Cybermind

Hi all,

I wanted to change my spark plugs this weekend and I tried pulling off the spark plug wires. They would not budge. I know now that the only way I will get them off is by destroying most of them. I therefore postponed my spark plug replacement until I get a good set of wires.

Which brings me to my question. Will ultra high performance ignition wires be OK for my stock LS1 engine? I know, I know........the OEM wires are all I need but please keep in mind that I live in the automotive ripoff capital of North America. I was quoted a price of $260.00 CND at the local Chevy dealer. I almost burst out laughing. And this price is without the replacement boot heat shields which I know I will mangle trying to remove.

After doing a lot of online searching I found a set of Accel Extreme 9000 wires for about $100.00US delivered. I wouldn't need any boot heat shields with these wires because the boots are ceramic and resistant to extreme temperatures. They also appear to be very robust which is important the next time I change out my spark plugs.

So, am I OK with these wires? I know that everyone talks about resistance and RF interference. Should I worry about these things?

I would love to hear from people with personal experience with these wires.

Thanks guys,

SteveDoten

I would run GMPP or LS2/3/7 wires, about 60/80$ usd

they work fine, some shops use them past 800 w/out worries

stick w/ GM on wires

stocker removal, just twist them, they'll come off

Cybermind

Thanks for the advice. I tried twisting them off and nothing. I was planning on sticking with GM wires but man.........I can't keep replacing them everytime I want to check or replace my spark plugs. According to other posts that I read, they are very delicate and do not take to kindly to their boots being pulled. Some people replace them every time they replace their spark plugs. I need something more robust. I also would love to get rid of those pesky boot heat shields.

2KFRC5

I used a spark plug wire removal tool. Grab the boot, twist & pull. All my wires came off fairly easy and intact.


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...-specials.html

||--Genuine GM Tune-Up Items--||

12495519 – GMPP red spark plug wire set – 60.00

SteveDoten

try the LS2/newer wires, easier to work w/

aftermarket is often lesser quality

Bill Curlee

Its NOT the fault of the wires. Its the way that they were installed. When you install the new GM Performance Red Wires,,coat the insides of the boots with silicone dielectric grease. The next time that you have to remove them, a small twist and pull and off they come.

Get the wires from Gene Culley ( www.gmpartshouse.com )

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-specials.html


12495519 – GMPP red spark plug wire set – 60.00

There the BEST wires BANG FOR THE BUCK! You need the metal shields to

1 Protect the boots
2 Shield RF/EMI

BC

cafeeviler

For 69.00 bucks I purchased a set of 8.5mm MSD, are you telling me I bought Junk?

Bill Curlee

No,,,NOT JUNK,,,just that I seriously doubt that they will last as long or fit good as the GM Performance Red Wires. Ive seen 5-6 post where someone complained that their MSD sparkplug boot tore because it was too soft.

I bet if you purchased $30 Autozone wires, they would work just as good as $100 a set SUPER DUPER Hype wires. You wouldnt see a difference in performance,,,for a while.

You will see a difference on how the wires fit on the coils and plugs, quality of the boots, metal connector fit in the coil towers and on the plugs and excellent boot and wire material.

I will take a picture of the GM Performance Red wire coil connector terminal tonight and compare them to what ever wire you want. See if they fit the coil tower connector the same.

Bang for the buck,,,you just cant beat them.

Bill

EStreeter

What BC said! Its the grease.

cafeeviler

That hurts Bill I dont like to think I bought an inferrior product, not that I am about the "name brand".
I was always under the impression that MSD the cream of the crop for ignition.
I also believe that prior to installing the plug I can do a test fit and crimp the ends a bit more for tighter fit.
What is a good Dielectric grease to get?
I did look at the GM red wires....... I am also a OEM HEI Ignition guy thats why I only bought the wires and not the coil packs.
So with the heat shield socks do you think they will last as long as the GM reds?
I want good Quality and dependability and in 30k when I swap them out I dont want to deal with a lot of BS.
I only plan on running about 520 to 540 rwhp.

Cybermind

So, there is no one out there running with Accel Extreme 9000 wires? I just would like to hear from some one that has or has had them on their car. As I stated previously, GM wires are way too expensive in local dealerships ($260.00) and most internet sites use UPS for delivery to Canada which easily adds a brokerage fee of $60.00 + to the final price and that is on top of shipping charges.

