Spark Plug Wires (Update!)

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:19 pm

So I was at the local junk yard today and I found a bunch of first gens (like usual) and surprisingly a (1) second gen. The second gen was pretty much gutted of good stuff, including a trunk lid carpet

. I may put together a small for sale thread with a couple of the things I was able to grab.

Anyway, I digress. I found what looked to be some "After Market" spark plug wires from one of the first gens. First off, would these work on my second gen? If so would they be better than the stock wiring? It says "Max Protection, Beiden Premium 7mm Cable, SAE Class F, OG" on the side of the wire.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:53 pm

If the wires are off a 96-99, then yes, they will work.

By what you posted off the wires, they don't sound like anything spectacular. The trouble is you don't know what condition the wires are in. They may be in worse shape than what you have now even if they look fine on the outside.

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:05 pm

Well I pulled them straight off the engine. How can I tell if their bad or not?

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:20 pm

With an ohmmeter.

http://www.tpub.com/basae/48.htm

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:35 pm

Ok, now lets say everything is peachy and the wires are good. Are they thicker than the stock wiring? Will they make any difference what so ever if I swap them out?

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:00 am

Thicker usually means "better" insulation, but they would only be an improvement if they deliver more spark energy than your current wires, and if that energy is actually needed. Otherwise you're just wearing out the plugs faster. If they have less resistance than your current ones, try them out and judge for yourself, if it seems any better. If your gas mileage improves then they have some benefit. If not, then you got practice changing plug wires!

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:24 am

occasional demons wrote:If not, then you got practice changing plug wires!

LOL! Which is easier that I thought. When I pulled them out of the engine at the junk yard I though I was going to have to give them hell, but they just came out with a small "pop". Now what I need practice with is changing the plugs them selves. Can someone give me a quick crash course on how to do that?

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:15 pm

5/8" sparkplug socket, 3/8 drive ratchet and extension for tools. Engine cold. Remove spark plug, turning ratchet counterclockwise. Check threads for any aluminum that may have come off your head. Hopefully none! Apply some anti-seize to the threads of the new plug. Just enough to coat them! Insert plug into the socket and start it into the hole by hand as far as you can get it to go turning clockwise. Then snug up with the ratchet. don't go overboard tightening it. Repeat three more times!

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 12:25 pm

Sounds simple enough. What about gapping the plug? And what is "Anti-seize"?

Post by **racer12306** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:50 pm

I could have swore that I responded to something like this not too long ago. However, I can not find it. It went something like this:

Anything thicker than stock wires are not needed. We ran either 8 or 8.8mm wires on our race car. We were restricted to this size because of the magneto cap. This engine makes in the area of 500whp and burns methanol (harder to burn than gas). Thus, any wire will fire our little engines, its just a matter of the quality for life. I currently have Accels because I was ordering from Summit anyways. They have been on for 25000 miles, or maybe longer, I can't remember. They are still working good.

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:01 pm

Get a plug gapper at your local parts store, to check the gap. The wire type is preffered. Anti-seize is a paste that's basically aluminum or copper powder, depending on the type, combined with a lube of some kind. It coats the threads to prevent the sparkplugs and your cyl. head from becoming one peice.

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:37 pm

How big is the gap supposed to be for Neons?

Post by **racer12306** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:58 pm

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:53 pm

What about spark plugs that say they don't require gapping? I was thinking about getting these:

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDeta ... 60&PTSet=A

TheRandom1 · Post by **TheRandom1** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:58 pm

Sounds like insane overkill... but at that point, you would not need to gap the plugs unless the gap closed somehow... (yup, that can still happen if you drop the box)

Post by **occasional demons** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:00 pm

The bosch copper plugs work just as well. Or whatever brand of copper plugs, well unless you can find some cheap off the wall bizarre ones through ebay...

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:49 pm

You do not want to use Platnum plugs in your neon. It won't like it.

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:18 pm

Why not? What would you recommend I use?

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:20 pm

Champion RC9YC's are going in my drag car, until I spray, then the NGK bk7re's are going in, since they are colder.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:29 pm

Copper or Iridium

Copper = cheap and effective, change every 15000 - 30000 miles

Iridium = expensive and effective, change every 50000 or more.

Post by **occasional demons** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:40 pm

Some ppl experience problems with platinum plugs with the wasted spark ign. I haven't personally. I ran the +4's till I had the exhaust giudes replaced, then went with copper. Performance/fuel mileage didn't change any. I don't have any mods that would require a mega spark to light it up so that could be the difference.

Paul56 · Post by **Paul56** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:06 am

Changing the plugs is so easy on this car that I install a new set in the spring and another new set in the fall for the winter.

Overkill? Yes definitely considering the mileage I put on. But, plugs are cheap and at least I know they are fresh and the gap is good... and changing them out and freshening up the anti-seize compound and dielectric grease in the boots means I won't run into the stuck plug issue.

GreeNeons03 · Post by **GreeNeons03** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:55 pm

So back to spark plug wires. Someone in my Fuel Filter thread said that the wires should be replaced to help with gas millage. How often should they be replaced?

Post by **racer12306** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:50 pm

The manufactuer recommends every 60,000 miles, however mine were shot around 35,000.

2001 ACR · Post by **2001 ACR** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:38 pm

racer12306 wrote:Copper or Iridium

Copper = cheap and effective, change every 15000 - 30000 miles

Iridium = expensive and effective, change every 50000 or more.

So are NGK V-Power spark plugs copper or iridium?

Santos0508 · Post by **Santos0508** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 9:42 pm

What about E3's plugs are they good?

Post by **racer12306** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:06 pm

V-Powers are copper.

Never used E3's. Are they available for the neon yet? Last I knew they weren't but this was a year or two ago.

Santos0508 · Post by **Santos0508** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:38 pm

Yes sir, they are out for the neon, and priced at 6.99 each.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:26 am

For that $ I'd go with Iridium.

Post by **racer12306** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 12:19 pm