97 Riv - spark plugs and wires

1997 Riviera - 3.8 Liter L36 - 131,000 miles


Have owned the vehicle for 15 years with the original plugs and wires. The engine runs ok but I'm worried that PLUG WIRES may be NLA. Should have bought a set in 2010 when Delco had them in stock.

There are a few questions.

1) I've kept the plug wires in good condition by removing dirt and grime, and keeping them soft and supple with protectant 'juice.' They still look almost new (in easy-to-reach places that is) but I've never pulled the wires off any of the spark plugs. The boot-ends are rather dry and cruddy.

Is there a risk of damage to the plug connector/boot after all these years when disconnecting? I can physically reach ALL of the plugs, and can rotate the boot on each plug, so they aren't frozen. Pulling the wires from each plug seems like a risk.. of damage where the connector grabs the top of the plug. What are the downsides to doing this? (there are heat shield sleeves on the back-three plugs.)

2) How is it possible to replace the back three plugs on this engine? One can barely SEE the plugs, not to mention getting a ratchet / U-joint extension in there? It's extremely tight.

3) When its it time to replace the plugs and wires? The OM says 100k miles.


-Ed

The fact that you have gone this far with original plugs/wires, is somewhat of a miracle.......:runaround:

Can't remember this year.....does it have a pair of upper dog bone mounts going to the top of the radiator? If yes, then putting the ebrake on, and tranny in neutral, you can remove the dog bones and either pull the engine forward, and either tie it in this position or put a block of wood between block and firewall.....I have a tool that attaches to the mount of the dogbone, that when screwed, pullls the engine forward......

I know the "H" cars had a supprt bar that went from strut to top of stut....if this has one just remove it, makes it easier to get to plugs....

As for the plugs, I have a double ball swivel set up that easily gets to the plugs with an extension....

As for the wires, count your blessings they've lasted this long....replace them(don't go cheap).....use OEM plugs.....if coil terminals have carbon buildup, just sand clean.....use dielectric grease on plugs and coil terminals.....

The fact that you have gone this far with original plugs/wires, is somewhat of a miracle.......:runaround: Can't remember this year.....does it have a pair of upper dog bone mounts going to the top of the radiator? If yes, then putting the ebrake on, and tranny in neutral, you can remove the dog bones and either pull the engine forward, and either tie it in this position or put a block of wood between block and firewall.....I have a tool that attaches to the mount of the dogbone, that when screwed, pulls the engine forward...... I know the "H" cars had a support bar that went from strut to top of stut....if this has one just remove it, makes it easier to get to plugs.... As for the plugs, I have a double ball swivel set up that easily gets to the plugs with an extension....

As for the wires, count your blessings they've lasted this long....replace them(don't go cheap).....use OEM plugs.....if coil terminals have carbon buildup, just sand clean.....use dielectric grease on plugs and coil terminals.....

Thanks for the prompt and quality reply,

Don't know about a dog bone but there's a BIG vertical chunk of metal at the back-center of the engine with a cutout in the center. It blocks access to the back of the motor. :headshake

Let's be clear... the engine is running GREAT and not just Ok. I'll call DelcoLine and see if they still have a set but right now. I'd like to PULL the plug wires one at a time, recondition them end-to-end and reinstall. Again, the fear is that one of the connectors will break.

Sound ok?

Tell you what, will start with one on the FRONT side and see how it goes. Then either proceed.... or STOP.


-Ed


EDIT #1 - Yep they have two sets in stock!!


EDIT #2 - The front wires came off no-problem and are freshly wiped and juiced!! :bananasmi


I'll have to study the back three some.

The fact that you have gone this far with original plugs/wires, is somewhat of a miracle.......:runaround:

As for the wires, count your blessings they've lasted this long....replace them (don't go cheap).....use OEM plugs.....use dielectric grease on plugs and coil terminals.....

Thanks!!

I'll run over to the local auto store for some dielectric grease today.


You can see the WIRES are in very good condition even before 'pulling' them.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/HV_wires.jpg



Here is cylinder #1 wire after rejuvenating!!

It's almost like new and the cable tray is totally degreased. There was a lot of black dirt under and inside that cable guide. Everything is spiffy including the transformer and plug terminals. The serrated shield is to prevent chaffing against the oil dipstick.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_1.jpg



Number 1, 3 and 5 Wires reinstalled

Same on Cyl #5 (opposite end, see steel ring in front of valve cover to the right.) Working on the front three cylinders was easy and fun! The rear wires will be more of a challenge. The trick is not to break anything!!

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/front_plug_wires.jpg


It may not need new wires but I should get some (and plugs) for future replacement.


Nice huh? or am I nuts? :naughty:


-Ed

Wow......have never seen a customer's engine, with that much mileage and years, that clean.....you are to be commended......

Sometimes those boots don't want to come loose, even twisting clockwise/counterclockwise........the back ones are usually worse than the front, due to heat......sometimes twisting and pulling damages the wire internally......sometimes they work ok......for awhile.....then come intermittant problems......why mess with that possibility?

I've said this before and I'll say it again....I worked for a Buick dealer, when the new Riviera came out......nice design and comfortable....what really impressed me was how solid the car was, even years later....not the usual rattles you get as vehicles get older....car had a great quiet ride....and if it had a SC, what power...the gas mileage for this car, with it's size and weight was around 30mpg, on the highway......only thing that kept it from being a really big seller, was it did not have a 4 door version.....GM in it's infinite wisdom gave that to the Aurora, which did not have the styling as the Riv, and I was not crazy about the 4.0 Northstar engine....I thought GM hit homeruns on the Riv and Bonneville......too bad they didn't market/upgrade them.......was one of the reasons for GM's downfall.......instead they developed crap that didn't sell.....

Good luck with your car.......

Wow......have never seen a customer's engine, with that much mileage and years, that clean.....you are to be commended......Sometimes those boots don't want to come loose, even twisting clockwise/counterclockwise........the back ones are usually worse than the front, due to heat......sometimes twisting and pulling damages the wire internally......sometimes they work ok......for awhile.....then come intermittent problems......why mess with that possibility?

Good luck with your car.......

Thanks Tech II, your expert advice is appreciated.

Had my heart set on a thorough inspection of wires and plugs (short of removing them from the engine) and made sketches of the routing and retainer clips months ago. Besides that.. had done the three FRONT wires a couple days previous.

Luckily nothing got broken or damaged, and the wires came off the back plugs pretty well. It could have been a LOT worse. Let's look at some pics:


Here are the aft heat shields and a retainer clip in VERY good shape.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/IMG_4562.jpg


After removing the wires, I brought them in the house where Carol was sitting, and she basically said "eeek... they're filthy." There were 2 or 3 minor nicks in Cyl #4 wire jacket about midpoint along the length but only superficial. Otherwise.. all the wires looked to be in tact and very much usable.


The three REAR wires.. reconditioned and juiced up

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/IMG_4585.jpg



With all the wires reinstalled, and the FRONT three remove to add dielectric grease, it started up instantly.. and settled down to a smooth idle. Will be road testing it today.


Rear wire routing over the engine

The rear wires go over the top of the engine and through the wire clamp next to the alternator, then wire #4 crosses OVER wire #2.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/rear_wire_routing_49.jpg


From there, the group of three roll to the right (like rolling an aircraft into a dive) and go down the back through another wire clamp.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/rear_wire_routing_97.jpg


After a while you know exactly where each wire goes.. but it helps to make a diagram. :rolleyes:


So it may not need wires at this time, but it would be wise to pick up a Delco set for future replacement.


-Ed

Hey Tech II,

I 'm resurrecting the "Plug Wires" thread to back up the decision for keeping the original plug wires in place. This was last June.. where I made a diagram of wire routing, checked to see if each plug could be accessed, figured out what wrenches to use, learned how to undo the wire clamps, and generally inspected / treated each and every wire end-to-end.

There was no grease or dirt on the wires after this was done. They were still supple and rubbery. Contacts inside the boots were all shiny, swabbed with Deoxit juice and blown-out with air. It wasn't till August 2012 that I bought the new plugs. Almost 15 months have passed since then.


Here's a photo of the engine compartment taken last Sunday after a test drive.. which was actually a beer run! :bananasmi

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/engine_compart_985x.jpg


Should have used the LED drop light to get a better photo.


-Ed

In my opinion, the best 6cyl GM ever made. Of course they had some issues, but for the most part they were and are bullet proof.

In my opinion, the best 6cyl GM ever made. Of course they had some issues, but for the most part they were and are bullet proof.

That's what the Service Advisor at the dealer said. He used the same term "bulletproof." Yeah.. one of those issues is coolant leaking from the Intake Manifold. Same with my 79 Olds Cutlass.

:meant:
I'll have to re-apply dielectric grease to the inside of the boots and the plug tips. Would like to keep air and moisture out of those connections to resist oxidation. Should probably take the plugs out, put some anti-cease on the threads and reinstall. That's the way it has been going with the Riv.. rework, rework, rework.


Maybe it's time to replace the wires after all.


-Ed

I agree....the only problem was the size of the EGR tube coming up through the upper plenum....and the upper plenum/throttle body gaskets, had a tendency to leak......some oil seepage at the lower intake corners....more often the result of improper replacement of lower intake gaskets.....

On long road trips, it was delivering 30+ mpg in heavy cars.....

Had good response.......

But for the most part, with regular maintenance, and this engine was good to go.....

The SC'd engine was even better(didn't have the EGR issue).....also, once again great gas mileage on long trips....some oil seepage from nose of SC'er, sometimes a gasket crack between lower intake and SC'er, which caused a lean condition....otherwise, another great engine if maintained...

Another problem I just remembered, had nothing to do with the engine...misfires.....same problem on the 3.1/3.4's...carbon build up on coil terminals due to poor connection.....also there was a bulletin for carbon tracking between the wires and spark plugs....you had to replace BOTH....if you didn't, the problem would return.....

As I stated before, whenever I did a tuneup, and those wires came off hard, because of the baking effect, I automatically replaced the wires, because you could damage them.....it may not show up right away, but it will down the road.....

Back to the plugs and plug wire topic

For some shortsighted reason I installed the NEW spark plugs without anti-seize OR silicon grease.

Soon after that, and having discussion here, I bought NEW plug wires and have looked them over for quality and checked length, etc.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wires_19.jpg


Close-up of the boots and connectors. NICE, but I still think the originals are ok. :lol:

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wires_28.jpg
New wires already had silicon grease inside the coil boots, but not the plug boots.


The wires came with a packet of silicon grease that says "apply to boot and porcelain" but no mention of the plug connections.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_goop.jpg


More Permatex goop

It looks like another 're-work' situation. I bought another tube of dielectric grease and a tube of ANTI-SEIZE.

You can see each package displays a 'spark plug' image, and the electrical goop says 'apply to both terminal and connector' ends.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/spark_plug_goop.jpg
Not too sure about this copper AS compound.


So the QUESTION IS..

What's the best practice? Apply Dielectric grease to the boots AND the plug electrical connections?

Sorry for the BASIC questions are, but I'd like to do it right!


-Ed

I just apply to the terminals of the plugs and coils, and then give a twist....the grease gets pushed enough onto the porcelain....

Too much grease, and the boot won't want too stay on the plug/coil terminal....

I just apply to the terminals of the plugs and coils, and then give a twist....the grease gets pushed enough onto the porcelain....

Too much grease, and the boot won't want too stay on the plug/coil terminal....

Fantastic! some people can sum-up a whole topic in just a few statements. :worshippy

The plugs and wires had to be put on HOLD when the fuel pump issue came up, and we're running out of warm days to work in the garage.


For you forensic types, here are the original plugs after 17 years (built Oct 1996) and 139,000+ miles. Very consistent and 'white.'

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Original_plugs_17yrs_140k.jpg
Original spark plugs in 97 Riviera at 139k have a whitish-gray color to the electrodes, and some rust on the threads and base.


There's rust on the threads (of a couple) and rust on the base of each. Good thing they came out with only moderate torque. All of the end-terminals were ok, especially after being 'wiped' with Deox juice.


These plugs should have been changed 6 or 7 years ago at 100,000 miles! :nono:


-Ed

New ACDelco plug wire resistance

Have measured plug wire resistance with TWO different Craftsman DMMs. One is a manual mode type set to 20k ohms full scale, the other is 'auto scaling.'


Here are the resistance readings (plug wire number in table is NOT necessarily cylinder.)

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_R_new.png


Plug wires were: 12", 2x 22", 2x 34", and 37-1/2" in length.

