5.3 L silverado spark plug gap

icefishingnut58 · 06-19-2010, 12:27 PM

Hi
I have a 2001 chev silverado with a 5.3 engine. I am doing a tune up on it. I bought original equip spark plugs ac delco iridium spark plugs part #41-110. Heres my question. on the truck is says to gap them at .060 on oriley website where i got them it says to gap them at .040. I called them and they said .060 sounds like alot. but would go with what the truck says. when i try to gap them to .060 it really looks distorted so i googled it and it said that acdelco iridium plugs come pre gapped at .040. and not to try to gap them or you could damage the plug. now i am really confused. do i gap them back to .040 and hopfully i didnt wreck them. or leave them at .060. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
garys

MT-2500 · 06-19-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icefishingnut58

Hi
I have a 2001 chev silverado with a 5.3 engine. I am doing a tune up on it. I bought original equip spark plugs ac delco iridium spark plugs part #41-110. Heres my question. on the truck is says to gap them at .060 on oriley website where i got them it says to gap them at .040. I called them and they said .060 sounds like alot. but would go with what the truck says. when i try to gap them to .060 it really looks distorted so i googled it and it said that acdelco iridium plugs come pre gapped at .040. and not to try to gap them or you could damage the plug. now i am really confused. do i gap them back to .040 and hopfully i didnt wreck them. or leave them at .060. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
garys

That is the wrong plugs for it and you have ruined them by trying to re gap them.
Pitch them and get the right plugs for it.

Always check the latest AC delco spark plug book before replacing plugs.
The book also has a foot note about not re gaping the plugs.
With my 2006 AC plug book
I show plug no 41-985 gaped at .040 for it but double check the latest AC delco plug book.
And check the gap and tip alignment of the new plugs.
If tip is not aligned straight and the right gap of .040 pitch them back and get some that does.

A lot of times the plug no and gap has been changed from the OEM plugs and gap.
So do not go by what was in it.

icefishingnut58 · 06-19-2010, 05:32 PM

ok I bought these at oriley auto parts. they said that this is the right plug and they are the ones that told me to gap them to the truck specs heck i even bought a gap wrench you would think they would have known? so do you think i have a bitch here bring them back and try to get my money back or exchange? Do you think i should go right to a chevy parts and get them there? help help help

MT-2500 · 06-19-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icefishingnut58

ok I bought these at oriley auto parts. they said that this is the right plug and they are the ones that told me to gap them to the truck specs heck i even bought a gap wrench you would think they would have known? so do you think i have a bitch here bring them back and try to get my money back or exchange? Do you think i should go right to a chevy parts and get them there? help help help

Yes you have a very good right have a big bitch fit about it.
They gave you the wrong plugs and also the wrong information on gap.
Tell them to get out there latest AC delco spark plug book and .
TELL THEM TO READ AND WEAP AND CORRECT THERE MISTAKE AT THERE EXPENSE.
Also
Take them back and pitch them over the counter at them.
Jump up and down and have a tissey fit if that does not get there attention.
Ask for the manager and if he does not fix the problem.
Ask for the phone of there main office.

Also the best time to do thing like that is when they are at they busyest part of the day with about 5-10 customers waiting in line.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

j cAT · 06-19-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icefishingnut58

ok I bought these at oriley auto parts. they said that this is the right plug and they are the ones that told me to gap them to the truck specs heck i even bought a gap wrench you would think they would have known? so do you think i have a bitch here bring them back and try to get my money back or exchange? Do you think i should go right to a chevy parts and get them there? help help help

the plug spec was changed yrs ago ......and these are different than the originals ..they have old data...part stores make these mistakes ..

gaping these plugs is not recommended ..this is how you can damage them as the small tips will get broken when adjusting or using force on checking ..so be careful on this ..

I believe you should be using 41-985 iridium ac delco plugs ....040 is the gap ..

icefishingnut58 · 06-20-2010, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j cAT

the plug spec was changed yrs ago ......and these are different than the originals ..they have old data...part stores make these mistakes ..

gaping these plugs is not recommended ..this is how you can damage them as the small tips will get broken when adjusting or using force on checking ..so be careful on this ..

I believe you should be using 41-985 iridium ac delco plugs ....040 is the gap ..

