Accel extreme ceramic plug wires problem
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
Accel extreme ceramic plug wires problem
For the second time in about two months the electrode/connector has pulled out of the hard ceramic boot on the spark plug end of my Accel Extreme ceramic spark plug wires when I was checking the plugs. When this happens there is no way to re-fasten the electrode and re-crimp the wire like you could do on wires with flexible silicone boots. Fortunately Jegs made good on the first bad set of wires, refunded the entire purchase price for the entire set, even though only two were defective. They also found a part number to order only a single wire. I have ordered a couple single wires- one for now and one for future replacements.
Has anyone else had these wires fail this way?
I need the ceramic ends due to two of the boots being so close to the headers on my 454 that the silicone boots get fried, even with those insulator boots.
Has anyone else had these wires fail this way?
I need the ceramic ends due to two of the boots being so close to the headers on my 454 that the silicone boots get fried, even with those insulator boots.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
I've been using these for years now and have not had an issue with them as you are having.
I have pulled the front two off many many times to check the plugs after tuning the carb.
These wires are the only resolution to the BB issues with the wires being very close to the large tube headers (I tried everything).
Neal
I have pulled the front two off many many times to check the plugs after tuning the carb.
These wires are the only resolution to the BB issues with the wires being very close to the large tube headers (I tried everything).
Neal
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
I've been using these for years now and have not had an issue with them as you are having.
I have pulled the front two off many many times to check the plugs after tuning the carb.
These wires are the only resolution to the BB issues with the wires being very close to the large tube headers (I tried everything).
Neal
I have pulled the front two off many many times to check the plugs after tuning the carb.
These wires are the only resolution to the BB issues with the wires being very close to the large tube headers (I tried everything).
Neal
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,150
Likes: 154
I just put them on my 427 for the same reason as everybody else.I was upset with the quality of the wires and boots that go into the dizzy.A few of the rubber boots were so hard and dry rotted that they just ripped. Luckily I have a small stock of them from other sets over the years.I found the coil wire that goes into the dizzy a real pain in the ***.They made a 2 second job a 10 minute job on that one.Also when putting the plug wires on I had to sort of roll them on the plug so they would lock on,I'm still not sure about #7 cylinder being locked on so I'll have to keep an eye on it.The engine idles smoothly so I know it's making contact.I'm just disappointed in Accel as I've been using their products since the sixties. I just hope I don't have the same issue as you when I change the spark plugs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 984
From: Wauconda IL
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 55
Likes: 2
What part number are you running ? which boots are on the ends ?
A local guy that I know has probably 10 or more sets of these that he bought in a bulk buyout . I was wanting to put a set on my bb once I got the headers on. I know he will make me a deal on them because I just bought some other accel wires that were 10 dollars for a new box of 8.8 wires and he wanted to do 3 boxes of them for 20 dollars .
A local guy that I know has probably 10 or more sets of these that he bought in a bulk buyout . I was wanting to put a set on my bb once I got the headers on. I know he will make me a deal on them because I just bought some other accel wires that were 10 dollars for a new box of 8.8 wires and he wanted to do 3 boxes of them for 20 dollars .
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
Would this help? https://www.designengineering.com/ca...ngineering-inc
Thanks, but I have tried those protective boots in several types of materials. The silicone plug insulator they are trying to protect still gets cooked and falls apart after a couple weeks. The Accel Ceramic is heat-proof, but the crimps that hold the metal end to the wire were not made firmly enough on a couple of the wires and pulled off when I pulled the boot off to check the plug.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
What part number are you running ? which boots are on the ends ?
A local guy that I know has probably 10 or more sets of these that he bought in a bulk buyout . I was wanting to put a set on my bb once I got the headers on. I know he will make me a deal on them because I just bought some other accel wires that were 10 dollars for a new box of 8.8 wires and he wanted to do 3 boxes of them for 20 dollars .
A local guy that I know has probably 10 or more sets of these that he bought in a bulk buyout . I was wanting to put a set on my bb once I got the headers on. I know he will make me a deal on them because I just bought some other accel wires that were 10 dollars for a new box of 8.8 wires and he wanted to do 3 boxes of them for 20 dollars .
