plug wire routing?

[jabrooks]

Thanks to all for the carb suggestions - on to the next topic. What's the correct routing for the plug wires, especially #'s 1-4?

The existing wires (remember, this is on a 350 that was placed in our recovered '64) route down through clips on either side at the rear (which appears correct from what I see in the service manual) and feed under/behind the headers. The front four continue along the blockand feed up between the motor mounts. Surely that can't be right, can it? I can't even remove the wire from the car without cutting it or loosening the mount and raising the engine a bit. Also, from underneath I see a two-wire clip about halfway along the block on either side. Is that clip for the front wires? What else keeps the wires away from the headers?

Whoever did the existing wires just used cable ties everywhere, so other than the service manual, I don't have a lot to go on. Any pics or descriptions would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[youwish2bme]

The way they are routed sounds correct man. The forward two on each side go thru the "v shielding" that is connected on the passenger side to the block in front of the starter and the rear motor mount bolt. The two clips you refer to hold the wires close away from the manifolds. The routing down each side would be correct also if the grommets are still there they have the order on em. I don't know it off the top of my head. Dave..

 

[jabrooks]

Oh, for goodness sake. Now that I go online to Eckler's et al, I see about five zillion shielding pieces, wire brackets, and looms that don't exist on my engine, including the above-mentioned "v-shield". I knew about the distributor RF shield (hard to miss that one), but didn't realize all the heat shielding that came stock.

Am I asking for a meltdown if I go without the 4-piece plug inner heat shields? I was getting a miss that I wrote down to a bad wire which started me down this rat-hole, now I wonder if I had a heat-related shorting problem... Oy.

I can feel my wallet moaning...

BTW, looked in the AIM, and it's just not clear how the fronts run. Perhaps if I had the shields it would be obvious. My wires actually ran up THROUGH the motor mount (between mount and chassis), which still doesn't strike me as correct....

 

[JohnZ]

Yup, you have a few pieces missing; the front two wires on each side run between the block and the motormount. The curved heat shields that protect the plugs (and boots) from exhaust manifold heat are essential - gotta have 'em.

 

[youwish2bme]

Hey Brooks, I wouldn't sweat it right now man. Are the wires getting burnt? No then concentrate on something that is giving you a problem. I was burning plug wires due to the routing of mine that's the only reason I bought the rest of the shielding that I didn't have when I bought it. The total of all everything is over 500.00 if you get it all. Dave..

 

[jabrooks]

Thanks, guys. Got it done. Dave, I burned the #1 wire, which is what got me on this. I picked up the four inner heat shields and the two V-shields. Took a while to figure where/how they mounted since I didn't have, but time on my back under the car with the AIM and Ecklers got it. And I still can't believe GM routes plug wires through the mounts, but pulling the boots off does the trick for threading them through.

Browsing archived threads here and the CF showed this is a common question - should of searched first. I apologize for that, guys!

Jim