replacing wires mercruiser are they made of gold???

rcmafgny

Active Member
Oct 10, 2009
1,245
Long Island, NY
Boat Info
2008 33 Sundancer; Kohler Gen set; Simrad electronics
Engines
Twin 8.1 Horizons w/ V Drives
Want to replace wires on my 06 8.1l mercruiser motor.
the Replacement wires from mercruiser are $500
Sierra aftermarket is ~ $420

The wires for a Crusader 8.1L is ~ $75.

are the spec's any different?

Thanks

Ron
 
Might be worth talking to your local GM dealer. Wires are certainly more expensive these days, a set for my Suburban are $100 plus. But that's better than your prices
 
From what I've seen, the wires seem to have the same coil locations so the wire lengths should be the same.
 
Yup - gotta be something awful special. The list price is actually $575! If it wasn't for an 8.1L, they'd be the typical $60-$100. I don't what makes them so special, but there's obviously something to it. Unless you do A LOT of homework, I definitely wouldn't throw an automotive set on there. My only reason for saying this is there's got to be a reason (specs) for the price difference and if it was my own engine, I wouldn't chance it - you may end up having to replace much more expensive components.
 
That's what I'm thinking. The blocks are the same. It's the add ons that differ from mercruiser / volvo / crusader [i think].
Just don't know if they change the electronics and require different specs, why is why I'm asking ya'all
Thanks
Ron
 
Dennis,

I would not try automotive wires, although.....
Where I am lost is that the cost for wires [Marine] for an 8.1L Crusader engine is in the $75 range..

Ron


Yup - gotta be something awful special. The list price is actually $575! If it wasn't for an 8.1L, they'd be the typical $60-$100. I don't what makes them so special, but there's obviously something to it. Unless you do A LOT of homework, I definitely wouldn't throw an automotive set on there. My only reason for saying this is there's got to be a reason (specs) for the price difference and if it was my own engine, I wouldn't chance it - you may end up having to replace much more expensive components.
 
Dennis,

I would not try automotive wires, although.....
Where I am lost is that the cost for wires [Marine] for an 8.1L Crusader engine is in the $75 range..

Ron

I hear 'ya, and I 100% agree with your line of thinking. All I can think of (to "maybe" explain it) is pretty much exactly what you said in post #5. There's got to be something different with the tuning that requires a different plug composition (for lack of a more knowledgeable explanation, anyways). Come to think of it, aren't the plugs pricey, too?
 
I'm just using the word tuning very generically. But I would think (and I am by no means an expert in this field) though, that the better the wire, the better it can deliver the required spark that a tune calls for? The better the tune/spark/whatever, the better the performance and efficiency, right?

The Merc 454 plug sets are reasonably priced and about what you would expect. I know "marine" things are, in general, pricier than automotive counterparts (sometimes for good reason) but that alone doesn't explain the price difference here. There's GOTTA be a logical explanation. And, quite honestly, unless we can can get an expert (Merc would be great!) to explain this, we're all just guessing. And that doesn't really help answer Ron's question.

I've bought non-marine things in the past, but I did my homework and didn't just trust someone that said "it worked for me". One example is the timing gear/chain set for my engine. I saved a good amount by not buying the "Merc" brand. In this case, I found out that it was 100% a GM product with no modifications made to it. I suppose the higher price (through Merc) might be explained by saying that Merc has to buy them from GM, probably in low volume (for OTC sales) and then needs to still make a profit on top of that. And then the dealer needs to make a profit, too. Couple that with the likelihood that both Merc and the dealer need to have a higher profit margin than Summit (for example) to stay in business, and I suppose that just about explains the price difference - at least for the timing chain set.
 
It's crazy....this is worse then the usual BReak out another thousand story.
 
Actually, you're pretty much right on track! $500 x 2 sets = $1,000. :smt101

I don't know the answer to this, so I'm only asking... I thought I had read somewhere that there is no recommended replacement timeframe for the 8.1L plug wires? Replacement is more on an "as needed" basis?
 
They are probably a thicker insulation and also a larger gauge conductor. If I were in your situation, I'd grab a set of "Race" wire for high performance engines. They need to be cut to length and the ends put on. I would not hesitate to use them.
 
They are probably a thicker insulation and also a larger gauge conductor. If I were in your situation, I'd grab a set of "Race" wire for high performance engines. They need to be cut to length and the ends put on. I would not hesitate to use them.

Not exactly a safe choice for a gas engine in an enclosed space.

The question I have is why does the OP feel he needs to replace the plug wires in the first place? We have eleven years on our 496 and they they are functioning perfectly. The useful life of plug wires is quite long these days. Over the past twenty years we have had a Porsche, two Audis and two Chevy Silverados and I can't recall ever having to replace plug wires.

Henry
 
I know one damn thing, the clips holding the wires together in pairs are a living hell to pop open to replace the wires.
 

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