What Are 0-Ohm Spark Plug Wires and Can They Really Increase Horsepower and Torque?

When people start looking for more horsepower and torque, spark plug wires usually aren't the first modification that comes to mind.

Most enthusiasts think about cold-air intakes, exhaust systems, throttle bodies, superchargers, turbochargers and tuning.

But there is one important part of the ignition system that every spark has to travel through before reaching the spark plug:

The spark plug wire.

That is exactly why Granatelli Motor Sports developed its patented 0-Ohm ignition wire technology.

If you want to see the different applications available, visit the Granatelli Motor Sports Ignition Wires and Coils collection. Granatelli Ignition Wires & Coils

Why Spark Plug Wire Resistance Matters

Your ignition coil creates the high-voltage electrical energy required to fire the spark plug.

The spark plug wire does not create that energy. Its job is to transfer the ignition energy from the coil or distributor to the spark plug.

That is where electrical resistance becomes important.

Traditional OEM and replacement suppression-style wires intentionally incorporate resistance to help control radio-frequency interference, or RFI.

Even NGK explains that excessive resistance can reduce sparking and ignition energy, while also noting that proper RFI suppression remains important for modern electronic vehicles. Read NGK's Wire Set Technical Explanation

Granatelli approached the problem differently.

Instead of relying on a high-resistance carbon-style conductor, Granatelli developed an extremely low-resistance conductor combined with a patented method of controlling ignition interference.

The goal is simple:

Reduce unnecessary electrical resistance while still protecting the vehicle's electronics from RFI and EMI.

This Isn't Just a Solid-Core Racing Wire

This distinction is important.

Simply installing an old-fashioned solid-core ignition wire on a modern computer-controlled vehicle is not necessarily a good idea.

Ignition systems generate electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference. SAE technical research has documented ignition systems as a significant source of radiated electromagnetic interference. SAE Research on Ignition-System Electromagnetic Interference

Modern vehicles contain ECUs, sensors, radios and other electronics that can be affected by electrical noise.

Granatelli's technology was designed specifically to combine extremely low electrical resistance with high noise suppression.

That technology is protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,185,622 — Method and Apparatus for Interconnecting a Coil and a Spark Plug. View U.S. Patent 7,185,622

This is what separates Granatelli 0-Ohm wires from simply installing conventional solid-core racing wire.

How Much Resistance Is Actually in a Factory Spark Plug Wire?

The difference can be significant.

An independent installation article published by All Chevy Performance tested the factory ignition wires on a C8 Corvette using an ohmmeter.

The factory wire measured approximately:

1,737 ohms

The Granatelli wire tested in the same article measured:

0 ohms

The article specifically documented the resistance difference while installing Granatelli 0-Ohm ignition wires on the Corvette. Read the All Chevy Performance C8 Test

That gives enthusiasts something more meaningful than simply taking our word for it.

You can actually measure the resistance difference yourself with an ohmmeter.

Can 0-Ohm Spark Plug Wires Increase Horsepower?

They can, depending on the vehicle and combination.

Granatelli Motor Sports has performed numerous dyno tests using its low-resistance ignition-wire technology.

Granatelli testing has shown increases of as much as:

15 rear-wheel horsepower

and

17 lb-ft of rear-wheel torque

on tested applications.

Granatelli publishes additional information about the testing and construction of its ignition products on its Ignition Coils & Wires technical page. Granatelli 0-Ohm Ignition Wire Technical Information

It is important to understand that this does not mean every vehicle will automatically gain 15 horsepower.

Results can vary depending on:

• Condition of the existing ignition wires
• Ignition coil output
• Spark plugs
• Engine combination
• Boost pressure
• Compression ratio
• Fuel
• Tuning
• Existing modifications

An engine replacing old, deteriorated or high-resistance wires may respond differently than a completely stock vehicle with a new ignition system.

Why Can Torque and Throttle Response Improve?

A strong and consistent ignition event helps properly ignite the air/fuel mixture inside the cylinder.

More consistent combustion can help the engine produce more useful cylinder pressure.

And cylinder pressure is what ultimately creates torque.