I havent gone back to the auto parts store yet. I went online and looked up the acdelco spec book for the spark plugs it was a 2010 addition and it does say it should be the 41-110 plug for my silverado. I think I will call my local chevy parts before i go in and have a cow.

gs

j cAT · 06-20-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icefishingnut58

I havent gone back to the auto parts store yet. I went online and looked up the acdelco spec book for the spark plugs it was a 2010 addition and it does say it should be the 41-110 plug for my silverado. I think I will call my local chevy parts before i go in and have a cow.

gs

I just looked this up and the 41-110 is the new replacement #...this has a gap of .040 ...the 41-985 was replaced by this new #, and it has the same gap ..both are iridium/platium construction..

I wonder why this has changed ????

MT-2500 · 06-20-2010, 09:39 AM

You are right on the AC 41-110.
That is why I said always check the latest spark plug book.
And have the parts place double check.
That plug no change gets very confusing.

Even if they did give you the right pugs they told you the wrong gap making you ruin that set of plugs.
Good Luck and
Let us know how it goes.
I would make them give you another set at there expense and only check gap and tip alignment but do not re-gap or align them.
If not right at .040" pitch them back and get some that are right.

j cAT · 06-20-2010, 09:41 AM

update : these new replacement plugs 41 110 are creating issues with our engines as reported on other forums....

If I need plugs today I would go with the 41 985 delco or another plug manufacturer that users have had good results..since I haven't used this plug I can't say for sure its good , but GM says it is ..

reports state missfires / poor engine performance ..

MT-2500 · 06-20-2010, 10:00 AM

Good info there J-Cat
That should be taken on what plug no to use.
I have had a few words with O'rielly before on the change from 41-985 to 41-110 plugs.
But They go with the AC delco plug book right or wrong.
Is there a GM tsb on it or do you have a tsb no?
Thanks
I sure would be glad when they get there act together on plug change overs and no and gap.

icefishingnut58 · 06-20-2010, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Good info there J-Cat
That should be taken on what plug no to use.
I have had a few words with O'rielly before on the change from 41-985 to 41-110 plugs.
But They go with the AC delco plug book right or wrong.
Is there a GM tsb on it or do you have a tsb no?
Thanks
I sure would be glad when they get there act together on plug change overs and no and gap.

Well I went to Orieley and explained the problem they had no problem exchanging the plugs

. but every place i looked says the 41-110 is the right one. So I got the same ones and put them in. hopefully I dont have any problem with them. Interesting the plugs I pulled out of the truck were a 41-974. neither of the other numbers. oh well thanks for all your help and info. If I have any problems I will be sure to let everyone know.

garys

MT-2500 · 06-20-2010, 04:30 PM

Thanks for posting back how it went.
As J-Cat informed us there has been some problems with misfires on some of them.
I have used them with no problems that I know of.
But sometimes things like that never gets back to me.
You may or may not have any problems.
But if you do i would go back to the 41-985 plugs.

Good luck

Erifox · 09-20-2014, 08:16 AM

Your 5.3 pickup should have come with platinum 41-974 gaped .060. The 41-110 are replacements for 41-985's iridium plugs gaped @ .040. I have a 2002 5.3 GMC and a 2005 5.3. The 2005 has the iridium gaped0.040 the 2002 has platinum gaped .060. Not sure why they changed from .060 to .040.

j cAT · 09-20-2014, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erifox

Your 5.3 pickup should have come with platinum 41-974 gaped .060. The 41-110 are replacements for 41-985's iridium plugs gaped @ .040. I have a 2002 5.3 GMC and a 2005 5.3. The 2005 has the iridium gaped0.040 the 2002 has platinum gaped .060. Not sure why they changed from .060 to .040.

plat plugs need more gap too hot to handle it..iridium plugs smaller gap it can handle the high heat. had both these plugs . iridium's are in there now , and they still look new about 3-4 years old now. plats the tip wire fell off !

ifisherman · 03-08-2015, 05:04 PM

My gal has a 2005 trailblazer ext with the 5.3L v8 a couple of months ago cylinder 3 began misfiring it had the 41-985 plugs from factory. I was given the 41-110 plugs. Cylinder 3 has misfired again, the insulator is burned off on one side, this is the same thing that happens to the original plug. Any ideas why? Thanks

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD