Best Spark Plug Wires

[Old Henry]

I just had a set of spark plug wires I got from C&G 18 months ago wear out after 20,000 miles. Are there any better than theirs that anyone would recommend?

[koates]

Craig, What type of wires are they, copper wire inside or some type of suppression cable ? How could they wear out, what is the problem with them. Spark plug leads should last for many years. Regards, Kevin.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by koates

Craig, What type of wires are they, copper wire inside or some type of suppression cable ? How could they wear out, what is the problem with them. Spark plug leads should last for many years. Regards, Kevin.

They are solid copper wires. The wire is OK, it's the insulation that's leaking spark out to anything close enough to jump to instead of to the plugs. See this thread for how I determined this: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...60#post1179660

[J Franklin]

I use Packard 440 ignition wire.

[D. Jones]

Have you had any antifreeze get on them? Antifreeze can cause plug wire insulation to go bad.

[Bruce Lancaster]

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Packard 440 is the traditional hotrod wire, and is very durable. Its design is at least 50 or 60 years old, so there is almost certainly better insulation around now, but the 440 does work and endure!
I go traditional all the way and use Rajah ends...
https://www.brillman.com/ is my source.
Accel seems to be a decent and very easy to get modern equivalent. Their stuff comes in hideous yellow that belongs only on '75 Trans Ams, but I found out that adding a B into the part number gets you black wire that looks OK.
You just have to have good stuff in a stock Ford, as the metal conduits and the bunching of wires within the 59A cap are practically asking for trouble if you have dodgy insulation.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Speedway Motors makes a set for the flathead ( Moroso) thay we have used for years.

A service tip is to wipe the cables off using WD40 on a rag and wipe off the excess this keeps the moisture content down and they seem to last a long time.

Just remember that the spark will go to the path of least resistance and we hope thats the spark plug gap etc.
Also anything that causes a increase in secondary voltage will try even harder to jump to ground.

[Joe Immler]

Henry, Don't feel alone. I have the same problem with the same wires. An under hood check in the dark showed the wires sparking against any metal that was near. Not every wire of course but enough to cause a low and cruising miss. Let's see what your post comes up with.

[Old Henry]

I appreciate all of the ideas. I investigated and considered them all. I may well should have pursued one or more of them but I'm afraid I took the easier route and ordered the C&G wires again since they are the stock brown color and already made up and cut to fit, and, probably most importantly, will be here in two days for my road trip next week. And, the guy at C&G said he'd never heard of a set failing and will talk to the manufacturer to see if I can get any warranty coverage for them.

Thanks again for all responses. I really appreciate it.

[Joe Immler]

Henry, Keep us posted on how the new set works on your trip. My Ford is in Winter storage but I would buy a new set in the Spring if you have good results

[scooder]

I'm sure there's a 7mm silicon sleeve spiral core wire out there? Maybe petronics make? This stuff ain't resistive like the carbon string stuff, but it does have real good resistance to "leaks". Works like solid copper core wire, as far as your ignition is concerned. The big but being this stuff can be bunched together in the plug wire conduits, and not leak your spark to earth. It also prevents induction spark leap. With solid copper leads, the spark intended for the cylinder on its firing stroke, can "leap" via induction, to another plug lead bunched next to it, that has its cylinder not on its firing stroke. It's harder for the plug to fire under compression than it is to fire a plug under any other stroke. The spark energy will take the easiest path. With the spiral wound stuff, this induction "leap" of the spark is vastly reduced, practically to never, but doesn't have the resistance of the carbon string stuff, which is what we need for our vintage ignition systems (no resistance) with the close coupled plug lead terminals in the caps, and small rotors and the like.
These spiral wound leads in 7mm are perfect for us, and will fit easy, unlike the 8mm stuff, and come in black.
If they were available in authentication color cotton braid, it'd sell like crazy. I don't know if it is though. One of the vintage specific hotrod speed shops may be a good call.
Martin.

[Bruce Lancaster]

It was explained to me thus...the main energy of the "jump" is at 90 degrees to the conductor, so traditional wire wants to jump over to the next wire if resistance is low that way. With spiral, the direction is along the wiring bundle rather than out...90 degrees is straight ahead.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

It was explained to me thus...the main energy of the "jump" is at 90 degrees to the conductor, so traditional wire wants to jump over to the next wire if resistance is low that way. With spiral, the direction is along the wiring bundle rather than out...90 degrees is straight ahead.

Not sure I follow this Bruce, are you referring to flux lines being 90 deg to the current flow?

[Marv]

I have used Packard 440 every since i was a kid on all my hot rods. Never had any trouble with them.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by scooder

If they were available in authentication color cotton braid, it'd sell like crazy. I don't know if it is though. One of the vintage specific hotrod speed shops may be a good call.
Martin.

It's my understanding that the loom equipment they use (cloth wire suppliers) braids over modern wiring. Should be able to get one of the manufactures to braid you up some!

[FLA48]

Just a side note: several years ago I made a set out of a set of stainless steel spark plug wires. They came off of a Pratt and Whitney 1830 used on our DC-3's. Works great and have lasted a long time.

[klawockvet]

Try The Hot Rod Company http://www.thehotrodcompany.com
The products look good but I couldn't wait for them to ship a set so I went with the Moroso from Speedway. FWIW, I tried to find Moroso wires somewhere else and finally called them direct and was informed they only sell the wires through Speedway. Even though I don't like Speedway I went ahead and order them and they got all the way to CA the next day with two day shipping.

