leak. Remember, your threading the STEEL PLUGS into ALUMINUM!!!!! If you cant run the plug into the head to where it is 90% seated using the plug socket and the extension, recommend cleaning the threads on the plug, using anti seize and making sure that you not cross threaded.

I think I covered all of the things that can get you in trouble!

Bill C

 

Another vote for the Bosch Platinum +4's.

 

NGK TR 55s here and I have not changed the stock wires yet, but I ordered some MSD wires just last week.

 

I took my MSD's off because of misfire codes. Put the stock wires on and no misfire codes. Alot of guys reported the same thing. Gene at Fred Beans said the same thing, use the stock wires and plugs. He's seen alot of problems with them too.
Just a heads up if any problems occur...check the wires.

 

So what's the proper torque spec for the plugs?

The prior owner of my car installed some NGKs, but one of them was loose. I re-tightened it, but suspect that the others may be loose too. When I wind the motor out above 3,500 rpm, leave the car in gear (M6), and let off the gas, I hear a hissing sound.

Thanks!

 

There is nothing wrong with the stock plug wires, unless they are burned or something is wrong with them leave them in, same goes for the stock plugs if you aren't setting any codes and having misfires then leave those in too. You don't have to change them as often as youare used to in other cars.

 

Changing at 18k?!?!?!?!?!?! Throwing money away. Good to 100k.

Rick

 

You are really wasting your money at 18K, the plugs are good for 100K
I took mine out at 50K and still looked brand new. I put it new OEM plugs because I already had them..
Bill Curlee already beat me to the other stuff..... there are very few people on this forum who consistently give good advice... I always tell newbies to be careful who they listen too here...too many wanna be hero's, people who got their info from the grandfather, and those meaning well but knowing little, this is not your grandfather's Buick....
Bill Curlee is one of the good guys...anything he posts, you can take to the bank.

 

I changed mine to the delco irridium type. I only had about 24000 on the bosche plugs. I read the posts about the pucks coming off and sure enough two of my plugs had missing pucks. I dont know if such a thing could cause engine damage and they probly went out the exhaust but surely the plugs no longer functioned properly. I should have sent them to bosche but was just happy to be rid of them. I changed the wires to MSD so I pulled the old ones off without care. They were fused to the plugs pretty good and so I wrecked two of them. Some dialetic grease inside the new ones should help prevent that problem.. Have fun.

 

I am sorry, but that is pretty silly to change out your plugs at 18K. Just wondering, do you also change your oil or tires at 500 miles? The reason I ask is because it just does not make sense.

Steve

 

Well, I had my plugs and wires replaced on my 02 Z at only 26k miles.

was it worth the change? YES.

I now have magnecore 8.5mm and the new OEM replacement plugs ac-delco irridium...

my car used to have a slight bog/hesitation from 3rd -4th gear between 4000-6000rpm.

after the plug/wire change, the car runs TOP NOTCH, and very strong, and very happy with doing the change. The car is so much more responsive, I keep hitting the rev limiter, its crazy what difference it made, well at least for my car.

my friend did the plug change, he did a DIY web page
http://pages.videotron.com/vette747/

as a matter of fact, after my C5 plug change, i went ahead, and changed the plugs on my wifes jetta 1.8 Turbo, (30k miles) I didn't even tell her i changed the plugs ,and she noticed the car was a lot more peppy, and thought I re-tweaked the turbo.

so plug change? ... i say... (this is the first time in my life i use this smiliy thing icon)

 

when I first bought my car it had a little over 19000 miles on it, one of the first things I did was check the plugs.

5 out of 8 were missing the platinum "puck".

I replaced them with the NGK TR-55 plugs, they're not platinum tip plugs and I change them every 2 years or so (they only cost about $13.00 for the set). but for as much as my car gets driven (not my daily driver), I have no complaints.

just don't get sucked into buying one of those "gimmick" spark plugs, they won't get you any more power, they'll just make you wallet lighter!