This is why improvements to the ignition system can sometimes be noticed not only at peak RPM but also through:

Sharper throttle response

Smoother acceleration

Improved idle quality

Stronger low- and mid-range response

More consistent combustion under load

This becomes increasingly important as engine power increases.

Why 0-Ohm Wires Matter Even More With Boost

Cylinder pressure makes it harder for the spark to jump the spark-plug gap.

That means the ignition system becomes increasingly important as power increases.

This is especially relevant for:

• Turbocharged engines
• Supercharged engines
• Nitrous applications
• High-compression engines
• E85 combinations
• High-boost applications
• High-RPM engines

You can install larger injectors, increase boost and improve airflow, but the mixture inside the cylinder still has to ignite.

Reducing unnecessary resistance between the ignition coil and spark plug allows the ignition system to deliver its available energy through a lower-resistance path.

For GM LS and LT applications, Granatelli offers several direct-fit 0-Ohm configurations, including the 28-1545S LS/LT 0-Ohm ignition wire set. View Granatelli LS/LT 0-Ohm Spark Plug Wires

Can Spark Plug Wires Improve MPG?

Fuel economy is another area Granatelli has tested extensively.

The idea is not that a spark plug wire magically creates fuel economy.

Instead, the goal is to improve how effectively the ignition system lights the mixture already entering the cylinder.

Granatelli's MPG Plus program was developed specifically around improving ignition-energy transfer and combustion efficiency.

Granatelli testing has reported fuel-economy improvements of up to 15% in certain applications.

As with horsepower, that is not a guarantee that every vehicle will gain 15% MPG.

Fuel economy is influenced by many factors including:

• Driving habits
• Vehicle weight
• Engine condition
• Tire pressure
• Gearing
• Fuel quality
• Tuning
• Traffic
• Vehicle modifications

However, making sure the ignition system is operating efficiently gives the engine the best opportunity to effectively burn the fuel it is already consuming.

What Makes Granatelli 0-Ohm Wires Different?

Granatelli performance ignition wires are designed as an upgrade, not simply a replacement for a worn factory wire.

Depending on the application, features include:

Near-zero resistance conductor technology

Patented RFI/EMI suppression

Solid stainless conductor cable

Stainless snap-lock spark plug terminals

High-temperature silicone boots

Fiberglass-reinforced 8mm jackets

High-temperature and ceramic boot options

Direct-fit vehicle-specific configurations

OBD-II compatible designs

Granatelli also offers ceramic boot ignition wires for applications where headers, turbo systems and other extreme heat sources place the spark plug boots in especially demanding environments. View Granatelli Ceramic 0-Ohm Ignition Wires

Don't Just Take Our Word for It

There are three different ways to look at the technology.

First: Granatelli's own dyno testing has documented horsepower and torque improvements on numerous applications. Granatelli Ignition Testing and Technical Information

Second: independent testing by All Chevy Performance documented a substantial measurable difference in electrical resistance between the factory C8 Corvette ignition wire and the Granatelli 0-Ohm wire. All Chevy Performance C8 Corvette Test

Third: the design is backed by U.S. Patent No. 7,185,622 covering Granatelli's method of connecting the ignition coil and spark plug while addressing electrical resistance and interference. U.S. Patent 7,185,622

The Bottom Line

Every combustion event starts with a spark.

The ignition coil produces the electrical energy, but that energy still has to travel to the spark plug.

Granatelli's philosophy is simple:

Why put unnecessary resistance between the ignition coil and the spark plug?

Granatelli 0-Ohm ignition wires are engineered to provide an extremely low-resistance path while using patented technology to address the RFI and EMI concerns associated with traditional low-resistance conductors.

Depending on the application and existing ignition system, the result can include improved throttle response, horsepower, torque and fuel economy.

Whether you're working on a daily-driven LS-powered truck, Corvette, Camaro, Mustang, supercharged street car, turbocharged build or dedicated race car, the ignition system deserves just as much attention as the air and fuel entering the engine.

Less resistance. More available ignition energy delivered to the plug.

That's the technology behind Granatelli 0-Ohm ignition wires.

Shop Granatelli 0-Ohm Ignition Wires

Find the correct ignition-wire set for your vehicle in the Granatelli Motor Sports ignition collection. Shop Granatelli Performance Ignition Wires