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spark plugs wires 8mm vs 8.5mm vs 10mm

25K views 31 replies 9 participants last post by  godsdiablo 
#1 · (Edited)
About to tackle the replacement of my spark plugs and wires. I am going w/ NGK TR5IX plugs, because I got a great deal on them but I've been doing alot of reading on old posts suggesting upgrading the stock 7mm wires. Most people suggested either 8.5mm or 10mm. Many posts reference affordable 8.5mm wire sets on ebay, for like $35, but all the links are no longer good. Here is what I found on ebay;

Taylor 53005 8mm wires $35
MAXX 532B 8.5mm wires $50
OML 48314B 10MM WIRES $63

Does anybody have any other suggestions for sources/price on upgraded wires? Are the 10MM overkill or is the extra $13 worth it?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Not alot of feedback ... I've spoken w/ the distributor of the MAXX and OML product, they confirmed the MAXX 532B (blue) or 532R (red) kit should fit my 2003 Escalade 6.0 but the OML people suggested set 29192B instead of 48314B which is $79 vs $63. I think I've decided to go with a the MAXX 8.5mm product, should still be a decent upgrade from the stock 7.0mm wires and cheaper then the 10mm option. I will provide some feedback once I get them installed.

 
#3 ·
z0lt3c said:
Not alot of feedback ... I've spoken w/ the distributor of the MAXX and OML product, they confirmed the MAXX 532B (blue) or 532R (red) kit should fit my 2003 Escalade 6.0 but the OML people suggested set 29192B instead of 48314B which is $79 vs $63. I think I've decided to go with a the MAXX 8.5mm product, should still be a decent upgrade from the stock 7.0mm wires and cheaper then the 10mm option. I will provide some feedback once I get them installed.
If they do good I may get a set and upgrade mine soon
 
#7 ·
This is nothing more than my opinion, ignorant or not. I believe the factory spends lots of money in R/D, perhaps more than the aftermarket world in some cases. In a stock application, its going to be very difficult to compete with the factory configuration in terms of balancing efficiency and performance. Of course changing the exhaust, injectors or tuning the computer will improve performance and perhaps efficiency to a point. By making these changes though, you're walking that fine line of beginning to use your car in a manner for which the factory hadn't intended. The factory believes in their stock configuration so much that they will offer a warranty on all of their parts for much longer than the aftermarket world. I'm not saying there's not a use for aftermarket parts, because there is. In a stock configured engine, I don't see any reason to upgrade the plugs or the plug wires if nothing else has been upgraded. As said previously, that's JMHO and I'm sure there are those that will disagree.
 
#9 ·
Agreed..... When i used to work at a dyno facilities here in So Cal we tested numerous performance products and dealt with many manufacturers, vehicle and component... It used to be very interesting to see customers spend good money on products for stock or modded vehicles and actually lose power, mostly because the product was meant to compliment another upgraded component, for example MSD coils would compliment a bigger spark plug wire better than the factory coils.... Not saying it would help or hurt but research is key.. My 2 cents
 
#12 ·
Is it a fact that these aftermarket wires have a lower resistance (by many multiples) then the stock wires. If reducing this resistance will have any positive impact on stock engine performance is certainly debatable. There are plenty of posts already on this forum about these wires so I am certainly not the first to bring up this topic. At the very least, the thicker jacket on the aftermarket wires will better insulate the wires from damage/nicks. This is the least arguable benefit of this change. Based on my understanding of basic principles of electricity, it makes sense to me that lower resistance will also yield a stronger, more reliable, spark. This point is more arguable...

This vehicle is 10 years old and 3 generations from current. I'd like to think technology has improved since this vehicle was produced and cost of part manufacturing has been reduced. I personally believe the vehicle comes from the GM in the most cost efficient package available, and 7mm wires on a bulk scale are cheaper then larger wires. In some cases, in present times, there is an opportunity to potentially improve upon the original equipment, without additional expense, compare to the state of the technology and market in 2003. When the OEM wires are $88 and the "better" aftermarket wires are $50, why not upgrade? Here is a picture from another post comparing the 10mm to the stock 7mm;

 
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#15 ·
I'm more concerned with whether or not the 8.5 or 10mm wires will work fine. This will never be a hot rod, just some fun upgrades like tuning and exhaust...maybe a cam down the road. Mainly I'm after 100% reliability at the moment and getting rid of the stupid rough idle.