Once the numbers are in a worksheet it's easy to find resistance in ohms per inch.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_R-per-in_new.png


This is kool because I've heard several people talk about, and post about Plug Wire resistance but no actual resistance data was presented.


Interesting is the COIL boot of each wire was already 'gunked' with dielectric grease.. as discovered when sticking the Test Leads in there. The PLUG boots were dry.


-Ed

New ACDelco plug wire resistance

Have measured plug wire resistance with TWO different Craftsman DMMs. One is a manual mode type set to 20k ohms full scale, the other is 'auto scaling.'


Here are the resistance readings (plug wire number in table is NOT necessarily cylinder.)

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_R_new.png


Plug wires were: 12", 2x 22", 2x 34", and 37-1/2" in length.

Once the numbers are in a worksheet it's easy to find resistance per unit length (ohms per inch that is.)

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_wire_R-per-in_new.png


This is kool because I've heard several people talk about, and post about Plug Wire resistance but no actual resistance data was presented.


Interesting is the COIL boot of each wire was already 'gunked' with dielectric grease.. as discovered when sticking the Test Leads in there. The PLUG boots were dry.


-Ed
So you find time to do this type of stuff when you're not working at the particle accelerator?

So you find time to do this type of stuff when you're not working at the particle accelerator?
That's pretty close :lol: .. more like aviation and space.


-Ed

Since you like this stuff Ed, take a look a the picture of the electrodes on the 6 plugs, and what do you notice?

THIS IS A TEST!

Since you like this stuff Ed, take a look a the picture of the electrodes on the 6 plugs, and what do you notice?

THIS IS A TEST!

The plugs look like they have a buildup of burned hydrocarbon deposits, or carbon deposits.. or becoming carbon fowled?

All are about the same shade of grey.. and that says to me that it was running somewhat lean and hot? or generally running good.
Certainly they're not wet and black!


-Ed

I'll give you a hint:

Look at the electrodes......

I'll give you a hint: Look at the electrodes......

The electrodes look like they're dissolved.. the explanation I found was: "high combustion chamber temperature can cause pre-ignition damage.. overheating is indicated by a white or gray center electrode insulator that also appears blistered.. with increase in electrode gap. Over advanced ignition timing, detonation and cooling system malfunctions also can cause spark plug overheating."

I ran 87 octane fuel for many years and it started to knock a lot.. so now using 89 grade Sunoco. The spark gaps were all (or mostly) too big on the original plugs.


-Ed

You can separate the plugs into two groups of three, by looking at the shape of the center electrode and the "J" electrode.....

Since one coil fires both plugs at the same time(the one under compression gets the biggest spark, the other fires on the exhaust stroke), polarity out of the coil does not change(one coil terminal will be pos, the other terminal will be neg)......that means the spark jumps from the center electrode to the J bar on one plug, while on the companion plug it jumps from the J bar to the center electrode.......Thus on three of the plugs the center electrode will be more worn, and on the other three plugs, the J bar electrode will be more worn....

Typical life of the plugs was 100K, but more often than not, that did not happen.....

Spark plugs reinstalled

Took the new plugs out to coat the threads with anti-seize on Saturday afternoon. NAPA had Permatex Copper stuff which i didn't take time to research. The NEW plugs were torqued at the recommended 132 in-lb, and man did they come out easy with a 1/4" drive speed handle.

Hope that copper stuff is ok.. and another re-work won't be necessary. :nono:

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-anti-seize-29.jpg
Spark plug threads coated with Permatex copper based anti-seize. Hope this stuff is ok!


http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-anti-seize-27.jpg
Another example of coated spark plug threads.


Plug wire Fail

To make a long story short, I hadn't measured the LENGTH of the original wires and assumed the LONGEST wire went to Cylinder #6 (in back next to brake cylinder.) However the longest wire goes on Cyl #4 (center rear) but you don't find that out as a non-pro until getting to Cyl #6. So I had to remove #4 wire and put the 'long wire' on that plug!


Then, when trying to attach the wire on #6 plug (previously on #4), the connector inside the boot retracted ~1/2".. in effect shoving the cable out the back ~1/2 inch.


This plug wire has FAILED. It cannot be 'snapped' onto the spark plug. You can see a 'scuff mark' where the ring was before.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/37in_plugboot_connector.jpg
This NEW plug wire connector slipped 1/2" deeper into boot and can no longer snap onto the spark plug.

