Spark Plug Wires' Options?

slaughterj

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Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

What are the full range of options for spark plug wires, including advantages and disadvantages?

Here's what I know of off-hand:
1. Stock Black Mopar Wires - $60, seem to work fine
2. Some sort of Blue Mopar Wires - $100, may (and did for me) cause static through the radio and CD player (insufficient resistance?)
3. Some sort of Red wires? Magnecor?
4. Anything else?
 

Bandit3

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I chose MSD because of their low resistance. They must be some sort of resistor because I have no radio interference. Summit sells them. John
 

plumcrazy

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I hear lots of good things about the magnecor ones. anyone else???
 

99 R/T 10

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I chose MSD because of their low resistance. They must be some sort of resistor because I have no radio interference. Summit sells them. John
I agree with bandit,
The MSD's are great and no noise! Summit Racing has them for $75, I think.
 

KepRght

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Anyone tried Nulogy capacitor discharge leads? Did you test before and after and notice any improvements?

stay far away from these, pure junk. a bunch of buddies and I descided to do a group purchase of these and needless to say we had a hard time returning them.

static on the radio BIG TIME
NO power gains
NO change in spark density at all

all of the adds they show with bigger sparks is not actually installed on a car, that is on their test box, nedless to say I paid for that one..

$499 list for plug wires...
 

Torquemonster

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Are you looking for a power gain from wires????

I was curious about Nulogy - I know their claims and I also know a guy who took up their agency in NZ but only had their dyno graphs showing 7-9hp gains - I was wondering if independent people had found similar results.

Doesn't sound like it from Keprights post...

Their theory was to use a capacitor discharge for each wire to boost spark signal...

BUt generally yes - good wires are worth power over bad wires - but probably only due to decreasing the current loss in transmission.... same reason quality leads give better stereo sound than poor leads.
 

joe117

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I think the static from solid wires comes from the sharp waveform of the pulse. It makes radio frequency harmonics.

Why would wires make a stock engine have any more power?
 

KenH

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I think either the Magnecor or MSD wires are worthwhile upgrades from the standpoint that the electrical connections tend to be very good with repeated insertions and they generally have better insulation which may prevent header damage or spark jump. That's what you find on the extreme energy systems which mean they have some margin for error when used on lower energy systems like in the Viper. They are also worth 2 poser points and 3 if you go with the 10mm stuff :D

I have also heard nothing but good things about the stock wires, but I don't know how well they hold up over time and they may need more frequent replacement.

The only way spark plug wires are going to make HP that I can see is if the ones they are replacing were deficient somehow and losing HP. Course in that case, they are just getting back the HP that should have been there all along.

--- Ken
 
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slaughterj

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

So, is the following correct and a comprehensive list of spark plug wire options?:
1. Stock Black Mopar Wires - $60, seem to work fine
2. Some sort of Blue Mopar Wires - $100, may (and did for me) cause static through the radio and CD player (insufficient resistance?)
3. Red Magnecor Wires - cost? size options? relevance of size options?
4. MSD - $75 from Summit Racing, size options?
 

BruceW

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I switched to the MSD wires and I do hear a little radio interference but I have a stock exhaust. If the car were louder I probably wouldn't be able to notice it. The wires are a bit of a [******] to fit into the stock wire anchors.
 

ViperJoe

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Well if you have a Gen1 car they are 10 or close to 10 years old. Wires break down over time, and the performance wires are just better (less resistance, heavier construction, and better heat protection).
 

Shelby3

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

I encountered significant noise in the CD player with the MSD wires. Can't hear it anymore with the Borla, R/T's and the Blower. :2tu: :usa:
 
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slaughterj

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Well if you have a Gen1 car they are 10 or close to 10 years old. Wires break down over time, and the performance wires are just better (less resistance, heavier construction, and better heat protection).

I think Jon (Bugeater) was referring to switching to other-than-stock, not that he doesn't put new wires on :)

What exactly does less resistance do? How does that relate to the radio static?
 

joe117

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Whenever there is a short pulse of electrical energy traveling through a wire, radio frequency energy is produced.

The more sharp the leading and trailing edge of this pulse, the more radio frequency energy is produced.

Solid core wires allow a very sharp pulse and thus a lot of potential RF interference.
Resistor wire rounds off the pulse.

The sharpness of this pulse in the terms we are talking about has nothing to do with producing a good spark. Resistor wires are good enough to produce all the spark you need for almost any street mod.

A race car might just as well use solid wires. There isn't any radio to mess up.

The RF interference has little to do with shielding of the wires. Resistor wires will take care of it without the loss of any spark performance.
 
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slaughterj

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Any info on Magnecor wires? Anyone have any problems with radio static? Prices? Places to buy from? Hurry, I'll need wires in about a year (another 20k miles)! :)
 

Chuck 98 RT/10

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

Slaughter, get the hi-pro Mopar wires, find out they cause static then give them to me...again.

BTW Thanks
 

Torquemonster

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Re: Spark Plug Wires\' Options?

If stock wires do such a good job - why not stick with them and just add ss braided or some other dress up heat shield sleeves and couplings to pretty it all up - then you get all the show plus the known quality of stock leads
 

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