Melted plug wires.

[Kap142]

:shrug01:I've got my 72 BB in the shop for some wheel bearing replacement and I asked my mechanic to look at a possible miss in the engine. :ack2: Just got a call and have since ordered a new set of shielded BB wires to be shipped to me. Cause, the boots on several of the wires were melted onto the plugs.

The wires I'm replacing are a set of Taylor shielded wires that I put on maybe a year ago. Engine (with a DeWitts radiator:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup runs nicely cool staying down in the 180-190 degree range nearly all the time. Plugs, also new about a year ago, The brand and plug number escapes me.:shrug01:

The block has no heat deflectors but I don't believe the BB's had any anyway.

Ignition is through a Pertronix system.

My question is why did this happen?:shrug01: Is it common? :shrug01: Is it the quality of the wires? Waz up with this? :shrug01:

 

[Rich427]

Hey Ken,

Sorry to hear about your plug wires. Unfortunately the water temp has nothing to do with the external temps of the exhaust manifold. As you know, on a big block the plugs are surrounded by the exhaust ports and the exhaust manifolds get very hot. I have also had a plug wire boot melt and stick to the plug porcelain on my big block. I have tried to keep the plug wires in the appropriate wire looms, and that does help, but I have still occasionally run into this issue on my '69. If there is a fix for this, I would also like to know about it.

Rich

 

[Kap142]

Rich did you/do you have the plug shields in place? Someone at some time had removed the ones from my engine and I wonder if this is contributory?

 

[THOR]

Would spark plug wire "socks" work in this case? I know they use them with headers sometimes.

 

[Kap142]

Would spark plug wire "socks" work in this case? I know they use them with headers sometimes.

Mark, I'm not sure but I am sure it couldn't hamper it in any way. If I am missing looms or heat shields I'll try to replace them but ya know I just might add socks too. Not a bad idea, thanks:thumbsup:

 

[Rich Z]

I had a problem a little while back with a wire that was actually laying up against a header pipe.

I replaced all the wires and put cool socks on them. Hopefully that will help..

 

[fletcher4u]

They did have shields they are a pain in a** to get the wires off and the plugs in and out . A lota of guys broke them off and threw them away but they did help deflect manifold heat ...

 

[Kap142]

They did have shields they are a pain in a** to get the wires off and the plugs in and out . A lota of guys broke them off and threw them away but they did help deflect manifold heat ...

The more I hear, the more I think Thor's idea is a really solid way to go.

 

[Rich427]

Rich did you/do you have the plug shields in place? Someone at some time had removed the ones from my engine and I wonder if this is contributory?

Ken, the big blocks did not have the ignition shielding around the plugs. Small blocks did. The shielding was not designed to deflect heat, it was designed to minimize the interference with the radio signal. That's why the big blocks had braided wires. The small blocks did not have the braided wires but had the shielding. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

BTW, the suggestion about wire sucks probably would provide another layer of protection. But since I have never tried them, I cannot attest to how well they work.

Rich

 

[Kap142]

Ken, the big blocks did not have the ignition shielding around the plugs. Small blocks did. The shielding was not designed to deflect heat, it was designed to minimize the interference with the radio signal. That's why the big blocks had braided wires. The small blocks did not have the braided wires but had the shielding. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

BTW, the suggestion about wire sucks probably would provide another layer of protection. But since I have never tried them, I cannot attest to how well they work.

Rich

Rich, gotta have some fun with you for doing a "Ken". Regardless of what you say I think I'll try "wire sucks" and see if they help.

You are the man and please, please forgive me for having this "hoot"

Have a super evening and , sincerely, thanks my friend

 

[85vette]

I had the same problem with a big block Camaro I used to have. I got some Accel plug wires (the kind you build) and found the right combination of straight plug boots and 90 degree boots. It had headers which generated even more heat.

 

[Rich427]

Rich, gotta have some fun with you for doing a "Ken". Regardless of what you say I think I'll try "wire sucks" and see if they help.

You are the man and please, please forgive me for having this "hoot"

Have a super evening and , sincerely, thanks my friend

Hey Ken, I guess subconsciously think the socks might suck! :lmao:

Actually, since you and I have talked before about originality and this is not a big issue for you, then it certainly would not hurt to try the sucks, ...uh, socks!

 

[Kap142]

Hey Ken, I guess subconsciously think the socks might suck! :lmao:

Actually, since you and I have talked before about originality and this is not a big issue for you, then it certainly would not hurt to try the sucks, ...uh, socks!

I think I'll try to find a set around town today so they can be installed with the new wires. Hopefully they will resolve the issue for a long time.

Thanks Rich.

 

[Kap142]

I had the same problem with a big block Camaro I used to have. I got some Accel plug wires (the kind you build) and found the right combination of straight plug boots and 90 degree boots. It had headers which generated even more heat.

Thanks 85 I want to stay with the braided wires for both reception and honestly because I think they look great. I think I'll try to add short silver socks to the boots and see if that helps also. But thanks for the info if this does not resolve the issue Accels may be next

 

[72ragtop]

They did have shields they are a pain in a** to get the wires off and the plugs in and out . A lota of guys broke them off and threw them away but they did help deflect manifold heat ...

Ken, I agree with fletcher4U
the big blocks did have a barrel shield that bolts to 1 exhaust manifold bolt that goes around the spark plug and spark plug wires for heat reasons. u can check paragon or ecklers to see what they look like,
i have a few extra sets 1 used, 1 repo lying around somewhere

 

[Kap142]

I've picked up 6" socks and will have them installed along with the new wires. I may have to cut a small opening through each one to allow the ground wire to come through but they are the same color as the braided wires and should look both good and be functional too. I'll let ya'll know the results in a day or so.

 

[98 softtail]

I think the "wire sucks" are the way to go...:lmao:

 

[THOR]

Ken, my fee for advice on socks is a beer or two or three or four...:lmao:
I hope this solves your problem and Goldie won't be in "heat" again. :yesnod:

 

[Rich427]

Ken, I agree with fletcher4U
the big blocks did have a barrel shield that bolts to 1 exhaust manifold bolt that goes around the spark plug and spark plug wires for heat reasons. u can check paragon or ecklers to see what they look like,
i have a few extra sets 1 used, 1 repo lying around somewhere

Sorry, did not mean to mis-lead anyone. I have never seen these barrel shields, so this peaked my interest and I went looking through my documentation. First I went into my 68-69 NCRS judging manual and there was not a reference in there about them. Then I went into the '69 Stingray Guidebook written by Rick Bizzoco and there also was no reference to them. So, then I looked at my Paragon catalogue and sure enough they are in there. They say they are for late '72 through '74 big blocks. I guess the reason I have never seen them is that they did not have them in the early C3 big blocks.

Rich

 

[Classy]

Rob would just wrap a whole roll of duct tape around them:lmao::lmao::lmao: