[73LeMans]

Since we're talking about electricity, all I'm ever concerned about for a plug wire is Ohms of resistance per foot. What throws me, is how Taylor advertises their Pro 409 series wire at 350 ohms/ft like its something to be proud of. Odd too is Taylor has better wires. Their 9mm Firepower sets advertise 25 ohms/ft and for comparison, Moroso advertises their Ultra 40s @ 40 ohms per/ft.

Is all that marketing for the 409 just praying on the ignorant, or am I the one missing something in all of this hype?

What else does one look for in a plug wire other than its ability to flow electricity, durability, and resistance to heat?

[John Langer]

You would be surprised at who makes most of the spark plug wires....

[PAUL K]

The Taylor spark plug boot is small and doesn't cover the spark plug nearly as well as the MSD Super Conductor wires, which can cause issues. I like Taylor and MSD. I've never used the Moroso wires but a friend that builds a lot of big power Chevy engines uses them all the time with good results.

[Chief of the 60's]

If you want the best, then you want FireCore - http://www.firecore50.com/

Try them once, you won't use Taylor on your lawn mower.

[73LeMans]

Originally Posted by John Langer

You would be surprised at who makes most of the spark plug wires....

Ha, no doubt! It does seem like a lot of things in this car world (and others I'm sure) boil down to just a few players. The "what battery is best" threads come to mind.

Paul - I never gave the plug boot end much though. Interesting. If it clicked in, I was happy. I'll pay closer attention.

The firecore50 wires are all the rage on YB as most of the "best plug wire" threads there end up with that answer (for 10 +plus years too I might add). People seem to love'em. I'm sure its for good reason. Their website is in shambles right now though. Took a look at it yesterday doing research, and none of the links bring up anything useful. I'm sure Rick is busy, but fix that site!

[adynes]

It's for electrical noise suppression.

http://www.taylorvertex.com/spark-pl...ace-wire-sets/

"Features a Spiral-Wound core with 350 ohms per foot resistance for EMI and RFI suppression delivering maximum fire power without radio interference and recommended for use with multiple-spark discharge and electronic ignition systems."

[ta man]

I like boots with good solid clicks and that last when checking plugs often.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Im qualified to make sense of those values, but lack the read-up on plugwire mFGr justifications for their values. The Ohm values are bunk, until someone bloviats about impedance vs frequency, like an audio speaker.

Spark energy dispersion tailorings along a plugwire type (copper, spiral-nickel, graphite in fibers) is a fun way to pass a rainy day, but at the end of the day, you'd be hungry and annoyed.

If we went to coaxial wires (like some or our spark engine aircraft) and the coaxial sparkplugs, and the hV coils (were dedicated per plug, 4 or 8 coils) & had their GND formed to the coaxial outer, THEN there is something to figure upon. And we do.

But the Dizzy makes the spark current return path awkward, doesn't it. if we go on assuming the spark energy travels along a sparkplug wire and jumps the plug gap (and rotor gap), then go on breathing (albeit through your mouth).

So, yea there is opportunity to promote an improved Dizzy sytem on the high-tension side. If th coil is on top like eI then each plugwire ought get a braided sheath starting from the HEI Coil frame and ending at each Sparkplug hex. A bit hobo, or a bit excellent depending on one's know-how & do-how.

If a fella had budget for aviation plugs & wires (i figured $100/wire & $250/plug) and implemented these thing like a pro, there may be risk of no HP gain. Better AM radio result though.

Someone running an HEI into 10's or 11's with a 3-10 Ohm rotor button ought run trials with carbon wires, copper, and spiral-nickel, and see if any ET or MPH budged. May be at risk of seeing no difference. If a 5000-10000 Ohn rotor button is used in the HEI there may be a melt-down in the HEI Cap botton zone.

[Half-Inch Stud]

... common lamp cord makes for excellent speaker wire up to 200 W/speaker.
... Garage door opener wire does quite fine to 50W/ speaker.

coaxial wires for speaker appears a cool idea but at 1-2nanoseconds/foot delay there is no performance value in sign, noise, nor signal/noise ratio. Unless there is some nasty rotating magnetic field very-near the wires, then twisted-pair (twist-rate synched to the offending field change rate). for a balanced "common-mode" interference rejection.

Pulsed-power like 40KV ignition follows all the basic circuit rules, BUT when spark-gap are involved like a rotor-post, then a plug gap. There is an opportunity to better understand how the HV pulse travels. Consider the "Waste-Spark" coil for plug-pairs shows two plug-sparks for 1 coil pulse. That is a little whoopie huh, but no forseeable hindsight to better the dizzy system. I think.

[Half-Inch Stud]

So, this is not a Thread on Spark Plug wires, but my contribution is a lame treaty on noise suppression.

Spark Plug wires have a mechanical ruggedness priority for the heat & vibration, the resilience to humidity & grime & static dust collecting. And ability to deliver the spark energy with high efficiency.

[Mark G]

I had really good luck getting my spark plug wires from NASCAR teams every wire is checked to be it's best ..

[John Langer]

Originally Posted by Mark G

I had really good luck getting my spark plug wires from NASCAR teams every wire is checked to be it's best ..

And who makes the wires for the NASCAR teams?

[Mark G]

Originally Posted by John Langer

And who makes the wires for the NASCAR teams?

I am not sure the set I have now came from Hendrick motorsports. And you rarely see Nascar Teams have problems ..Wires are 10mm

[mgarblik]

Because our funny car engine has the magneto sticking out the front of the engine, direct camshaft drive, some of the spark plug wires are quite long. Also due to the very high voltage and current requirements of nitromethane, these wires live in a worst case situation. I do check them regularly, using two methods. We run a fire resistant cover over the wires, I remove it to inspect the wires. I attach a Fluke meter with good alligator clips to each terminal. On the Ohms scale, I get my reading, approx. 300 ohms per foot when new. Then I gently bend and kneed the wire over it's entire length, bending the wires to about a 3" radius, over and over the entire length of each wire. I am looking for any change on the meter. My Fluke meter is a little higher end one and has a min/max function and an alarm. Every time the meter reads a new higher resistance, it will alarm. It records every 1 millisecond. On a 3 foot wire, for example, it should never go over 900-1000 ohms. I also give a very careful inspection to the jacket, boots and the tight connections at both ends. In the 8 years we have been running the car, I have replaced the entire set once, just because it seemed like the right thing to do. The coil wire twice, because it failed my inspection above, and 1 or two individual wires because they were suspect. We run a suppression wire because that's what MSD specifically requires on their 44 Amp magneto. Also our data system specifically, requires suppression wire to guarantee clean signals. I honestly feel routing is just as critical to plug wire life as the wires themselves once you move into the premium silicone jacket wire brands. I would check them at least once a season.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Tossed all my wire looms as a kid through 33. Collected only the most useful looking wire looms from then til now. Time I used them. CYLs 7,5,3,1 need the most mgmt.

Presently only using the plastic "e" looms than grab 2 or 3 wires for dress.