What are the best plugs and wires for the 5.3?

[kbuskill]

I like that.

I am well pleased with them. Reasonably priced, great quality, and made in the USA... win win in my book.

 

[FrankU]

Yo Rocket Man ....so what did you find out about the spark plug heat ranges ? I was looking to drop down one range on the first plug change.

 

[Rocket Man]

Yo Rocket Man ....so what did you find out about the spark plug heat ranges ? I was looking to drop down one range on the first plug change.

Stock is NGK TR5, Whipple said to use TR7 which is 2 heat ranges colder but Blackbear said TR6 and TR7 is too cold. I'm running the 6's. If your NA though I don't think you want to drop a heat range. Why are you considering it?

 

[FrankU]

I usually drop at least one heat range on most of my vehicles engines. On this stocker I figured one heat range would be fine. But I have seen on some esp. stockers the stock plugs are fine.

 

[Rocket Man]

I usually drop at least one heat range on most of my vehicles engines. On this stocker I figured one heat range would be fine. But I have seen on some esp. stockers the stock plugs are fine.

Why would you do that to a N/A engine though? It's usually done for built either engines with higher than stock compression or F/I engines like mine so there's no knocking. I don't know of any benefit for a stock engine and possibly the opposite.

 

[DesertRat]

The originals. 19206447 / 748UU for wires and 12609877 / 41-985 (superseded now by 41-110).

Hey all, I'm looking for clarification on this. ACDelco's website has 748RR listed as replacement wires for an 07 5.3 FF Tahoe. What's the difference between RR's and UU's? Also, does anyone have any input on Denso (6718161) wires? They're $25 less than ACDelco 748rr's on rockauto.

 

[PNWMuseumman]

Curious to see the conclusion of this discussion, need to do my plugs and wires soon too. In slightly unrelated news, this video is pretty interesting related to spark plugs and changing heat ranges.

 

[Rocket Man]

Curious to see the conclusion of this discussion, need to do my plugs and wires soon too. In slightly unrelated news, this video is pretty interesting related to spark plugs and changing heat ranges.

Good video. That explains why you don't want to change heat ranges unless there's a reason to. Someone running a range colder on a stock engine will probably be fouling plugs or changing them sooner and if you go hotter you might be damaging the engine from predetonation. When I installed my blower, Whipple had recommended 2 heat ranges lower than stock but it wasn't running smooth and BlackBear recommended going one heat range lower instead of 2. That did the trick. It runs great and no fouling or detonation.

 

[TEXCHEVY]

I installed Taylor wires and NGK plugs haven't had any problems.

plugs NGK and TR55IX NGK, I use these, never problems

 

[sumo]

No problems with NGK TR5 and magnacore wires for my Maggie

 

[swathdiver]

Hey all, I'm looking for clarification on this. ACDelco's website has 748RR listed as replacement wires for an 07 5.3 FF Tahoe. What's the difference between RR's and UU's? Also, does anyone have any input on Denso (6718161) wires? They're $25 less than ACDelco 748rr's on rockauto.

Look at the photos of the two, the RRs have 90 degree bend in them. My truck came with the 748UU but AC Delco says yours came with the 748RR, go with that.

 

[DesertRat]

Look at the photos of the two, the RRs have 90 degree bend in them. My truck came with the 748UU but AC Delco says yours came with the 748RR, go with that.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if there was something more than that, or if the UU's would be some sort of upgrade.

 

[swathdiver]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if there was something more than that, or if the UU's would be some sort of upgrade.

That I do not know. Wes might know. @Doubeleive

 

[Doubeleive]

That I do not know. Wes might know. @Doubeleive

I don't know...but I did find

Delco does sell "performance" wires(9748UU) as opposed to "Standard" wires(748UU)

I was thinking of using those VMS wires mentioned previously when the time comes around to change mine

 

[Raptor Tahoe]

Time to change mine. What's the best for the 5.3?

I have been very pleased with Edelbrock’s wires. They have a great look and performance and work well with headers.

 

[Rocket Man]

I have been very pleased with Edelbrock’s wires. They have a great look and performance and work well with headers.

View attachment 259006

Those look way too long. These are similar to the ones I bought, they’re just long enough to go from plug to coil with a tiny bit extra but not enough to let them come close to the headers. All those longer ones burned the conductors inside on a few cylinders after a few months, even with the heat shield socks on.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254544594789

 

[Raptor Tahoe]

Those look way too long. These are similar to the ones I bought, they’re just long enough to go from plug to coil with a tiny bit extra but not enough to let them come close to the headers. All those longer ones burned the conductors inside on a few cylinders after a few months, even with the heat shield socks on.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254544594789

Very cool, thanks for the tip. I’ll check them out.