[corvette8n]

Whatever you do don't get the red transparent wires, had a friend with a street rod with those wires, at night he got quite a light show from them.

[37 Coupe]

I like the ignition products and cables from John Brillman in Virginia. www.brillman.com.

[sidevalve8ba]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I like the ignition products and cables from John Brillman in Virginia. www.brillman.com.

I am glad you mentioned these folks. They could be very convenient for me as they are practically in my back yard. I was unaware they existed.

As another thought, I have used the Moroso plug wires from Speedway on a couple of 8ba's with good results using electronic as well as point type ignition.

[motordr]

I replaced my Packard 440 and Raja ends with 801W universal 7MM-Metallic "Professional Wire Set" from Standard. www.smpcorp.com
Also the Bosch Blue coil and Bubba's special condensers along with NGK B-6L spark plugs...it works for me!

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by motordr

I replaced my Packard 440 and Raja ends with 801W universal 7MM-Metallic "Professional Wire Set" from Standard. www.smpcorp.com
Also the Bosch Blue coil and Bubba's special condensers along with NGK B-6L spark plugs...it works for me!

Just looked up the 801W wire set at Rockauto. While I was there I ordered 2 sets for 17.09 each. Been running my panel with ancient wires in original conduits, and am putting together another 59 ab for my truck based '46 woodie project.

[robert dick]

always had good luck with packard 440 or mopar silicone wires.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

This thread has been interesting, i would like to add a couple comments....

1- There is no such thing as a perfect insulator. If the voltage is high enough it will always take the path of least ressitance.
2-Once a secondary wire has leaked thru the insulation , its wounded and will not heal, its alway a weak spot.

On Henrys car i feel that the loss or damage to the distributor cap center button ( shown on another thread) would cause a hi voltage output from the coil and cause the breakdown with the wires. Even a new set using a high voltage would leak just like the old ones in short time....

[Old Henry]

I just finished the second day of my Pacific Coast Highway trip and, unfortunately, replacing the spark plug wires and inner distributor cap did not solve my problem, it continues. Fortunately, it is mainly when accelerating from a stop and long steep climbs. So, most of the time driving along the coast all is well. In fact, better than well since I enjoy the noticeable increase in power from the denser air that most of you get to enjoy all the time.

So far, the problem is not threatening our continued progress and hopefully won't. I'm betting that the distributor shaft looseness has let the rotor hit the distributor cap terminals again and is causing the problem. Hopefully, I won't have to dig into it again to find out for sure until I get home Saturday.

[GB SISSON]

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I'm glad I ordered new wires as just yesterday I was standing beside my running ford and standing on wet ground. Went to adjust idle and a spark jumped out and got me. I did not touch the plug wire. I guess I was a better ground than the plug. It was a good jolt!

[Kahuna]

I've had very good luck with the wires from Brillman. I run them in the stock type conduits. I've also had excellent use with the Packard 440 wire.

[qmdv]

I inherited a partial role of 7mm Hypalon ignition cable from my dad's stuff. I probably have 50 feet. Not sure why he had this but I do know that he and Kong Jackson did a few thing together many years ago.

I do need to make up a set of plug wires for a 32 with a crab distributor. I will use this stuff cus it is free. Raja Clips will be used. What say you.

Tim

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

I just finished the second day of my Pacific Coast Highway trip and, unfortunately, replacing the spark plug wires and inner distributor cap did not solve my problem, it continues. Fortunately, it is mainly when accelerating from a stop and long steep climbs. So, most of the time driving along the coast all is well. In fact, better than well since I enjoy the noticeable increase in power from the denser air that most of you get to enjoy all the time.

So far, the problem is not threatening our continued progress and hopefully won't. I'm betting that the distributor shaft looseness has let the rotor hit the distributor cap terminals again and is causing the problem. Hopefully, I won't have to dig into it again to find out for sure until I get home Saturday.

I fixed it today.
After driving most of the day with gritted teeth and clinched jaw I finally got the idea, "Maybe it's the timing." When I went to Death Valley I retarded the timing when I got down low but didn't on this trip. I wasn't sure it really made any difference. I run the distributor on full advance timing over 5,000 feet where I live and mostly drive. So, I stopped and adjusted the timing to right in the middle of the scale - took 5 minutes - and Wow! It fixed it! I'm not sure why but am sure glad it did. Now it really has that extra power from the dense air down here. Lovin' it. More looking forward to the rest of the trip now. Tomorrow it's Lombard Street and the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.

[JSeery]

Have fun on your trip! Hope that simple fix does the trick.

[corvette8n]

Looking forward to the pictures and video of your trip.

[vilanar]

Can your carb be a tad too lean for sea level ?
Just a thought ....

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by vilanar

Can your carb be a tad too lean for sea level ?
Just a thought ....

Yes. That too. But, I loath removing my carburetor and dismantling it to change jets on a road trip so didn't change those. I could have and probably should have adjusted the vacuum brake on the distributor too since I got quite a bit of pinging on hill climbs but I just nudged the choke out until it went away.

Kinda glad I didn't change more because today I went from sea level at San Francisco to over 7,000 feet at Donner's Pass headed to Reno and sure noticed the loss of power. Tomorrow I'll probably advance the timing again for the trip home to try to get a little more power over all of the mountains I've got to climb over. It will be my longest stretch on the trip - 573 miles.