spark plug wire question?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 31
From: Land O' Lakes/Tampa Florida
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
spark plug wire question?
I just replaced my stock LS2 spark plug wires with a set of MSD wires. Do I need to reuse those metal boot protectors to keep the new boots from being burned up? Or are they even neccesary to have over the MSD boots?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 954
Likes: 21
From: White Oak, GA
I reused them, figured it wouldn't hurt. They aren't absolutely necessary but you know GM wouldn't include anything extra if there wasn't some benefit. It may depend if you have stock exhaust manifold vs headers.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
SUBVETTE
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,841
Likes: 93
From: San Diego CA
I didn't use them. The MSD wires have a flexible joint at the plug which allows them to be shaped away from exhaust headers (one of the design features). The heat shields prevent you from so doing. If you are running long tube headers, as I am, It's beneficial to be able to bend the wires for the max distance between wire and header.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
I have a LS3 with the stock coil & valve cover set-up.
What is the MSD part# in "black" & what do they go for.
Very important to me:
I want to use the stock metal protectors so do the protectors fit "correctly" on the MSD wires as the stock wires? and if not does MSD make a set that is made to use/for the stock metal protectors. Thanks
What is the MSD part# in "black" & what do they go for.
Very important to me:
I want to use the stock metal protectors so do the protectors fit "correctly" on the MSD wires as the stock wires? and if not does MSD make a set that is made to use/for the stock metal protectors. Thanks
Last edited by C7/Z06 Man; Feb 2, 2013 at 10:09 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
I have a LS3 with the stock coil & valve cover set-up.
What is the MSD part# in "black" & what do they go for.
Very important to me:
I want to use the stock metal protectors so do the protectors fit "correctly" on the MSD wires as the stock wires? and if not does MSD make a set that is made to use/for the stock metal protectors. Thanks
What is the MSD part# in "black" & what do they go for.
Very important to me:
I want to use the stock metal protectors so do the protectors fit "correctly" on the MSD wires as the stock wires? and if not does MSD make a set that is made to use/for the stock metal protectors. Thanks
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Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
MSD boot, 2 years old and it had a heat sock on it, LG headers
This is what it looked like inside when I cut the boot open
This is the terminal after numerous on/offs
It caused a slight miss just off idle as I let the clutch out and what felt like a lean miss between 1500 -2000 RPM, but not all the time and yet it didn't set a CEL, and no, the code wasn't disabled in the tune
This is what it looked like inside when I cut the boot open
This is the terminal after numerous on/offs
It caused a slight miss just off idle as I let the clutch out and what felt like a lean miss between 1500 -2000 RPM, but not all the time and yet it didn't set a CEL, and no, the code wasn't disabled in the tune
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
Did some checking
1) Ohms on the stock wires matched what they were the first time I ever checked them = 760/770 ohms for all. I have been running the stock wires with the stock metal protectors and 1 3/4" headers for a couple of years now and the plug wires still look & perform the same.
2) One plug had that very small iridium tip missing so I did my first compression test on this engine.
RESULTS:
The three front cylinders on "both" sides were 210 psi and the rear cylinder on both sides were 205 psi using my "gage". Whatever is causing the two rear to read 5 psi lower than the rest most likely has to do with design/manufacturing.
Thanks glenB, the write-up on those Crane wires look good; are you sure that the metal protectors fit well on those wires?
2) One plug had that very small iridium tip missing so I did my first compression test on this engine.
RESULTS:
The three front cylinders on "both" sides were 210 psi and the rear cylinder on both sides were 205 psi using my "gage". Whatever is causing the two rear to read 5 psi lower than the rest most likely has to do with design/manufacturing.
Thanks glenB, the write-up on those Crane wires look good; are you sure that the metal protectors fit well on those wires?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
1) Ohms on the stock wires matched what they were the first time I ever checked them = 760/770 ohms for all. I have been running the stock wires with the stock metal protectors and 1 3/4" headers for a couple of years now and the plug wires still look & perform the same.
2) One plug had that very small iridium tip missing so I did my first compression test on this engine.
RESULTS:
The three front cylinders on "both" sides were 210 psi and the rear cylinder on both sides were 205 psi using my "gage". Whatever is causing the two rear to read 5 psi lower than the rest most likely has to do with design/manufacturing.
Thanks glenB, the write-up on those Crane wires look good; are you sure that the metal protectors fit well on those wires?
2) One plug had that very small iridium tip missing so I did my first compression test on this engine.
RESULTS:
The three front cylinders on "both" sides were 210 psi and the rear cylinder on both sides were 205 psi using my "gage". Whatever is causing the two rear to read 5 psi lower than the rest most likely has to do with design/manufacturing.
Thanks glenB, the write-up on those Crane wires look good; are you sure that the metal protectors fit well on those wires?
The MSD has a semi angle to them, the Crane wires have a straight boot like the stock wires.
This is the Crane wire. You can see that the Ohms are as advertised and a stock type boot. This is the truck wire BTW
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
glenB
The stock plug boots are still a little different than the Cranes on the site and in your pic. I measured the length of my stock plug wire with it stretched out over a rule and it measures approx. 9 1/2" from boot end to boot end.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
These are the Crane truck wires. As you can see, even with the coils moved I had enough. These wires replaced the MSD 'made for katech' wires
Bottom line is that it's your vehicle, do as you wish
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 451
From: Maryland
The stock plug boots don't push through. The end of the stock boot when fully seated into the round metal protector ends near the bottom at the crimped area of the tube which holds the spring in place.
Last edited by C7/Z06 Man; Feb 4, 2013 at 07:22 PM.
