Question for any of the Vortec rigs

[Devortex]

I'm running stock plug wires on my Vortec 5.7. They have 90 degree angle boots on the plug end and straight ends at the distributor. Problem I'm having is the distance from the exhaust manifold is really close and I'm actually getting some burning of the wires. Before I purchase some bulk material and make my own, does anyone have a suggestion for a good long length set that will work?

 

[lehiguy]

I'm running stock plug wires on my Vortec 5.7. They have 90 degree angle boots on the plug end and straight ends at the distributor. Problem I'm having is the distance from the exhaust manifold is really close and I'm actually getting some burning of the wires. Before I purchase some bulk material and make my own, does anyone have a suggestion for a good long length set that will work?

I am convinced that making your own from a universal kit is the only way to go.

 

[Devortex]

10 minutes after I posted this question, I ordered a set of universal wires along with the proper crimping tool. That combined with some wire spacers and I should be able to make a nice install that will never droop onto the manifolds.

 

[Elbert]

get a set of plug wires from a 99 GM pickup with 454 engine. Straight ends all the way around...then go to NAPA and get the spark plug boot sheilds they have, and or get the proper heat sheilds installed for teh exhaust manifolds. If you have headers then all bets off and plan to rotate plug wires often.

 

[Tinker]

I'm running the Vette ramshorn headers & Taylor Thundervolt wires with fiberglass socks on the plug ends: great wires (low impedance & non-static). I'd like to add the stock heat shields but have no idea where to find them. Any ideas El Bert?

 

[orangefj45]

taylor wires with ceramic boots. problem solved........

 

[OyajiJon]

I have no problems with the MSD 8.5mm wires. Post pics/info on the wires you make up!

 

[Devortex]

get a set of plug wires from a 99 GM pickup with 454 engine. Straight ends all the way around...then go to NAPA and get the spark plug boot sheilds they have, and or get the proper heat sheilds installed for teh exhaust manifolds. If you have headers then all bets off and plan to rotate plug wires often.

Great tip on the 454 wires, straight ends all around is the way to go on these motors. I have stock manifolds (have to for smog regulations) and I do have the heat shields in place but with the 90 boots there's just not enough clearance. I'm going with a universal/ make my own set so that I can route everything the way I want it and not have any conflicts with other wires. I had some left-over $$ on a gift card from Summit Racing so I ordered a set that will be here on Tuesday. I'll post up some pictures when I get it all put together.

 

[Tinker]

Georg - I like the idea of ceramic boots - do you think they'd fit the 8.22 mm wires?

 

[Elbert]

If you have the stock manifolds with the heat sheilds you should be good, or at least in better shape than I am. I have teh ram's horn manifolds and I've burned a copule of plug wire boots already...better term is Cooked. I bought some heat sheilds made for the rams horn manioflds but I'm unsure if they will bolt to the heads on a vortec...I don't thiink the 5.7 heads on teh vortec have the same small diameter holes drilled int eh right place that the rams horn maniodl heat sheilds require. I'm waiting on temps to warm up a little before I get motived on more work. I"ve been runnin the napa spark plug boot sheilds (which look kind of like a sock) that fits onver the plug boot and extends back about 5 to 6 inches or so...clearing the manifold.

 

[Elbert]

Great tip on the 454 wires, straight ends all around is the way to go on these motors. I have stock manifolds (have to for smog regulations) and I do have the heat shields in place but with the 90 boots there's just not enough clearance. I'm going with a universal/ make my own set so that I can route everything the way I want it and not have any conflicts with other wires. I had some left-over $$ on a gift card from Summit Racing so I ordered a set that will be here on Tuesday. I'll post up some pictures when I get it all put together.

Are you running an automatic transmission....how is your clearance to run stock type exhaust manifolds?

 

[Devortex]

I'm running a 4L60E auto. Here's a shot of my manifold with the heat shields. As you can see, the heat shield doesn't go in far enough to protect the plug head from the manifold heat so the 90 degree boots kept frying. Is it possible my heat shields are installed backwards? I'm guessing that straight boots with a sock will solve my problem.

