Spark Plug Question

I was working under the hood this weekend replacing my ignition wires and cracked the insulator on one of plugs, #2 right front to be exact. I have AC Delco R45TS plugs in there that are almost new with about 100 miles on them. I figure no big deal I'll just go to Autozone and pick up a new plug, throw it in and be done with it, simple enough. When I get back I put the new plug in, and when I go to put the plug wire back on I notice the the boot of the wire is now pressing against my header tube which it didn't do before. I pull the plug back out and compare it to the old one and I see that the shank is longer on the new one. I call AC Delco Tech Service and the Tech Rep informs me that they now only make the longer ones because it fits a wider application of cars than the shorter ones did. He said the newer will work on my car if it had the stock exhaust but not with the headers. I asked him if they had another plug with a shorter shank that would work with my application and He said no, either put my stock exhaust back on or try to find plugs from another manufacturer. Has anyone else run into this problem yet? If so what plugs did you go with to solve the problem? I was looking at NGK V-Power plugs, are they good or is there something better that is comparible to the AC Delco's ?

I use insulator boots but you could try the accel shorty plugs

I would go to NGK site and check their plug specs. You could also would call or write NGK. AC changed the plug, maybe NGK did not.
Either way, NGK is a great plug.

I ran into something like that some time ago, fighting with my 350 vette here but I forget which set of heads was on the car.....

it ran something like R45 TS X now that X on the end either meant a shorter plug or a longer plug, I forget which way,.....and I can't imagine ANY reason for GM to do something bone headed like that, a shorter plug will obviously work EVERY time, where a longer plug can fit....WTF??? bunch of :crap:

:banghead:

yet another move by the EPA .gov to frustrate hotrodders/old car owners....

hook or crook, FORCE the old cars off the roads....

:ill:

I would go to your local auto parts shop and have the counter guy get every type of plug that is supposedly for your engine. Pick the shortest one. You don't have to use AC or Champion or any other brand, just the one that is the shortest one for your engine. Good luck buddy. Ya might find a material to put around the boot to keep the exhaust from burning through causing a tick tick tick.