When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This is just a quick review of the Granatelli spark plug wires I recently installed on my 23 Coupe.
All 8 factory GM wires had 2,100 ohms of resistance each while the Granatelli's were all 1 ohm each. This is obviously a big difference in how the wires are able to transfer energy to the plugs and the results were immediate. The engine fires quicker on a cold start and also sounds smoother. While driving I noticed a smoother idle, snappier throttle response and it just ran smoother throughout the whole rpm range. I wouldn't doubt I picked up a few hp (probably 5 max), but that's not why I installed them. My positive experience from installing performance spark plug wires on past Corvettes and many other GM vehicles was enough for me to try them on the C8 and I'm glad I did.
This is probably a mod most people don't care about, but I thought I'd share for the owners who are always looking for ways to improve performance. This would also be great mod for anyone who is boosted with a SC or TC.
They are a pretty blue. I am glad you like them. More horsepower with no airflow changes would have to be due to better more complete combustion. Does anyone think GM would leave 5-15 HP, lower emissions, better fuel milage on the table over 280 dollars (way less for GM)? Does anyone think GM doesn’t know about the technology used to make these wires?
This is not the 60’s with carburetors.
I am surprised that no one has come out with silver core spark plug wires for smoother response and better sound, only $500 a foot.
. Does anyone think GM would leave 5-15 HP, lower emissions, better fuel milage on the table over 280 dollars (way less for GM)? Does anyone think GM doesn’t know about the technology used to make these wires?
This is not the 60’s with carburetors.
I am surprised that no one has come out with silver core spark plug wires for smoother response and better sound, only $500 a foot.
Well back when hei first came out i switched the factory hei coil out to an Accel super coil and could tell a big difference by sop and 1/4 mile times. So i wouldn't be suprised wires might make a difference.Some things do make a difference. Not the same thing but had 2 brothers that raced. One had a Chevy 2 and the other a Ford. Brother with Ford always won. One day the Chevy 2 won. Brother asked him what he had done to beat him. His reply was that he had put racing fuel in it.
Well back when hei first came out i switched the factory hei coil out to an Accel super coil and could tell a big difference by sop and 1/4 mile times. So i wouldn't be suprised wires might make a difference.Some things do make a difference. Not the same thing but had 2 brothers that raced. One had a Chevy 2 and the other a Ford. Brother with Ford always won. One day the Chevy 2 won. Brother asked him what he had done to beat him. His reply was that he had put racing fuel in it.
What year was this? Carburetor or fuel injection? What were the milage standards then? emissions standards? All of those things changed the cost and HP, fuel milage and cost, emissions and cost. We are a long, long way from HEI. Right now a single misfire could set a code.
If someone was going to run nitrous or forced induction, maybe a change in wires might help. Let’s look at the Katech packages. Do any of them list wires as something they charge? No. They change plugs on some of them. Now maybe you think they just don’t list them. Guys they list an O2 washer. They would have listed wires if they were using them.
Dyno time
Customers have reported up to 15HP (normally aspirated) & 35HP (s/c, turbo, & nitrous). Average gains on an otherwise stock motor are 5hp N/A and 12 to 15 with factory forced induction
Dyno time
Customers have reported up to 15HP (normally aspirated) & 35HP (s/c, turbo, & nitrous). Average gains on an otherwise stock motor are 5hp N/A and 12 to 15 with factory forced induction
"Customers have reported" lol.
I vote for blind test. Two c8 Corvettes and 10 times swapping between each car and starting and idling it and see if one can pick which one has these wires in it
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
"Customers have reported" in other words, rumors, hearsay, etc, zero proof of any gains. GM OE wires are very good, and well within the SAE standard (12,000 ohms per foot). The coils, plugs and wires on the car are designed to work as a system, if it was as easy as using a low resistance wire to gain even 5HP, GM would have done it. I've been through aftermarket wires on several modded cars, and always ended up going back to stock wires for best performance.
Typically there are no gains from something like this unless what you are using is insufficient or faulty. It does seem strange that GM would leave the LT2 only 5HP short of the magic 500HP number to save a few buck on wires..
however, they probably tried to save $3.50 per cable on C8 convertibles and now have to fix a lot more than they should have and sold a few less than they would have.
For GM it is not just about HP. It is more important for emissions, and fuel milage. A 1% improvement for maybe $10? For essentially no development cost, versus what it costs them to make a 1-2% improvement in weight or aero, or emissions. What would it cost to drop the weight by 35-70 pounds?
OEM wires are amazing and not worth changing unless you need a specific boot angle. On C5, 6, & 7's we have put cars well into the 7's in the 1/4 mile on OEM wires.
If a manufacturer can save a $100+ bucks per product X thousands of products to pocket some extra cash I'd imagine they'd do so if it's only a minimal product improvement, especially during this poor economy nowadays.
If a manufacturer can save a $100+ bucks per product X thousands of products to pocket some extra cash I'd imagine they'd do so if it's only a minimal product improvement, especially during this poor economy nowadays.
it is about alternatives. Do you think GM would have spent all of those development dollars and equipment costs for AFM, if the could have just slapped some $20 more expensive wires and plugs for the same result? Not a chance. Again this is not the 60’s.
Many years ago there was a company that had designed pistons for vehicles which had better emissions by just using the pistons only. They removed all emissions equipment from the vehicles and installed the pistons and the data showed less emissions out the tail pipe. The pistons worked 100%, but no one wanted the system to change. Someone bought the company/ patent and put in on a shelf some where.
^^Sounds a lot like those old urban myths about engineers in the '60s and '70s designing internal combustion engines that could return unbelievable fuel economy but big oil and the government conspired to squash it. We're talking fuel economy 100% better or more than engines of the day. Sure....
Many years ago there was a company that had designed pistons for vehicles which had better emissions by just using the pistons only. They removed all emissions equipment from the vehicles and installed the pistons and the data showed less emissions out the tail pipe. The pistons worked 100%, but no one wanted the system to change. Someone bought the company/ patent and put in on a shelf some where.
Do you have the patent number? I would love to read it.
Why do you think GM or Ford would not buy the patent if they could reduce their cost of compliance? They could build a cheaper car than their competitors and dominate the market and make better margins at the same time.
I don't believe the plug wires do what they say. There are lots of technical issues with the patent and no real data to support the claims. But, buy them for the color and the pull strength, nothing wrong with that.
Granatelli Spark Plug Wires