 

[OyajiJon]

No, my 5.7 Vortec has the heat shields the same way yours are on, but my stock manifolds run under the plug wires unlike the ram horns you have on yours. It's free to try flipping them, so I'd try that and see if it works. You need your heat shield between the manifold and the boot.

HTH

EDIT: I don't have any CLEAR pics of my manifold, but in this one, you can see what I was talking about.

 

[Elbert]

I'm running a 4L60E auto. Here's a shot of my manifold with the heat shields. As you can see, the heat shield doesn't go in far enough to protect the plug head from the manifold heat so the 90 degree boots kept frying. Is it possible my heat shields are installed backwards? I'm guessing that straight boots with a sock will solve my problem.

Those are not stock exhaust manifolds for a Vortec 5.7. You are running what people generally call "ram's horn" exhaust manifolds, which were stock on late 60's early 70's corvettes and other cars. It appears you have the heat sheilds off teh stock 5.7 vortec manifolds....the way you have them mounted is really not helping you...in fact they may reflect heat back on teh plug wire boots.

Generally speaking the matching heat sheld for the exhaust manifolds conforms to the shape of the exhaust maniflod and generally fits between the heat source (exhaust manifold) and the plug wire boots.

See picture of stock 1999 5.7 Vortec, see picture of the rams horn manifolds I have.

Also I think this link will point you to the plug wire heat sheilds for ram's horn style manifolds. What I'm not sure of as I've noted before ...is ... do the 5.7 vortec heads have the right bolt bosses to mount the old school plug wire heat sheilds.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb...5D0WORR274167262224c~Z5Z5Z5YES~Z5Z5Z50000050#

 

[Clonestocker]

Elbert,

Will the stock Vortec manifolds work? Everyone seems to put ram horns on. Are they necessary? thx matt

 

[Devortex]

Great information! I should have clarified in my original post that by stock, I meant GM cast manifolds, not headers. The ram's horns were selected for the center dump collector which made for cleaner exhaust routing and cat placement.
As Elbert pointed out, the Vortec heat shields with the ram's horns manifolds might actually be reflecting more heat to the plug wires. I think I'll run mine without the shields but put a heat sock on each of the wires.

 

[Devortex]

I found an old post on this topic but they were dealing with older SBC motors, not Vortec. Is there a difference in plug spacing on the Vortec, are they closer to center?

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/51863-sbc-ram-horns-plug-wires.html#post579287

 

[xxfullsailxx]

is this a "vortec" issue or a rams horn manifold issue?

...for my 350 TBI swap (with rams horn's) i was told to get plug wires from a mid-80's vette (a little longer) so they run around the back of the block and up underneath the manifolds...i used the stock wire brackets & clips that came with my motor (out of a '92 G20 Van) and a few alterations, and attached them to the bell housing bolts and the block for the forward most cylinders.

i'm not using any shrouds and have yet to have an issue.

someone also posted a website on my thread with some expensive bracketry to be used on these types of applications...i'll try to find a link. (added)

http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?parta~dyndetail~Z5Z5Z50000050b~Z5Z5Z5AAFRR~P49.95~~~~~~~F#

here's a bad pic...let me know and i can get better pics if needed.

 

[Tinker]

FullSail's solution is probably best. I wanted the big Taylor wires after reading about their lack of impedance, but couldn't find a set long enough to do what he did.

Elbert: I'm with you - figure out how to make the heat shields work on a Vortec with ramshorns so I can copy you. I pretty well solved the wire burning problem with the fiberglass socks. Don't like it, though.

 

[Elbert]

Elbert,

Will the stock Vortec manifolds work? Everyone seems to put ram horns on. Are they necessary? thx matt

I think the stock manifolds might work if you run an automatic transmission? You may need to doublecheck that.

the deal with the manual transission is the clutch slave setup is generally in the way. Its been a while since I looked at that.

I've been told that that the 5.7 Caprice manifold will potentially work.

I'm wondering the same question if I were to run a NV4500 with interal slave....would stock GM exhaust manifolds work (Like the ones in my picture above).