Guys, it is not that I do not want to use GM or GMPP wires, it is that they are harder for me to get at a reasonable price. If you know of a Canadian online seller offering them at a reasonable price I will be more than happy to buy them but I haven't found one.

For the quality and price of the Accel wires, I think it is a pretty good deal. Now, if I could only find someone who already has them to get their opinion.

Cruncher

Delco OEM wires at the dealership run about $230US, or $30US each. I know this because a dealer ripped one of the wires when removing it from the plug. Subsequently, I purchased Magnacor wires, an entire set, for $80.25US. MSD wires were selling @ < $70US.

Bill Curlee

Most people fail to realize what will damage a plug wire. Its usually not just sitting in place that causes the most damage (yea time and heat can deteriorate them) but undue stresses like resting on the manifold or header pipe, using pliers to grab the boot to remove it, punctures, yanking the boot off by pulling the wire, yanking the boot off without breaking it free from being stuck on the plug porcelain.

GM and most aftermarket LS series wires are spiral wound core wires. Theres a very fine single strand of nickel wire wound around a amriad core. If you yank on or sharply bend the wire, and break that wound core, it will eventually fail and cause a misfire. Stock GM wires should measure 250-750 ohms end to end.

If you are very careful with your SOFT boots, they should last well past 30K You just need to understand that the boots are not that tough and will tear/crumble very easily.
Another reasons that I prefer GM Red wires is your statement:

quote" I also believe that prior to installing the plug I can do a test fit and crimp the ends a bit more for tighter fit.

The GM RED Performance wires fit first time every time rock solid. They actually "CLICK" into the coil tower. The boots fit so well that you need to BURP the air out of them.

I said this 50 times in past post: Fancy high dollar hype "Spark Plug Wires" on an LS1/LS6/LS2 or LS3 will NOT make ANY HP increase over a properly operating "STOCK" wire. You can take that to the bank.

Is NOT the HP or performance increase that you look for. Its the quality and proper fit thats important.

Most auto-parts stores carry a large tube of Silicone Dielectric Grease. I got the large tube because I do a lot of tune up work on vehicles other than Corvettes as well as maintaining my Vettes. If you don't want to purchase a BIG tube, the little packets that Autozone carries work just as well as the big tubes. No one product is any better then another.

I'll confess a secret,,,,Another very good but EXPENSIVE spark plug wire is MAGNACORE. Way back when C5 was first out, I had an EMI/RFI issue that I eventually traced to a bad/damaged stock black LS1 wire. I was determined that I was going to get the (at that time) "THE BEST SPARK PLUG WIRE" which was MAGNACORE. The MAGNACORE wires fit like the GM RED Performance wires but,,,,there a good bit of money. They have copied GM hardware and fit properly.

When I sold my 98 coupe, I SWAPPED my stock ZO6 wires to the 98 and installed the MAGNACOREs on the ZO6. Those wires have well over 100,000 miles on them and have been on and off two cars countless times! There still in excellent shape.

Im glad that you passed on the MSD Coils. Ive seen too many issues where they outright fail and they do not give you any more performance over a stock GM LS series coil. There WAY more than a stock LS coil.

BC

cafeeviler

Thanks bill, I will probably just suck it up for now with the MSD's but in the future I will keep the reds in mind. I appreciate your input on the subject. Yeah 750 bucks for 8 coil packs was just too much to swallow especially when I know that they are not going to give me a single additional HP.

Fast one

I just received a new set of the GMPP red #12495519 that don't fit my car, $50 shipped.

SteveDoten

just to be clear, 'don't fit my car' is not referring to your '98??

Fast one

They don't fit my '98, the heads are AFR and that could be the reason. These spark plug wires are about 8.5" end to end.

SteveDoten

Fast One, I would "assume" you have some mod'd coil pack brackets sitting on those heads?

unless you just installed the 99up v/c'ers and Cpack brackets

either way they should fit all C5's if they are the red GMPP pn?? didn't verifiy

Cybermind

Following all of the comments I got, this is what I finally went with:

AC Delco spark plug wires (748CC)
NGK Iridium spark plugs (TR55IX)

I managed to pick up the spark plug wires on Ebay for 32 bucks delivered (brand new).

Thanks again for all your comments. You guys convinced me to stick to OEM for the wires. I am hoping that I'm OK with the NGK spark plugs. There were alot of positive comments. Thank God for this forum.

Quicksilver Vert 01

I'll take the wires if they're still available.

Send me a PM with payment info.