[Z06] If Your Run Headers and Burn Your Spark Plug Boots - There is a Fix
08-28-2014, 09:05 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Northville Michigan
Posts: 2,458
Likes: 0
Received 102 Likes
on
56 Posts
If Your Run Headers and Burn Your Spark Plug Boots - There is a Fix
Gentlemen,
I run headers, and over the past six years I have burned the boots on my spark plug wires four times. Recently, I installed a new engine:
As part of the engine install I relocated my coils using the Katech coil relocation kit. Their kit supplies brackets and MSD spark plug wires. To help insulate the 600 degree silicone spark plugs boots from the heat of the headers, I installed ThermoTec heat socks as you can see in the picture above.
About 10 days ago I started to notice a part-throttle miss. Over the past I had noticed the same type of miss three times. The other three times it had been an indication of burned spark plug boots. So, I started pulling spark plug wires and here is what I found:
Everything looks fine in this view.
When you turn the wires over everything is not fine. These two wires come from cylinders #4 and #7. In spite of the added protection of the ThermoTec heat socks, the heat from the headers has burned through the 600 degree silicone boots. In the past I would have purchased two new wires, or a new wire set, installed them, and waited until the next time my engine started missing so I could replace them again.
Things are different now!
ACCEL, the makers of spark plugs and wires, has recently released spark plug wires with a CERAMIC boots:
Unfortunately, ACCEL does not make a kit that works with the Katech coil relocation kit. So I called ACCEL and talked to one of their tech support personnel. He told me that if I purchased the ACCEL Universal 45 degree V8 wiring kit - 9002C, the Taylor Products boot kit - 46069, and the ACCEL wiring crimping tool - 170036, I could make up my own wire set. So I went to the Summit Racing web site and entered the part numbers he provided me and here is the result:
I made up eight of these wires, adding about 1-inch in length above what Katech provided, installed them, the miss is gone, and my spark plug wire boot future is much cooler.
-
I run headers, and over the past six years I have burned the boots on my spark plug wires four times. Recently, I installed a new engine:
As part of the engine install I relocated my coils using the Katech coil relocation kit. Their kit supplies brackets and MSD spark plug wires. To help insulate the 600 degree silicone spark plugs boots from the heat of the headers, I installed ThermoTec heat socks as you can see in the picture above.
About 10 days ago I started to notice a part-throttle miss. Over the past I had noticed the same type of miss three times. The other three times it had been an indication of burned spark plug boots. So, I started pulling spark plug wires and here is what I found:
Everything looks fine in this view.
When you turn the wires over everything is not fine. These two wires come from cylinders #4 and #7. In spite of the added protection of the ThermoTec heat socks, the heat from the headers has burned through the 600 degree silicone boots. In the past I would have purchased two new wires, or a new wire set, installed them, and waited until the next time my engine started missing so I could replace them again.
Things are different now!
ACCEL, the makers of spark plugs and wires, has recently released spark plug wires with a CERAMIC boots:
Unfortunately, ACCEL does not make a kit that works with the Katech coil relocation kit. So I called ACCEL and talked to one of their tech support personnel. He told me that if I purchased the ACCEL Universal 45 degree V8 wiring kit - 9002C, the Taylor Products boot kit - 46069, and the ACCEL wiring crimping tool - 170036, I could make up my own wire set. So I went to the Summit Racing web site and entered the part numbers he provided me and here is the result:
I made up eight of these wires, adding about 1-inch in length above what Katech provided, installed them, the miss is gone, and my spark plug wire boot future is much cooler.
-
