Getting ready for a tune-up....

ProEMTPFF · 12-09-04, 11:26 AM

I'm going to be doing a tune-up on my '86E with 7k miles on it. This car was a garage queen. It has the original cap, rotor, plugs, wires and everything. The airfilter is a K+N and it did have a oil and lube one week ago. Now for my question. I want to change the distributer cap, rotor, plugs and wires, I'm sure they are WELL overdue for a change. What do you recommend? Accel, MSD, Conrad, AC Delco? Please list what to use for each item. Also, is there ANYTHING else I should change while I'm doing this? I'd like to get the best bang for my buck.....I'm on a budget. The wife is pregnant with twins on the way.

1995 RedVette · 12-09-04, 11:41 AM

Mid America has a tune-up kit for about $125 has plugs, wires, cap, button, pcv valve, air filter, fuel filter. All Delco parts. I bought one and did my 87 about a year ago. It really helped teh mileage and response of the car. Afterward, I could smoke the tires through first and most of second.

Brett

ProEMTPFF · 12-09-04, 02:46 PM

Thanks for the reply. Also, good or bad idea to use the AC Delco Rapid fire plugs? I'm wanting to save money but I also don't mind spending the money to upgrade the parts. Meening I would rather not put OEM back in the car.

1995 RedVette · 12-09-04, 04:51 PM

The topic of plugs has been kicked around the forum several times, and the long and short of it is this... If you have a largly stock engine, then there is no real benifit in the expensive "gadget plugs" such as the bosch platninum(sp), splitfire, denso, etc. As with anything there is a give and take for each of these gadgets. The split electrodes are great if you have an ignition system with enough energy to arch to each electrode, however with you stock ignition, you will only be arching to one, and the other electrode will shield the combustion chamber from the spark, etc. However, if putting the "Hi Tech" plugs back into you car is what you want to do, then there is harm. As for me, I will continue to replace mine with Delco parts.

Brett

Tim Scales · 12-10-04, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProEMTPFF

I'm going to be doing a tune-up on my '86E with 7k miles on it. This car was a garage queen. It has the original cap, rotor, plugs, wires and everything. The airfilter is a K+N and it did have a oil and lube one week ago. Now for my question. I want to change the distributer cap, rotor, plugs and wires, I'm sure they are WELL overdue for a change. What do you recommend? Accel, MSD, Conrad, AC Delco? Please list what to use for each item. Also, is there ANYTHING else I should change while I'm doing this? I'd like to get the best bang for my buck.....I'm on a budget. The wife is pregnant with twins on the way.

I like to use the Summit Racing for most of my "Vette needs. They are much less expensive than Mid-America and have high quality top of the line parts. I like Accel Caps and Rotors. On the '88 I had I had that set up with Bosch +4 and Taylor wires with a Davis HP-HO Coil plus a MSD 6A box. It would smoke a lot of the Fords who were always challanging me. I have the '92 now and still order a lot of "Stuff" from Summit. Very easy to order from and they have a tech line if you run into a problem they will help you. I have a MSD on the 92 also. along with several other small add ons.
Mid-America and Ecklers are BOTH very good and reputable suppliers but are more expensive 99% of the time. So give Summit Racing a try. Good Luck, Tim

12-11-04, 09:45 AM

I have to agree with Brett. Unless you have alot of mod's, stick with delco. Kind of a mechanical "dance with the one that brung ya" deal. My 88 is due for another tune up and aside from the parts needed, plan on spending more time on the passengers side. The drivers side should take 1/2 hour at worst. The passenger side took me almost 2 hours, alot of swearing and some scraped knuckles.