So now there are FIVE new wires, and ONE original wire on the engine!

The guy at Delcoline said he would replace the single wire, the whole set, or just give a refund. I'm trying to determine what to do now. There are FIVE new wires, and ONE old wire on the Riv temporarily.


Examine the wires on bench

There was time now to clean-up the old wires (like in summer 2012) and measure their length & resistance. Those numbers are presented in the next post.


Here are some photos of the OLD wires on the bench with a New wire thrown on top.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Orig-New_65.jpg
Here are the original 1996 plug wires compared to a New plug wire.



http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Orig_wires_61.jpg
The original wires are sturdy and can be detached/attached several times without damage or failure.



http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Orig_wires_62.jpg
The engine was running GREAT with the original wires. Why switch if they're ok?


Connectors are all still bright with no rust or corrosion.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Orig_wires_73.jpg
This original (build in 1996) coil boot and connector look like new and is still rubbery!


Go ahead and laugh.. this is the kind of lab work i really like getting into. :shakehead


What to do about the plug wires?

Now I'm wondering if the new Delco wires are a "one shot deal" meaning installed them ONCE and forget about ever taking them off? I didn't use gorilla tactics in attaching/detaching the wires either. They don't seem to be very sturdy or reliable.


What do you think about this issue?


-Ed

Plug wire lab work

With the NEW set of wires already measured for length and resistance, and the ORIGINAL wires now available for testing, a comparison of Old/New can be done. The tables and charts below are the latest.. with a few unknowns which will be added once the original #6 cylinder wire is changed-out.

Hey, go ahead and laugh! Someone has to look at this stuff and post the results. :screwy: Lol


Plug wire length

The following is self explanatory.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-wire_length.png




ORIGINAL WIRE RESISTANCE

The resistance of the original P.E.D. (Packard Electric Div) wires was measured and tabulated.


Ohms per foot can be found and plotted.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-res-table_orig.png


The original wire resistance plotted in ohms per foot, measured with a non auto-scaling DMM in two resistance ranges .

Very consistent!

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-res-chart_orig.png




NEW WIRE RESISTANCE

The resistance of the new ACDelco wires was measured and tabulated.


Ohms per foot can be found and plotted (updated from previous post.)

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-res-table_new.png


The new ACDelco wire resistance plotted in ohms per foot, measured with two different DMMs.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Plug-res-chart_new.png



Conclusions

The OLD wires have a lower resistance with less variance. The NEW wires have 5.5x (approx five-times) higher resistance than the originals, typically 5,000 ohms/foot vs 900 ohms/foot. The original wires seem more sturdy, and can be detached and reattached without damaged or failure.


What do you think about all this? :confused: :confused:


-Ed

Way too much thread compound, just a dab at the most is required, most engineers do not recommend any.

Way too much thread compound, just a dab at the most is required, most engineers do not recommend any.

Yeah.. that day was rushed. I tried to get everything back together before frigid weather hit.. but didn't get even the NEW plug wires on!


Tried to call Permatex on Wed afternoon (day before X-giving) but no one answered the phone. That copper anti-seize seemed a little odd to me. It brought up visions of a mill file loaded with copper or aluminum. :nono:

That stuff was applied with a lab swab (cotton tip on wooden stick). The first two threads were avoided and only the lower half of the threads were coated. The instructions said to "apply thin coating to threads and flats of nuts." Tell you what.. will inspect for compound mushing-out around the plug chamfer/head area. Wouldn't want greasy dirt to collect there.


I'd say that if you're working on a racing engine, or taking the plugs out a lot, then no goop is needed. I'll be leaving the plugs in for the next 6-? 10 years? Please comment.


Riv plug wire length

Have pretty much completed the Riv plug wire data process. Only number missing is #6 original wire resistance.. because that wire is back on the engine. :swear:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eedwinn/Riv_plug_wire_length_256.png
..Note the longest wire goes on #4 center-rear cylinder.


Plug wire data table

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/Riv_plug_wire_table_16.png
This table contains all plug wire data.


Riv plug wire resistance

These charts display plug wires grouping front / back cylinders together. Chart on LEFT is total ohms for each wire, and chart on RIGHT is wire resistance per foot.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eedwinn/Riv_plug_wire_resistance_256.png - - http://home.comcast.net/%7Eedwinn/Riv_plug_wire_table_per-ft_256.png
Total resistance, and resistance per foot of wire. Resistive wires are to suppress ignition noise?


