Re: Spark plug wire life span

From: Phillip Batson (pbatson68@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Apr 20 2007 - 17:27:26 EDT


So I guess I shouldn't have removed all the plug wires at once....:)

----- Original Message ----
From: ctandc <ctandc@comcast.net>
To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 2:29:02 PM
Subject: Re: DML: Spark plug wire life span

Spark plug wires are a maintenance item.

They need to be replaced after so many miles / time

I've been using Taylor wires for many years now with ZERO complaints.

I got the custom fit Red Taylor wires from Summit for my 3.9 Dakota when I
first bought it last year...

$35 or so If I remember correctly.

They fit fine when I just matched up each old wire with a new wire.

----- Original Message -----
From: <jon@dakota-truck.net>
To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: DML: Spark plug wire life span

>
> Jason Bleazard <dml@bleazard.net> wrote:
>
>> Rick Barnes wrote:
>>> 6+ years, don't worry about the resistance, except the resistance to
>>> throw
>>> them away,...toss them, get new wires.
>>>
>
>> Okay, then, new wires it is. Silly me for thinking that the MSDs would
>> last forever. I don't think I'll splurge for those again. The engine
>> is stock, but it does have annoying tendency to ping on winter gas, so I
>> don't want the cheap China-Mart crap in there either.
>
>
> I believe that the main issue with aging spark plug wires is the
> breakdown of the insulation itself, leading to cracks, thin spots,
> etc. which can promote induction firing or allowing the spark itself
> to actually jump out of the wire to another wire or ground. Does
> anyone know if the conductor itself is consumed as well? If not, it
> seems like maybe a little split loom tubing would get a few more years
> out of the wires?
>
>
>> Anyone have experience with the Summit Racing brand?
>> http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2D867624
>
>> Looking through the archives, it seems that Taylors are widely
>> recommended. I'm assuming Spiro-Pro are the ones to get among the
>> various Taylor products?
>
>
> My first spark plug wire upgrade on my Dak was to the MSD 8.5mm
> wires, then at some later point I switched to Magnecor. Magnecors are
> definitely a very high quality wire, but you will pay for that. I
> don't remember exactly why I switched, I think maybe I burned one of
> the MSD wires on a header tube, but I don't recall for sure. I think
> I got the Magnecors because a DMLer had put together a group buy many
> moons ago. When I needed new plug wires for the Cuda, I purchased MSD
> wires, but the fit was terrible, so I sent 'em back and ordered a set
> of Taylors, which were actually $20 cheaper than the MSDs. (I
> remember looking at Magnecors for the Cuda, but I don't remember now
> why I decided to go another route - it was probably a price thing.) The
> Taylors fit perfectly. I got the 8mm Spiro Pro version; I'm not
> familiar with what other types might be available. IIRC, when
> comparing wires, for example 8mm vs 10mm, often the electrode itself
> is the same, and the difference is the amount of insulation. (That
> may not necessarily hold true for all brands, etc.)
>
> As far as the Summit brand goes, I don't think Summit actually
> makes anything themselves, so I guess the trick is to figure out who
> is building them for Summit. My guess would be Taylor, but that's
> just a guess with nothing to back it up. Of course, just because a
> certain company is the actual manufacturer doesn't mean you're getting
> the same quality as their brand name product - it might not be just a
> rebadged version of the same product, it might be manufactured to a
> different spec and/or using different materials. So, just because a
> good company is building the product doesn't necessarily mean the
> product itself is quality.
>
> Sorry, my post is mostly just a bunch of words that don't help much
> :-) but I don't have any idea about the quality of the Summit wires.
> I do have the Taylors and have been pleased with them. If the price
> difference is a decent savings, I would probably be tempted to try the
> Summit brand, especially on a daily driver. Heck, I'd probably be
> tempted to test out the existing wires and not spend anything at all
> if I didn't have to... ;-)
>
>
> --
> -Jon-
>
> .- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
> | '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
> `-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
>



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