Len

G Winter · 12-11-04, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyerngaII

My 88 is due for another tune up and aside from the parts needed, plan on spending more time on the passengers side. The drivers side should take 1/2 hour at worst. The passenger side took me almost 2hours,alot of swearing and some scraped knuckles.Len

You talking about installind passenger side plugs ? simply take out the panel from the wheel well. Only about 8 or 10 screws, couple from the bottom. By doing this a couple diff length extensions and a swivle and the numbers 2 , 4 and 6 are easy to get at. and use a 12" piece of vacume hose on the plug to start them with, guide with one hand turn with the hose with the other. Less blue in the air that way.

c4cruiser · 12-11-04, 10:29 AM

I would go with AC Delco plugs and for wires, try to stay with the stock size (7mm or 8mm??) so that you can re-use the stock plug wire looms. Once you go to larger size wires, you will have to get different looms to hold the wires. I would vote for MSD wires as they have the least resistance per foot of most of the reasonably-priced wires. A cap and rotor should have brass contact, not the cheap aluminum contacts. ACCEL, MSD, or such will work fine. Most of these aftermarket caps will be in some color instead of an origianl black.

Removing the rear portions of the front fenderwells helps a bunch to get to the plugs. Plug #6 and #8 are going to be a PITA anyway. If the car has aluminum heads, make sure the engine is cold when you pull the old plugs. Use a vert small amount of antisieze compound on the new plug threads and torque them to spec. Use some dielectric grease on the spark plug wire boots.

With only 7K on the clock and a close to 20 year old car, you should also get these things done as time and money permits:

Change fluid in the differential and add the GM positraction additive.

If it's a auto tranny, do a fluid and filter change.

Completely flush the cooling system and refill with a 50-50 mix of ethleyne glycol (green) and clean water. Replace the thermostat and carefully check the hoses. I would replace the upper and lower radiator hoses just for drill. Sitting for years can be more harmful to the hoses than driving every day.

Do a complete flush and refill of the brake fluid. Use a good quality DOT3 fluid like Castrol LMA or even the Ford Motorsports HP fluid. Takes about a quart to do.

Edmond · 12-11-04, 11:07 AM

I use Delco on the plugs, wires, rotor cap, rotor distributor.

It's also a good time to change the PCV like Brett said. The PCV is only a few bucks. Wouldn't hurt to change the fuel filter, I think it's only $15 or so.

Tim Scales · 12-11-04, 03:02 PM

I totally agree on the MSD wires. They are very difficult to find on a moments notice so you need to order them several days in advance. Summit has them for around $60 or $70. And will usually have them on-hand so only 2-3 days away depending on where you are located. I agree with changing the Fuel Filter also. It is a Royal PITA if you don't have a rack to raise it on. I would reccomend taking it to a shop for this. I used the Taylor 8MM wires on the '92 and on the older versions I've owned as well. They are easier for me to get as I have a "SECO" performance store 40 miles from me. I have had great sucess changing the plugs on the L98 by removing the wheel well covers as someone mentioned. You'll need several different lengths of extensions for the job and a lot of patience. As stated earlier if you have aluminum heads BE SURE to use a "Dab" of anti-seize compound and change when the engine is cool...never HOT. good Luck

Edmond · 12-11-04, 05:22 PM

Didn't 86E's come with cast iron heads? I know the convertibles and 86L's came with the aluminum heads.

They will ask if you have aluminum or cast iron heads at the shop you to go.

ProEMTPFF · 12-11-04, 07:31 PM

Yes its a '86E and it has cast iron heads.

Vettefan87 · 12-11-04, 08:01 PM

If you do not plan on upgrading the ignition, and you do not really push the car MSD wires are not needed. I believe with MSD wires, you get a little radio noise too? You would be fine with Accel wires. I am running Accel wires and coil. For the cap and rotor just make sure the contacts are brass, brand does not really matter. If you know how to cut the wires then you might want to get the kit that you do it yourself, that way you can route the wires the way you want to. I would aslo run AcDeclo plugs, either the regular ones, or the rapidfires. Hope this helps.

Justin

G Winter · 12-12-04, 12:36 AM

On the subject of plug wires. I bought direct replacement delco from my GM dealer. Somewhere around $54 , perfect fit. All the right angles on the plug boots. I took the wires off in complete assembly. layed them out on cardboard and marked where the clips and the ends were on the cardboard, then matched up the correct length on the wires and installed clips accorcing to my marks. Then installed the assembly .