Plug Wires

If I understand correctly you're referring to the old-school copper centered leads with copper-screw-pins in the distributor cap and the way they need to centre on the core of the HT lead?

I've seen a mechanic strip back a bit of the insulation and flare out the copper strands and then use a pointed tool (a drift for example) to form the initial centre. Once the centre has been started, wind the HT lead into the distributor cap, then extract again and check. If happy it's nicely centred you then trim back the flared copper strands.

 

I used taylor spirocore, and used the trick mentioned above. the spirocore wires have a large center element that makes piercing the core easy.

you can use brake cleaner to remove the lettering, and you can cut off the existing ends, and reinstall the OEM boots for a near OEM look.

bc the spirocores are larger wires you need to remove a little rubber before you bend that element back onto itsself.
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by doubling the inner element back on wire, you get two chances to pierce it with the screws

 

Good post Sledge. I was going to add that $395 seemed a lot for a set of leads but I don't know the market or the particular model complexities. Looks like you made up a nice set of leads there, well done.

 

I just bought two universal sets of Jegs' spark plug wire(two sets of 8 cylinder sets).They are Taylor Wire with Jegs' name on them. They come with beautiful black plug boots already installed and with three different style distrib. boots. These wires are amazingly long for cutting to your required lengths. Perfect for the 12 cylinder cars..Total cost..$90USD..I'm going to try the previous poster's suggestion on removing the label with brake cleaner..I hope that this is of some use to someone out there. Thank you. Jacques.

 

I always use the pointed screw in the cap. Just stick the wire in and screw the screw in till it stops. I verify it is acceptable with an Ohm meter. The reading should be the same as the wire by itself. If the resistance is high I take the lead out and inspect it and remove any insulation that is preventing contact. Although that is rarely an issue. Anyway you choose to istall the wire I would recommend verify the connection is good by useing an Ohm meter.

Cheers Jim

 

The original and replacement Cavis wires sure do have a super thin element. Theoretically, if you stick that wire into the distributor, its centered perfectly, and that piercing screw will make contact (or near contact) with that inner element. The way you can test if that did occur is to use an Ohm meter to measure the resistance in the wire. Search around for the proper values. Wiggle the wire gently while measuring the resistance to see if its a positive connection.

if you strip from of the outwire off, exposing a portion of the inner element, and double that back on itself, and center the doubled-back portion so the piercing screw hits it you have two chances to make contact.

The benefit to the Taylor Spirocore wires is that the inner element is much more robust, so when you use the double back method you are nearly 100% sure to get contact. The Taylor wires are 1mm bigger in diameter, so you have to remove a little of the outer plastic (see pict above) to get it to fit into the distributor hole. A little dialectric grease helps.

Make sense?
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