Well, a little PM will get you a lot - of headaches. I did my plugs yesterday - went investigating today cause I wanted to do the wires soon. Now I see that #8 wire is completely separated from the boot. (I guess the wires are original). Really wierd, cause its not running too bad - idles pretty well too (on 7 cylinders!?). If I wasn't looking for it I may not have known.
Anyway - wires are now priority.

Question - routing the pass side wires appears easier from what I read when the power steeing pump is loosened. I read that there are 2 10mm bolts holding the pump - and posts say to remove them and wiggle the pump a little. I guess my question is when I unbolt it - the pump is not going to fall off in my hands is it? Should I be prepared for the pump to fall off after the bolts come out?

Any other ideas welcomed - as this is now a repair and no longer an improvement.

 

I routed my 8.5mm MSD wires without touching the pump,didn't have any problems.Just get rid of that plastic loom that's there and the wires will feed through no trouble at all.

 

Please, please, please tell me more. You are probably the first person I have seen that indicates the wires will feed through without problems. Were you all stock in that area - what on earth did you do that I haven't read??

 

Underneath the alternator by the pump you will find a stock plastic loom that the original passenger side wires are routed with.After removing the old wires you need to prize off that plastic loom with a flat-bladed screwdriver to allow more room for the larger aftermarket wires.I strongly recommend cutting the boots off the old wires so you can just pull them through.
With the new wire attatched at the spark plug end,feed the straight opti-boot end of the wire behind that metal pipe on the back of the pump and down to the passenger side of the opti-spark.You can only feed one wire through at a time.
I took the serpentine belt off to make access a little easier.I here of people taking the alternator off and loosening the power-steering pump,without trying to sound smart,I can't understand why.
Once your'e done,use a few cable ties to keep everything nice and neat,and to keep the wires away from the manifolds/headers and the serpentine belt.
If I lived closer to you I'd come over and help you out .

 

The wires can be routed lower than the stock location, down below the power steering pump. The stock plastic looms are there to prevent the wires from rubbing on the moving parts like the power steering pump pulley. If you do choose to loosen the pump, it's not going to go very far; its hoses wrap around the accessory bracket and capture it in place.

 

I was initially thinking of using the old wires to pull the new ones through - like a "fishwire". Or even using a 14 or so gauge wire attached to the old - pull the old wire out - then using that to pull the new. I was also wondering if the boots on the opti side of the new wires come off without damage - seems like that would make pulling the new ones much easier. Am I way off on this?

 

Yes,the rubber boots will come off on the opti end of the wire,no problem.It would make sense to use a little vaseline to get them back on there once you've fed the wires through.
I've just taken the rubber boot off a spare wire I have,it came off pretty easily.
Changing the wires on my car took me about half a day,I know how you feel,these cars can be a pain to work on at times.
Good luck,all the best,Mark

 

I also replaced wires without touching the ps pump. Just make sure they are kept away from the serpentine belt.