The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Best way to run spark plug wires on a stock 350?

My '71 C10 has turned into a real adventure. I am now down to tune-up stuff, at last. There doesn't seem to be any agreed upon "best" way to run the plug wires. I have the stock "rams horn" manifolds and heat shields, so the wires should come up from the bottom. The previous owner has the wires zip tied together and to the frame to keep them off the exhaust. Since this obviously isn't the best way to go, can any suggest a better or stock way to run the wires? I'm not really into the shiny chrome looms, etc. Thanks in advance for any help.

Les

"best" doesn't apply - originally when the wires came up from the bottom, they're held by clips that attach on the pan bolts, 2 doubles on each side, and 4 slot looms at the back, as well as at back of the intake - these, which usually get lost/tossed when work is done .... later [I thought by the 70's] they ran them over the top with various other loom arrangements

Bill

There are two 1/4" X 20 drilled and tapped bolt holes in the block, just below the cylinder heads on the older blocks. They were for a set of sheet metal looms that kept the wires off the exhaust after they came through a set of 4-wire looms at the back of the block behind the heads. The tricky part was keeping the wires for the front two cylinders for each side off the exhaust pipe where it attached to the ram's horn manifolds. I believe there might have been a single 2-wire guide attached to one of the oil pan bolts in that area.
Jerry

All the wire holders are available in a kit from the specialty suppliers. The wires for the front cyls go underneath the engine mounts. You do not have to remove or loosen the mounts. There is enough room to tuck them through even 8 mm. This method takes a little longer to put in the wires but it is factory & looks good. The wires will not getup against the manifolds or pipes.

Many thanks to the three of you! I got a set like the ones Bill posted off a junk engine that was in the weeds out behind a friend's shop. They were set up like Jerry said. They were guarded by a mean spirited little copperhead who has since met his maker. I guess we messed up his home when we rolled the block over with the Jeep and a chain. There were only two of the little "2 wire" clips though. The wires on that engine were run through the mounts like Wrenchbender Ret. said.

Again, many thanks.

Les

If you haven't picked up wires yet, the unfinished ones may be a bit better to make a clean instal. I always get annoyed with boxed sets that have overly long wires, the excess seems to always get in the way. So it's nice to be able to route them exactly the way you want them, cut & terminate.

Freq,

I always do that sort of thing, cause there "ain't no" universal sets. About all I see around here is MSD and Accel, but I'm sure that there others. I usually go ahead and get the better quality or larger wires. It may not make much of a difference on a stock engine, but I feel better for doing it.

Best wishes,

Les