Wrap-up

At this time, the Riviera has five new Delco plug wires on it, and one original P.E.D. wire on #6 cylinder. I need to make a decision whether to exchange only the FAILED wire, or put the originals back on and take the whole set back due to reliability concerns.. and I'm serious about that!!


The ORIGINAL wires are 875 Ohms per foot +/- 4%, where as the NEW plug wires are 4,800 Ohms per foot +/- 25%.



Hey.. might as well make a federal project out of it. :rofl:


-Ed

Before you slam ACDelco too much ;) , which set did you get? The original equipment set is more expensive, so I'll assume the Professional series is lower quality. 50126

After a bit of searching, it looks like you have the 9746u (professional) which has an outer diameter of 7 mm. The original equipment is 746u which, from one website, has an outer diameter of 8 mm.

From your measurements, and this information, it kind of makes me want to change them out. I wonder how much fuel economy suffers?
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4

Before you slam ACDelco too much ;) , which set did you get?

Thanks for the quick reply.

The ACDelco box is sitting on the counter. It's wire set 746U, GM# 19154586.


-Ed

Go and search the site below for your wires. The pictures you posted look more like the 9746u. Does the 746u look different now? Or did some one repackage a 9746u in a 746u box???

http://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/catalog/catalog_search.php

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4

Cast iron head engine, I would use just a touch of this stuff or anti seize, very little needed if at all.

Go and search the site below for your wires. The pictures you posted look more like the 9746u. Does the 746u look different now? Or did some one repackage a 9746u in a 746u box??? http://parts-catalog.acdelco.com/catalog/catalog_search.php



Thanks for the link. Here are two different wire images from there: http://images.whisystems.com/smartpages/partinfo_resize/DCL/746U_PRIMARY.jpg

http://images.whisystems.com/smartpages/partinfo_resize/DCL/9746U_Alternate1.jpg

It's difficult to see any difference.

The wires I bought are 746U ACDELCO GM ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT according to the GM website above.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/746U_plug_wires.jpg


Will find out what the Delco guy says on Monday, and I'll bring the tray of original wires so he can see them.


The automotive guys around here are cool.. but they must think I'm nuts! :screwy:



-Ed

If you look closely at the coil end of the 9746u wires, you will see a seam that runs vertically. There is no seam or groove around its circumference. The 746U wires do not appear to have a vertical seam, but do appear to have a groove around the circumference.

It may not mean anything, but I would ask to see the difference between the two.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4

If you look closely at the coil end of the 9746u wires, you will see a seam that runs vertically. There is no seam or groove around its circumference. The 746U wires do not appear to have a vertical seam, but do appear to have a groove around the circumference. It may not mean anything, but I would ask to see the difference between the two.

Plugs and Wires in

Mike over at Delcoline replaced the 37" plug wire no problem. Other boxes labeled 746U had the same wires, so maybe the OE wires are NLA.

This job is a wrap! the new plugs and wires are in after how many months?

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/new_wires_on_74.jpg
This job is a wrap... after more than a year. :shakehead


Odd wires

I didn't think it needed new ignition wires. They weren't cut and the boots/connectors were soft and with no rust or corrosion.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/odd_wires_945.jpg
Temporarily running with ONE original P.E.D. wire.


Broken connection

However.. resistance of original #6 wire measured open circuit. To get a reading of 2450 ohms, the wire has to be pushed INTO the plug boot.. and it was repeatable. Ok fine! the original wires can be thrown out now. I'm certain the NEW #6 wire is good, and it's snapped onto the spark plug ok.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eedwinn/broken_wire_09.jpg
Wire #6 connection broken inside plug boot and measured open circuit.


Anti-seize check

A close look at the front plugs for 'thread goop' oozing out. Didn't see any, but had been drinking beer so the pics aren't very good.

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_view_42.jpg


Looks ok.. happy camper here!

http://home.comcast.net/~edwinn/plug_view_44.jpg
No goop is seen around the plug threads.


So that's it!! Probably won't have to touch the plugs for another 10 years. :bananasmi

And it runs freakin' GREAT!!



-Ed