Cross posted from the Silverado SS site, and modified a bit:

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I was mentioning that my Avalanche had 400 ohm wires on it.
I noticed a nice difference after some MSD 8.5's.

My SS has 900 ohm wires on it.
I decided to try some wires on this truck too.
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Okay. So I just put some Taylor Thundervolt 50's on.

I measured about 4 wires before they went on. I got between 35 and 43 ohms. (huh, that's low!)

Okay... I noticed some differences. Some good, some maybe bad, some just plain weird.

Good: The truck fired right up, and settled into a VERY smooth idle. The off idle jerkyness is gone - it's nice smooth power. The truck seems to be able to settle into a gear high, or lockup, and lug up hills easier than before.

Bad: Not sure if this was just me or what, but it felt like the engine was "tight", like it didn't want to rev. It's currently 14*F outside, and the truck reached full temp about 2 miles into my 4 mile test-drive. I previously came from a 20 mile drive before the install, so the truck was somewhat warm when I left the driveway. I'm 99.99% sure all the plug wires are on nice and snug. (I'd throw a code otherwise, right?)

Weird:

Part 1: Anyone else's truck sound A LOT like a 5.0 mustang? (Just applieas to Silverado SS's or trucks with the exhaust, I assume) Mine has a lot of resonation, hum, or drone to it when I'm driving. I like it. Sounds nice. After I installed the wires - it was COMPLETELY gone. Just your typical boring mechanical engine noise.

Part 2: I just recently installed my Valentine 1 radar detector. ANYTIME I put my foot into it more than 1/3 pedal, the dang thing would get a false Laser detection. After the wires - I have to really wind it out before it trips. I have NO IDEA what to think of this.

The good, I was expecting. The bad I wasn't.... but if I go out on a limb here, I may be able to connect "bad" and "weird part 1".

Would a weaker (stock) spark have tipped the computer off to modifying the fuel trim or timing to get better combustion? (Probably... right?)

Would a hotter spark make that same air:fuel ratio combust any different? Burn quicker and/or cleaner? Would the computer want to modify the fuel trim or timing for 'this'? (Doesn't really sound likely to me... but that's all I got)

I know different air:fuel ratios will produce different exhaust volumes. Just not sure if that's what happening here.

Looking forward to hearing some feedback.

I'll give some more ramblings after my 25 mile commute to work tomorrow AM.

 

When did ya get the SS?

 

November 1st?

 

Just wanted to note:

The exhaust note is coming back. Not as loud as it has been in the past.

The engine still has a pretty tight feeling to it. I may be down on power in the upper RPM's. I'm going to throw some more gas in it in a bit - I've got a quarter of a tank, and in my past experiences the truck runs rather doggish when it's low.

Like I said, the truck likes to stay in lockup and hold it's speed up hills. But it also seems harder to kick down out of a gear. -- This is making be believe I've lost a bit of power.

On the upside, I saw an additional 2mpg this morning. My usual reading for the ride into work is 15.4-15.6. I got 17.5. And that's with at least four good stomps on the pedal, and following a schoolbus.

 

Maybe your motor is still pretty new, I dunno.

That's cool that you have an SS now...what do you have planned for it?

 

it might be just the colder weather now. you probably were used to the way it ran during November. we didn't have too many cold days here in the North East. but now snow is on the ground and the truck probably will shift harder due to the colder weather, i don't know. i just installed the same wires 3 weeks ago. i didn't notice any performance difference except in my radio. i think it is coming from my subs where the amp is hooked up. there is a whining noise coming from my speakers. thought it might be the new plug wires, but when the engine is off, i can still hear the whine. go figure

 

have you driven the SS in the snow yet? just wondering how it handles with the AWD and performance tires. i'm used to 4WD and All terrain mud and snow tires

 

I think the radar detector thing may be due to better RF suppression with the new wires.

 

the msd's gave me a bunch of radio noise...and sets my radar detector off anytime i floor it...where when i tested the stocks again it didn't

 

Usually when you put high flow wires on, since they have less resistance or ohms, they put out higher frequencies in mass, and they leak out into the engine bay, you may have noticed also some whine out of the stereo when revving the motor. Now your wires probably flow better than the components they hook up too. I would make sure you put a good gobb of dielectrical silicon in the plug of the coils, then a good dabb on the end of the spark plug. This will help reduce the leak out of frequencies! On high output ignitions, it is absolutely necessary to use this grease. I have been using it ever since it cured radio problems and radar detector problems in earlier vehicles that I had run Accel or MSD ignitions in.