Which coil wire is best?

[old31]

Which coil wire is best? I am not sure which of the four coil wires I should use. With the Ohmmeter set at 20 K I have readings of 001, 001, 558, and 003. Which one is best to use?

[Badpuppy]

Plug and coil wires were solid core copper through the 1950s or so. Should read nearly zero ohms. Your third one may be RFI suppression type.

[redmodelt]

Not solid core, the wire is stranded copper wire, solid is what is used in house wire.

[katy]

With the Ohmmeter set at 20 K I have readings of 001, 001, 558, and 003.

You have your ohmmeter set on the wrong range, it should be on the lowest range available, something like 10, 20 or 50 ohms.

[Badpuppy]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Not solid core, the wire is stranded copper wire, solid is what is used in house wire.

My fuzzy brain recalls solid core, but you're probably right, stranded would be more flexible.

[gustafson]

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Why 20K range? Lower ranges burned out?
did you set the ohms to zero before you started? Battery nearly dead?

[eagle]

I've also heard people refer to the "solid coil wire". I always took it that it was the term that was used to diffferentiate between resistor wire or copper. Everyone knew that the solid wire referred to stranded copper rather than actual solid conductor wire. To answer your question, copper core coil wire should have a very close to zero resistance. You can use resistor coil wire as well, will help to make the electrical system less electrically noisy.

[31Abone]

Just had this problem last week a Model A motor with a carbon wire from coil to dist cap ..engine ran but just ,back firing etc .when I checked it out it was worthless carbon wire ,put solid wire on and !!! what a difference it made ..sc

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

On Minerva, I ran ALL modern resistor wires. WHY??? Because everyone sed she wouldn't RUN!!!I LOVE to make an ASS of someone, that spreads OLD WIVES' tales!!
"Maybe" thet's why NO ONE comes by, or CALLS???
Bill Awful

[redmodelt]

RE solid copper wire, while it may be true that people that have worked on these cars for a good number of years would understand the difference, there are a lot of new people that might have limited or little knowledge of the difference.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

RE solid copper wire, while it may be true that people that have worked on these cars for a good number of years would understand the difference, there are a lot of new people that might have limited or little knowledge of the difference.

I AGREE, totally. When some of us that have worked years, fixin' broken cars, things like that are just "OLD HAT" stuff. In my career, I've seen SO MANY changes come about!!!
Bill W.

[Purdy Swoft]

I was always told that the carbon filled wire would be best used with electronic ignition or to prevent radio interfearance . . I know that carbon filled wire can run with points ignition but not necessarily run the best . I always use stranded copper wire on my model A's whether it be the coil wire or modern style spark plug wires . If looking for stranded copper coil or plug wires at the common parts house , A person will usually have to ask for tractor type wire sets. Most modern cars have used electronic ignition for nearly fifty years .

I have noticed that people that worked on modern cars usually think that whatever works for the modern car is also best for the model A . I have found this mind set is often wrong .

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

RAIN-X works well on MODERN or REALLY OLD CARS!
Bill Silly

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I was always told that the carbon filled wire would be best used with electronic ignition or to prevent radio interfearance . . I know that carbon filled wire can run with points ignition but not necessarily run the best . I always use stranded copper wire on my model A's whether it be the coil wire or modern style spark plug wires . If looking for stranded copper coil or plug wires at the common parts house , A person will usually have to ask for tractor type wire sets. .

Tractor Supply sells copper wire sets.

[Corley]

Well, nobody mentioned spiral wound high tension wire. I suppose because it was never very popular, but it help with rfi, yet does not have the issues carbon filled wires are known to exhibit.

The real key here is how hot is your spark? If you can pull an inch of spark, then carbon resistance wire should be fine. If you can only pull 1/2" of spark, you better either improve your ignition or stick with solid core wire. (NOTE, I did not say "solid wire", I said "solid core wire", which is the correct name for copper wire, either single or multiple stranded.). Carbon core resistance wire will eventually fail, quicker with high heat, but it should last an easy 20 years or more.

Just what I think I know...