Hi to all!

I want to change on my '99 Camaro 3800 the Spark Plug and the Spark Plug Wires!

My Camaro is all stock exept for the Catalitic converter and the muffler that are Magnaflow and the air filther that is K&N.

Now have a ngk #5599 iridium spark plug and the wires are 11 years old so I've a little missfire in some starts.

I'think the iridium spark plug on 3800 Camaro is a terrible spark plug.

Can I've an advice about the best sparks plug that I can use on my Camaro?

For the Wires I think i will use the Delco 706X that are the stock wires!


Thanks to all!

Giacomo

 

Sorry I can't help with what plug is the best but I am curious if the iridium plug is a “terrible spark plug” and it lasted 11 years how long would a really good one last?


Just a FYI plug wires are only good for about 6 years, I change mine at 5 years just to be sure. After about 7 years they build high resistance. Time is as much or more a factor on wires as miles. I warn customers after 7 years you are risking your coils. You can see it on a scope; you see a coil that takes 60,000 volts just to fire a plug at idle when it should take 20,000. Coils get worked so hard they over heat and the spark looks for other places to ground and normally that is what causes the miss. Don’t be surprised if the miss goes away when you do your plugs and wires but then comes back 4-6 weeks later. It is due to the carbon tracking in the coil.

 

I've never heard anything bad about iridium plugs myself.

 

NGK makes some of the best iridium plugs. I haven't heard anyone have any problems with them, other than the initial higher cost.

Cheap copper plugs work fine, platinums will work well (since you're stock/non-NO2) and iridiums. Only plugs I've heard of that don't do well in our engines are the Bosch +4s. They seem to work for some cars but every post I've read about them in GMs, they are trouble.

 

Yes, I've heard a lot of bad things about Bosch plugs on GM engines. A friend of mine put Bosch wires on his supercharged Bonneville, and it ran like crap with them.

 

A quick run down on spark plugs.

Note:A spark plugs metal is the most important thing since it conducts electricty for the spark to even happen. The three most common types:

Copper-Pretty much phased out even though it shouldn't be. Copper spark plugs offer the greatest spark because copper is very conductive. The trade off however is that they tend to have a short lifespan. Cost is usually $1-3 each.

Platinum-These plugs come in 98% of cars straight from the factory. They offer a fairly long life, but are the worst in the performance department out of the three. Cost is usually $3-6 each.

Iridium-New to the market because for the longest time it cost a ridiculous amount of money to even manufacture into a spark plug. New technology though has made it easier and cheaper. Iridium plugs have a very long life, and a good spark. Cost is anywhere from $4-10 each.

So when choosing a spark plug, it all depends on preferance and how often you want to change the plugs. If you're a weekend warrior or do a lot of drag racing and don't mind changing the plugs every 20k miles, copper is best for you. If you DD with the occasional race and just want something that lasts long but doesn't cost much, platinum is your plug. If you hate changing the plugs and are okay spending the extra couple bucks, iridium is what you want.

As far as your comment on Iridium plugs being terrible. Some cars do not react well to iridium plugs. Just as some don't with copper or platinum. Most cars (like ours) will run fine with any type.

Just out of curiosity, you did gap your plugs before installing right? I know most come pre-gapped, but I still check mine every time and each time there was at one or more out of gap. Also, buy some dielectric grease and anti-sieze. Use the grease inside the plug boots and the anti-seize on the spark plug threads. Makes them 10x easier to remove and keeps moisture out.

And just to let you know, I run platinum and haven't had any trouble whatsoever.

 

Thanks for you help!

On my Camaro I've the NGK 5599 laser iridium.
The car run perfect but when I stop it and I restart it after 30 minutes of stop it have a little little missfire.
The car have 25.000km, so it is new!

The gauge are perfect and the "service engine soon" light is off.
So because i change the spark plug wires (they are 11 years old) I re-change the spark plugs.

About the wires I will use the Delco 706X, about the spark plugs GM replaces my old spark plugs (delco #41-921) with Delco #41-101 Iridium http://www.ls1.com/forums/f68/spark-plugs-3-8v6-138068/
Now I'm adviced by GM to run with iridium.

Maybe my problem of missfire are the wires that's its old or a bad spark plug.

 

i would recommend the acdelco iridiums just saying its the factory plug "cant go wrong with that" and wires just some oreilly's brand should be fine unless you plan on going fancy with taylor spiro wires or msd's like 8mm wires

 

Do you think Spark plug wires DELCO #706x are not ok?
I want the DELCO because are the OEM of GM...

 

You can't go wrong with any thing from ACDelco, whether it be wires or plugs. GM is probably telling you iridium because every one is misguided into thinking they are the best plugs on the market. For longevity, sure. For a powerful spark, no.

As far as getting ACDelco Iridium they should be fine. And yes, 11 year old plug wires would most certainly cause a misfire. I also noticed on the link of yours that you do not have to set the gap because they are pre-gapped. ALWAYS check the gap regardless. Sometimes you won't have to set them and sometimes you will.

So as far as plugs go, either a set of platinum or iridium will do you fine. The spark plug wires you were looking at should work as well. Just make sure when you do it, do them one at a time. Check the gap. Anti-sieze and dielectric grease them, and make sure none of the wires are too close to each other.