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What a difference good plug wires make! LOL!

651 Views 23 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  Super Coupe
Well, I finally figured out why the car has been feeling down on power and not running good times. The plug wires I had put on the car (less than maybe a thousand miles) were the universal Moroso Ultra 40's which are supposed to be a good wire for heat resistance, etc. I made them up and used the fiberglass sleeves to protect them down by the plug. I've had them on and off the car several times, had checked them with an ohm meter, etc. I decided last week that I didn't like the 90* boots that were on them and started second guessing my crimp job, so I ordered a set of 135* wires that were model specific. While taking the old wires off and removing the fiberglass sleeves, I found TWO wires that were burnt to a crisp about an inch away from the plug under the sleeve! I hadn't removed the sleeves before and just assumed that would be the LEAST likely to burn them. I guess the 90* boots got things way too close to the header or something.
SOOOO, I get the new wires on, and this thing SCREAMS! I can't get over how much different it feels. I'm guessing the old wires were arching all over the place with the insulation missing and I was running on 6 or 7 cylinders most of the time. I knew I had a miss, but didn't realize how bad it was! I'm stoked to get this thing to the cruise on Saturday and see how it REALLY runs now! :)
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It's already run a [email protected]... looking to improve!:fing26:
Very nice, its awesome when stuff like this happens.

But it also sucks cause you realize you pretty much wasted money on plugs that didnt work that you could have spent on a hooker.

Just sayin.
I would like to find a better alternative to those fiberglass sleeves. They haven't worked for me and I think it is just a matter of time before mine fail.

Are there any plug wires that have a heat resistant boot on them?
I was REALLY suprised that the wires burned even though they were covered by the sleeve! The only thing I can figure is that the 90* boot brought the plug wire closer to the header flange or something. The 135* boot is longer and directs the entire wire further away from the head. Hoping it won't happen again...
Yeah, I was pretty stoked about it too.... made me feel a little stupid, but oh well, it's all better now!
I told ya it would be something simple Doug.

You couldn't tell it had 2 dead holes? I lost ONE cylinder and it sounded like a weadeater after that.. but my problem was a split cylinder!

On the heat shielding, you can use aluminum. Anything would be good, but thicker the better. You can bend it in a shape of a taco shell and simply lay it on the header - between it and the plug wires. Obviously, you'll have to be creative on how to bend it, in order to keep it in place. I've done it MANY times, and it saves plug wires! An old customer had a cartech streetsleeper kit - they SUCK for plugs and wires. That was the ONLY solution.

On that car, the temperature on one side of the aluminum was something like 600*, and the plug wire side of the aluminum was 300*.
I know, I know.... I'm sure it was an intermittant miss.. maybe arching over or something... I knew it had a miss, but didn't realize how bad it was. Lesson learned... I'll keep an eye on this set and see if they hold up with things as is.
I know, I know.... I'm sure it was an intermittant miss.. maybe arching over or something... I knew it had a miss, but didn't realize how bad it was. Lesson learned... I'll keep an eye on this set and see if they hold up with things as is.
Those Moroso pro-race 409 wires are nice, but expensive! They have a wrap already on them.

I have regular ol' motorsport wires, and they seem to be doing well. They just have the boots.
Very nice, its awesome when stuff like this happens.

But it also sucks cause you realize you pretty much wasted money on plugs that didnt work that you could have spent on a hooker.

Just sayin.
lmao!

right
You better bring something then! :)

Rematch at the cruise, doug!
3
Nice man thats good to hear, My car is running again started it two nights ago for the first time with the kit. I snapped a couple pics with my phone Ill get better ones soon!


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nate you are not allowed to go turbo, i have to be the quickest car at sonic when brooks isnt there.
<------ has had great results with basic ass old Ford Racing plug wires.
me too

<------ has had great results with basic ass old Ford Racing plug wires.
hard to beat them
On the SVO i had a header that wasn't spark plug wire friendly. I tried the sleeves and still had issues with the wires getting burned.
The last solution i did finally worked. I took some aluminum tape (looks like a roll of duct tape but made of aluminum) and wrapped the wires loosely. Then i installed the fiberglass sleeves over top of them......
Never had an problem again for well over a year...... running it hard everyday i was home.

Later i took the plug wires off and had no discoloration and no problems....

Its just an idea for ya............

Glad to see you got it running good.... Running on a few less cylinders and still running 7.80's.... When my SVO had a miss, it would barely drive lol
whats the results? how much ET did it pick up?
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