do you usually change spark plug wires when changing spark plugs?

Smaulz

Senior member
Jun 20, 2001
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Everytime I do a tuneup on the truck, I change plugs, wires, (8.5mmTaylors), cap, & rotor, as well as do a compression check. It's just a habit I've gotten into since it's an older engine (164000)
 

Soybomb

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2000
9,506
2
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No, wires have a lifetime guarentee and look great, buy magnecor if you ever do have to replace them....
 

Lifer

Banned
Feb 17, 2003
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ok cool.
my spark plugs were just changed and my mechanic said not to change the wires because they were fine.
 

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
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Originally posted by: Soybomb
No, wires have a lifetime guarentee and look great, buy magnecor if you ever do have to replace them....

Hmm, set of Magnacor wires for my 4 cyl Camry are $141. Yowzers.
 

Soybomb

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2000
9,506
2
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Originally posted by: redly1
Originally posted by: Soybomb
No, wires have a lifetime guarentee and look great, buy magnecor if you ever do have to replace them....

Hmm, set of Magnacor wires for my 4 cyl Camry are $141. Yowzers.

You only have to buy them once :) How long are those wires? You might shop around for some other places that sell them though, I pay about 85 for a 4 cylinder including coil to cap wire. I also like how on their webpage they're quite honest about how spark plug wires won't make additional power, and they don't claim 4 million megavolt ultra conductor lightning core or something like that. Just good silicone plug wires :)
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
5
81
Originally posted by: Soybomb
Originally posted by: redly1
Originally posted by: Soybomb
No, wires have a lifetime guarentee and look great, buy magnecor if you ever do have to replace them....

Hmm, set of Magnacor wires for my 4 cyl Camry are $141. Yowzers.

You only have to buy them once :) How long are those wires? You might shop around for some other places that sell them though, I pay about 85 for a 4 cylinder including coil to cap wire. I also like how on their webpage they're quite honest about how spark plug wires won't make additional power, and they don't claim 4 million megavolt ultra conductor lightning core or something like that. Just good silicone plug wires :)

So whats the main benefit of em?
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
"So whats the main benefit of em?

They help our economy!

If you're planning on keeping the car for 150,000 miles, replace them every 50,000. That's just two sets, and they needn't cost over $40.00 for a 4 Cylinder. Even that's too much!
 

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
Originally posted by: Ornery
"So whats the main benefit of em?

They help our economy!

If you're planning on keeping the car for 150,000 miles, replace them every 50,000. That's just two sets, and they needn't cost over $40.00 for a 4 Cylinder. Even that's too much!

OK, if I only have to replace them once, why do I have to change them every 50,000 miles? I running on the original wires at 95,000 miles and the car performs better than I expect. Sounds like I just need another set of factory original wires :)
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
I don't think replacing wires twice over 150K is too much. If you wait longer than 50K to replace them, then replace them twice before selling it, you haven't gotten your full use out of them. At this point, you're ahead of the game if you only replace them once before selling it. Basically, I'd try to avoid throwing those parts in just prior to selling it.

No fvcking way I'd pay the premium for factory wires! Makes no GD sense other than to line their pockets, which makes no sense at all. No way I'd pay a mechanic to do it either. How hard is it to change 4 wires anyway? :confused:
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
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This what I do as a mechanic.

Fuel filter 20K
Plug wires 60K I like Autolite, Double silcone, and Bosch
Cap+Rotor 60K (Most newwer cars do not have Cap and rotor anymore)
Plugs 30K (if factory Plat's then 60K) I like Bosch, AC Delco, NGK, any good name plug
Oil + Filter 3K (reg oil) 5K (GOOD Syn, like mobil1, NOT CASTROL) No Fram oil filter. I like STP, Purolator, Wix, Tech2000, Bosch.
O2 sensor Old 1 wire ones 60K, newwer multi wire heated ones 120K I use Bosch

Some items might last longer but I have yet to have a car in my family go less than 200K or as long as it was owned. No oil burning, no internal repairs, good gas milage. This is also what I tell my customers. I don't force it on them, what someone wants done to THEIR car is their business, I just do the work and give recomandations.
 

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
Originally posted by: Ornery
I don't think replacing wires twice over 150K is too much. If you wait longer than 50K to replace them, then replace them twice before selling it, you haven't gotten your full use out of them. At this point, you're ahead of the game if you only replace them once before selling it. Basically, I'd try to avoid throwing those parts in just prior to selling it.

No fvcking way I'd pay the premium for factory wires! Makes no GD sense other than to line their pockets, which makes no sense at all. No way I'd pay a mechanic to do it either. How hard is it to change 4 wires anyway? :confused:

I didn't say I'd pay for them...I'd just go test drive a new camry and swap the wires
 

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
This what I do as a mechanic.

Fuel filter 20K
Plug wires 60K I like Autolite, Double silcone, and Bosch
Cap+Rotor 60K (Most newwer cars do not have Cap and rotor anymore)
Plugs 30K (if factory Plat's then 60K) I like Bosch, AC Delco, NGK, any good name plug
Oil + Filter 3K (reg oil) 5K (GOOD Syn, like mobil1, NOT CASTROL) No Fram oil filter. I like STP, Purolator, Wix, Tech2000, Bosch.
O2 sensor Old 1 wire ones 60K, newwer multi wire heated ones 120K I use Bosch

Some items might last longer but I have yet to have a car in my family go less than 200K or as long as it was owned. No oil burning, no internal repairs, good gas milage. This is also what I tell my customers. I don't force it on them, what someone wants done to THEIR car is their business, I just do the work and give recomandations.

Word.

Note to self, replace fuel filter on wife's TDI soon...

 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
"...I'd just go test drive a new camry and swap the wires."

I'd do the same thing before paying a dealer's price for 'em!
 

LordRaiden

Banned
Dec 10, 2002
2,358
0
0
I actually only change wires about once every 80k miles. That's all the more often I need to. Do it more often than that and I'm wasting money.

Plugs get changed every 6 months whether they need to be changed or not. Keeps the engine in top firing condition. Well, that and some TLC maintenance.
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
5
0
recommended every 40,50K miles to change the plug wires
they're WAY too expensive to change that often

I change my spark plugs every other oil change cause they are so cheap.

(champs rule) :D
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
5
81
I don't think anyone has answered my question yet. What real benefit do they have? I just don't understand. Perhaps power isn't getting through the old ones as easily, so does that decrease fuel-efficiency or something?