Did I really need plug wires?

**5abivt** · 07-21-2009, 06:16 PM

I bought some msd wires. The car has thge original wires still at 115k miles and 8 years now. To be honest I don't notice any hesitation /misses or misfires at all even in the rain or moist weather. Has anyone noticed symptoms of bad or worn wires on the ls1s??

**lvbroham1** · 07-21-2009, 08:20 PM

wires from the factory are supposed to be good for 100k, it sounds like your time was due. i've experience a wire that worked lose before, engine was missing and ses light came on, put it back on started her up and bingo. I think the most common thing with wires and ls1's are probably heat issues mostly after header installs.

**0rion** · 07-21-2009, 10:13 PM

that's the difference between maintenance and repair......replace them before they give you problems. Wires just like brake pads, spark plugs, ect. ect. are maintenance items.

**formula2000** · 07-22-2009, 03:27 AM

Some people think differently then others, if you didnt notice firing problems then they probably didn't need to be replaced. If your that worried about the problem in the future then you might as well have replace them for peace of mind. Mileage effecting wires meh... Its like getting cancer... chance they go bad or chance they don't. My car has 90k on it and shows no wear to the wires what so ever. Hell, my 1968 amx I was given from my father has the original wires on it. If you just wanted a reason to buy new wires more power to you lol. Wires are much different then brake pads orion

. They arent used to stop a 3300+ lb car lol. All they do is pass the power from the coils to the spark plugs. Think of them in the form of the wire that plugs into your TV(except they conduct more power)...chances are the TV is going to go out before the wire does. Of course the motor is hot but it is an assumption to think heat automatically will cause a problem. Atleast you have the stock wires as back up anyways. Also, some people say you should change them every 15k-20k miles. But most of the time there is no need to

**SteveC** · 07-22-2009, 03:31 AM

I would replace them, the engine heat alone after that many miles and years, will make the wire coating brittle.

For 60 to 100 dollars, it is better to be safe than sorry.

SteveC

**Smittro** · 07-22-2009, 04:08 AM

A set of wires for my TDC cost between $140.00 stock -$200.00 + for good ones. Can get them cheaper @ like $80.00 but have you ever tried to get @ a broken off connector in a 6-7 inch deep hole with a diameter of roughly an 1-1/8 inch? My guess is standard sets for LS1s are cheaper. Even though mine are pricey they still get replaced everytime I do plugs. Pulling and tugging and so fourth on a plug wire can damage the wire inside. This could lead to weakened spark and or a miss fire SES light situation. Best to not guess and replace them. IMO

**0rion** · 07-22-2009, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by formula2000

Some people think differently then others, if you didnt notice firing problems then they probably didn't need to be replaced. If your that worried about the problem in the future then you might as well have replace them for peace of mind. Mileage effecting wires meh... Its like getting cancer... chance they go bad or chance they don't. My car has 90k on it and shows no wear to the wires what so ever. Hell, my 1968 amx I was given from my father has the original wires on it. If you just wanted a reason to buy new wires more power to you lol. Wires are much different then brake pads orion

. They arent used to stop a 3300+ lb car lol. All they do is pass the power from the coils to the spark plugs. Think of them in the form of the wire that plugs into your TV(except they conduct more power)...chances are the TV is going to go out before the wire does. Of course the motor is hot but it is an assumption to think heat automatically will cause a problem. Atleast you have the stock wires as back up anyways. Also, some people say you should change them every 15k-20k miles. But most of the time there is no need to

they are exactly like brake pads in the context I was using them in.....they are a maintenance item.
As soon as my TV is within 2" of a set of 1000 degree headers then I will compare plug wires to TV wires.

**formula2000** · 07-27-2009, 01:11 AM

well any functional part on a car is a "maintenance item" sometimes things need maintenance ...just wouldn't compare brake pads to spark plug wires. fact of the matter is they are made to handle the heat. I was using the tv reference to explain to him the point of the wire, so no need to examine that further then it was intended. I will keep mine until they actually crap out and I'll let you know when that is. Just explaining how there isn't a reason to throw them out based on mileage as alot of factors play into that ie. liquid spillage,handling during plug changes,wire type, etc. In the future, you will know when they go bad and then you can simply drive it to kragens and buy new ones. This is where "if it ain't broke don't fix it" should be used. But as I said before, more power to him for feeling the need to change them anyways. Mileage changes are always based off of assumptions and the repair for this would be as simple as the replacement to begin with. Not telling him he should drive around if his car was backfiring everywhere he went or if it wouldn't start due to wire failure. I'm not here to debate, just thought he should see both sides to this question.

**Too Fast** · 07-27-2009, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by 5abivt

I bought some msd wires. The car has thge original wires still at 115k miles and 8 years now. To be honest I don't notice any hesitation /misses or misfires at all even in the rain or moist weather. Has anyone noticed symptoms of bad or worn wires on the ls1s??

You didn't hurt anything by changing the wires. I highly doubt you will notice a difference in the way it runs since the OE wires were not arcing. My car still has its OE wires, with no heat sleaves, and I run some LT headers. It has never had any problems, and I've had the (ceramic coated) headers on for almost 3 years.

You'll notice things like an occasional "skipping" at idle, or running rough. Then as it gets worse you'll notice the engine run rough while cruising or accelerating, and if it gets bad enough the check engine light will come on.

**StuntmanMike** · 07-27-2009, 02:13 PM

The thing with wires sometimes is that the car will seem to run fine, but the performance has degraded slowly so you don't really notice it until you change them, and then it's like "wow, it runs great now!'.

And honestly, wires are cheap enough that you might as well replace them, it's nice to not have to worry about destroying them while taking them off. When I did mine, the hardest part of the job was getting the wires to let go of the plugs.

And it never hurts to replace something before it's completely shot.

Like tires. Sure, tires will hold air and still roll even when they're so bald that the belts are showing, but you wouldn't want to drive on them, would you?

**ls1fan74** · 07-29-2009, 02:26 AM

What kinds of wires do you guys use? You can go to autozone and get the duralast ones from behind the counter, and they have the Accel 8.5 mm on the shelf, and I believe 9 mm as well. And theres MSD, any differences/good/bad points to the brands?

and yes, to the OP I would've changed them too, for peace of mind in the future if nothing else.

**rbob93** · 07-29-2009, 02:54 AM

Originally Posted by StuntmanMike

When I did mine, the hardest part of the job was getting the wires to let go of the plugs.

This exactly why it is important to use "Boot Grease" when changing plugs.
While fighting to remove the ignition cable, you run the risk of destroying the cable connection at the boot, not to mention it makes the job soooo much easier the next time.