So today I got my summit racing 8mm wires. This will be a guide to doing plug wires on a 5.2/5.9 (what not to do). Sorry no pics.....

1) Make sure you have the firing order for the distributor (available from the factory service manuals from the diy thread). It will save you lots of headache if you do what I did.

2)Set aside about 3 hrs. Should take less than 1hr but stuff happens.

3)The firing # of the piston is located on the intake manifold directly above.

Ok now for my fun day........

First I took off the air intake all the way up to the throttle body. Now start replacing the plug wires one at a time undoing them from the wire holders attached to the valve covers. The best thing to do is take off the coil wire first (this is the one that runs to the front of the block and it not attached to a spark plug) it will give you more room and not be in the way. Now I would recommend labeling each new wire at the distributor end after you have matched it with the old one. This is where I went wrong...... While disconnecting wires from the top of the distributor I accidentally pulled one off I didn't mean to then mixed it up with another one. So when I started it, it was missing on cylinders #4&6. I could tell because after 15sec the exhaust manifold was not getting hot on those two. I would not advise running it for more than 30sec then touching it, you will get BURNED. So I thought I knew the order at the distributor. Changed most the wires around and nothing, wouldn't even start. So after cussing and yelling (which always helps get the frustration out) I finally went and got the firing order from the service manual. After straightening out the wire mess and re doing the plug wire holders, I finally got it running right. Felt stupid cause only 3/8 wires were right. Hope this helps people not do the stupid mistakes I did, I'm doing the cap and rotor tomorrow and will update this.

Tip; when you pull old plug wires twist the spark end to loosen it. Some are really hard, like today I had 3 of the metal contacts stay on the spark plug and the boot came off. A needle nosed pliers works well for pulling the stuck contacts off. Now you may leave some skin off of your knuckles under the hood while doing this, I did today.

 

Yes, yes those stupid spark plug boots love to stick to the metal heatshield. I use 90degree pliers for boots. Its nice to have the actual sparkplug boot puller though. 8.5mm wires push the limits of factory wire looms. Summit throws in some cheap replacements. Old skool ziptie works too. Lube the boots so the next time they come off easy.

 

Some times they stick to the heat shield, but mine the metal connector inside the boot pulled out and stayed on the plug. I mean really those must have been some cheap wires for that to happen. I supposed some dielectric grease would solve that though. Yeah I used the summit holders ones cause even the 8mm wouldn't fit in some of mine.

 

The worst is ripping a wire from pulling and yanking too hard lol.

 

3 hours for spark plug wires?

And yanking it too hard?........WOW!

 

that sounds like a personal problem if you ask me

 

if you have to learn it should be on your own truck!

 

It only took me 1.5hrs, way to long LOL. But for someone thats never done it this may take 3. You never know.................

 

Hey its a possibility lol had a friend do that cuz he said it was stuck...i just think he was pulling instead of twisting.

 

I have to use step ladder and move it around. Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it. I rather pull all wires and start fresh. Are you guys really changing plugs at 15k? I seen that posted somewhere on the fourm. Running e3s and work well so far at 30k did cap, rotor and wires do to some water crossings to get to work. Desert rain- all or nothing. The cap was bad but don't think water got in there.