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
I just put them on my 427 for the same reason as everybody else.I was upset with the quality of the wires and boots that go into the dizzy.A few of the rubber boots were so hard and dry rotted that they just ripped. Luckily I have a small stock of them from other sets over the years.I found the coil wire that goes into the dizzy a real pain in the ***.They made a 2 second job a 10 minute job on that one.Also when putting the plug wires on I had to sort of roll them on the plug so they would lock on,I'm still not sure about #7 cylinder being locked on so I'll have to keep an eye on it.The engine idles smoothly so I know it's making contact.I'm just disappointed in Accel as I've been using their products since the sixties. I just hope I don't have the same issue as you when I change the spark plugs.
"I had to sort of roll them on the plug so they would lock on"
I had the same issue. It was difficult on some of them to tell if they had clicked into place and locked on the end of the spark plug. Of course, I had a couple that locked on so tight they pulled off the wires when I pulled off the ceramic boots to check the plugs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 984
From: Wauconda IL
Thanks, but I have tried those protective boots in several types of materials. The silicone plug insulator they are trying to protect still gets cooked and falls apart after a couple weeks. The Accel Ceramic is heat-proof, but the crimps that hold the metal end to the wire were not made firmly enough on a couple of the wires and pulled off when I pulled the boot off to check the plug.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
plug wires
Check out the clearance on cylinders 1 and 3
The clearance between the spark plug boot and the headers on a couple cylinders- 1 and 3 on this side and #4 on the passenger side do not have enough room to wrap with anything thick. The ceramic boots with the 135 degree angle are thin enough that they fit- just barely. I originally had the straight ceramic boots and they bumped into the headers and never really fit well. So far, the wires have been OK since they are far enough away from the heat.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
Hope you will not have a problem. A couple others have posted their wires were OK. I think that Accel just did not crimp the electrode tightly enough to make it stay put on the end of the wire.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
For what it's worth, I use GM spark plug shields (see link) on 1 & 3 to keep the insulated wires off the headers. They work great. Solved a very irritating problem. Been using them for a very long time.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1970-1974.html
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1970-1974.html
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
For what it's worth, I use GM spark plug shields (see link) on 1 & 3 to keep the insulated wires off the headers. They work great. Solved a very irritating problem. Been using them for a very long time.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1970-1974.html
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1970-1974.html
"GM spark plug shields " I was thinking about using them. My GMC truck has a 8.1 L engine, which is a bored/stroked 454, and it has those metal shields on the wires from the ignitors to the plugs. I was not sure if they would provide enough insulation, since they are metal, so I went with ceramic instead.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 558
Likes: 22
From: Vancouver, B.C., Canada
I should qualify that I run ceramic coated headers (Headmans) and Summit boot protectors/socks. The heat shields provide about 3/16" clearance from the headers but that is enough to protect the plug boots from the heat. As I stated before this has worked for me for a long time. It was a reasonably cheap fix for a very annoying problem.
Last edited by Kim72; Apr 26, 2017 at 12:43 AM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 254
From: Catlett VA
end pulled off......AGAIN!!!
For the second time in about two months the electrode/connector has pulled out of the hard ceramic boot on the spark plug end of my Accel Extreme ceramic spark plug wires when I was checking the plugs. When this happens there is no way to re-fasten the electrode and re-crimp the wire like you could do on wires with flexible silicone boots. Fortunately Jegs made good on the first bad set of wires, refunded the entire purchase price for the entire set, even though only two were defective. They also found a part number to order only a single wire. I have ordered a couple single wires- one for now and one for future replacements.
Has anyone else had these wires fail this way?
I need the ceramic ends due to two of the boots being so close to the headers on my 454 that the silicone boots get fried, even with those insulator boots.
Has anyone else had these wires fail this way?
I need the ceramic ends due to two of the boots being so close to the headers on my 454 that the silicone boots get fried, even with those insulator boots.
Well I was checking things on the engine and noticed the plug wire on #5 seemed to be a little wobbly, like the connector was not snapped firmly on the end of the spark plug. After a couple unsuccessful attempts to push it firmly on, I pulled the boot off the spark plug to check it and the @#$%^&* electrode pulled out of the end of the wire in the boot again and stayed fastened to the spark plug. This I believe makes four of these that have had the electrodes pull off. Jegs will probably give me credit for the wire if I return it (and pay for shipping), but this is getting frustrating. I think I am going to see if customer service at Accel has a batch of wires that are made a little better than the ones I have.
