I put about 8-9k miles since the cam install with bunch of other goodies. (here is my set up http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...post1572050888)
Lately I have been getting the service charging system (been happening for a few months, but recently it happens a lot when the car is sitting at the red light), even though the voltage is good, and starter connections are good also. I think this might have to do with the NGK plugs. One weird thing is that I noticed, that this fall with temps under 40 degrees, the car would almost stall out and die out right after it was cranked (sat over night). In spring it would start without an issue, rpms would drop to about 700 but pick up to 950 in a sec or two and idle was fine. Now I have to keep my foot on the gas for about 3-5 seconds and then it idles fines.
I wonder if the extra heat from the headers might have caused my plug wires to deteriorate and when it sits over night the moisture might be causing the rough start in the morning. I doubt the cold start tune got magically wiped out somehow. No engine mods were done since the car was tuned last fall. Only difference is that I am running the tick performance clutch master cylinder, but I doubt that has any connection to the cold start idle issue.
How often should plugs on a cammed car be changed?
What wires are recommended to be used with not coated headers?
Any other extra maintenance?
I just want to do my research now, order parts over the winter and correct it in spring, car is already in storage

 

I would like to know this also! Bump

 

Ditto as i am throwing a medium cam in my stroker build.

I will run over it with my tuner and as i will be road racing the springs will be part of the maintenence but not sure what else.

 

Plugs are cheap so why not change them every 10k miles. I have autozone wires on my car, no issues. Factory wires failed at 18k miles when the car was stock. I've had the autozone wires now for 10k miles with headers without issues. Plus they have a lifetime warranty if they do fail.

 

how easy is it to replace plugs & wires on the c6? I never had to do it on my 08, but I think i'll end up switching out the 2011 ones eventually, after seeing the stock gapping randomness on several friends' c6s!

 

It's pretty easy to do compared to many other GM vehicles. I change ours every few thousand miles to be safe. I run the factory plugs and would not recommend putting NGK's in there for a mildly modded or stock car.

 

I did not see it in your mod list but do you have an under drive pulley?
Jeff

 

My '05s been cammed w/ springs & PRs close to 3 years along w/ headers, u/d pulley, FAST, VR cai, etc. etc. I have the orig. plugs & wires & have not experienced any probs/decrease in perf. the entire time. There's no reason to change plugs & wires unless there's a failure so to speak. Although there's a lot of marketing around coils, wires, plugs there's so little gained for a stock or cam + bolt on car it's a big waste of time effort & money! The only upside it's awefully easy. As for maintainence oil every 3K (big news), check & clean VR filter 2X yearly, check & retorque header bolts, & since added NPPs & tied into stock vacuum plumbing, +VR spacer (prone to vac leaks), & a modded FAST for firewall clearance I have some inceaed risk of vacuum leaks so check every 6 mos old school w/ a can of starting fluid & at idle spray into areas subject to leak looking for increase rpms & thats it. Springs are rec'd to be changed at 20K. The easiest way to check if you wires are bad is start the car in the dark w/ hood open & look for arc, it'll be very obvious. The stock igniton system is high perfomance from the factory & if headers & plugs are properly installed there's little risk of burn. I think you guys may be over thinking or being sold on unecessary maintainance items.

 

Pull fuel rail covers for wide open access. Wires pull with good solid tug, plugs easy to get to, just be careful, easy to knucle bang when breaking lose

Need to be care careful going back in, easiest w/plug in socket & finger tighten all the way, go back w/ socket. Make sure plug wire are fully seated. Thats it.

 

I had the same issue. The problem is the after market plugs. I'll bet you have gone past the point (mileage wise) where they need to be changed. I would get the charging message/display and during a rolling stop in neutral the engine would nearly shut off. Power was limited, not a responsive - at times it felt like I was pulling a trailer.
Todd at Maxie-Price tied it back to the plugs; put in OEM plugs - worked like a charm, no problems since.

 

OEM is a platinum in most cases and are rated to 100,000 miles basically. Unless you go with the comparable NGK it wont last as long.
Has nothing to do with being OEM, has everything to do with copper vs harder metals. Copper plugs are old school and should be checked at say 15,000 miles or so and the tune comes into play as well. Other than the longevity of the plug there is no advantage or gain to the OEM plugs. ( $58 )

For maintenance I would change the oil regularly and do all the normal maintenance. The only thing extra with a aftermarket cam is the valve springs and who ever you bought your cam and springs from should have set your expectations as to the proper procedure for them.

It all depends on your cams lobes and the aggressiveness and your driving habits as to how often they should be checked. Its one of the questions on our cam questionnaire we use to spec a cam... how long do you want the valve springs to last ? Its very important so you don't have Mr valve meet Mr piston and should have been covered by who sold you the cam.

 

No, i didnt want to change it, due to some possibility that extra vibration kills the timing chain

 

if the car was tuned for NGKs, I am not sure how it will behave with OEM plugs (just wanna be safe)

 

It will be safe.