@OP, interested to hear your feedback on these
 
#16 ·
MoistCabbage said:
But, but... The kid at AutoZone said my car would be faster and get better fuel mileage!!![/QUOTE

Run from that rip off place trust me I know from a painful experience (a three month long painful and nerve wreaking experience)

Go to anywhere else but autozone and never let them touch your truck at all

My uncle warned me but I didn't listen till the day the fried my rear seat DVD player and I had to fight them to get it replaced(they did but it took threatening them to do it)

Never going there ever again
 
#18 ·
Tylus said:
Autozone sells parts...they don't work on cars. How'd you, or rather they do that?
Stupid nut insisted he install my battery when I clearly told him I could do it myself

He just grabbed the battery and was out to my truck before I could say anything and wouldn't let it go till he had it in the truck

Heck I had to watch him like a hawk as he almost put the cables on backwards(yet he claimed so years of experience)

Yes they do install parts if it isn't hard(for them) to do

Trust me look up on how they treat the workers you will find out how they are and why I stopped going to them for parts(plus every other parts places has better prices in my area)

I was going to get parts for my car as I went along replacing what was needed(restoring a 79 Chrysler cordoba) and I will be going to O'Reilly's or advance auto parts before I ever go to autozone ever again

What got me was the fact that the district manager said yes we have had this happen before yet made the claim that they didn't do the damage(my mom was in the second row seat and heard the DVD player make the noise when he did it)
What he did was first almost put the cables on wroung(would have had I not been watching)then when he did put them on right he jumped back and removed the negitive cable(from the spark due to the power draw of the modules and my sub amp) then put it back on (that's when it fried the DVD player)

I just wished I had listened to my uncle sooner(he had experience with autozone before) now he only goes to the local gm dealer (which me and him both know well)
 
#20 ·
if you guys say so. We don't have them out here. Just O'Rielley's and Napa. Nobody touches my vehicles except myself and the wife. I heard she once had Firestone do an oil change while I was deployed, but she swears it was just slander by the mean neighbor :tisk:
 
#21 ·
MoistCabbage said:
True so true luckily I didn't buy one of they're in house brand batteries(got a optoma red top) then it was a warrenty replacement(first one almost popped its top for some odd resion)

The replacement battery hasn't gave me a issue so far and has cranked my truck over in temps in the lower teens

I am glad though it wasn't worse(like fried PCM or the body controller)
 
#24 · (Edited)
Thanks Mr Holland, I'll update the spark plug wire set conversation. I have been doing more research and it appears that there are two different possible ignition coils used in the NBS Escalade 6.0 engine;

COIL 19005218



COIL 12558693



Depending on which coil set is installed, it appears it changes the recommendation for wire sets. From what I can tell the difference seems to be the length of all wires in the set. Thus far I've only got OML to respond that the recommended kit, 29192B, is around 12-13 inches but I think they are recommending the longest option to ensure fit. From other posts I've found, it seems that the stock wires maybe closer to 9 to 10 inches. It looks like the best way to move forward, for me, is to strip the engine covers, confirm which ignition coil part number I have, remove one wire and measure. I haven't found any other way, via VIN or RPO codes, to figure out which coils I have.

What I've also found interesting is that OML is staying their 10mm platinum wire has a resistance of only 25 ohm per foot, where-as the MAXX 8.5mm product has a resistance of 500 ohms per foot. I am leaning more towards spending the extra money on the OML wires right now.

 
#25 ·
Thanks Mr Holland, I'll update the spark plug wire set conversation. I have been doing more research and it appears that there are two different possible ignition coils used in the NBS Escalade 6.0 engine;

COIL 19005218



COIL 12558693



Depending on which coil set is installed, it appears it changes the recommendation for wire sets. From what I can tell the difference seems to be only the length of wire, in all cases all the wires are the same length in the set. Thus far I've only got OML to respond that the recommended kit, 29192B, is around 12-13 inches. From other posts it seems that the stock wires maybe closer to 9 to 10 inches. It looks like the best way to move forward, for me, is to check strip the engine covers, confirm which ignition coil I have and then remove one wire and measure. I haven't found any other way, via VIN or RPO codes, to figure out which coils I have.
Ah, I think you just answered the question I had from when I replaced mine and had to exchange the first set of wires that were too short.
 
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