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So after I FINALLY got my car to run an 8 second 1/4 mile (8.89@157) the other day... I swapped the tires and started going to the local cruise-in deals we have. On the way home one night I decided to lay into it a little and was rewarded with some popping and banging. I "thought" I had actually heard some on that last run...but wasn't sure.
I started checking things out and noticed some white spots on the heat sleeve insulation over my plug wires. First...let me tell you my plug wires run under the headers between the block and headers. I just like the way it looks a lot cleaner. But of course things get a LOT hotter in there especially with the turbos cranking hard. Anyway...the heat sleeve wasn't melted or anything...just had changed color in some spots from the heat. But as I felt along the wires I could feel distinct depressions inside the sleeves in the wires themselves. The heat sleeve was fine but the wires inside were melted!
Here's a pic after I cut one open.
I talked to several other wire vendors, but decided to just have another custom set made by D.U.I. They do a nice job and I can't really complain about the product. I doubt any others would have done better!
I took it out for a little "exercise run" with the new wires...and it was back in business BIG TIME. Sucker might run a little better next time at the track huh??
Nice job on the 8 second run Jim .Wow I have never seen plug wires do that .Your car should run heaps better now .Thanks for sharing ,always enjoy reading your posts
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
strange how it lines up like that right after the clamp. Do that heat marks line up with a header tube? I wonder if the clamp is transferring heat through the insulator and causing it to remain hot like a reverse heat sink...
AND Congrats on getting into the 8's, thats AWESOME!!! Im only in the 13's but Im runnung a small cam and lower compression. I dont want to get too rowdy and break something. My buddy John here has more cam and compression and is in the mid 12's on street tires pretty easily with a 350. Also congrats on the 200 mph runs too
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Feb 12, 2020 at 06:40 AM.
Damn!. Those wires got crunchy. Definitely have to keep an eye on that. I also run my wires under the block/behind the headers. I made some brackets/shields to help keep the wires away from the pipes and tighter to the block. Yours with the turbskis is probably REALLY tight under there.
Damn!. Those wires got crunchy. Definitely have to keep an eye on that. I also run my wires under the block/behind the headers. I made some brackets/shields to help keep the wires away from the pipes and tighter to the block. Yours with the turbskis is probably REALLY tight under there.
I'm sure things get pretty toasty in there....those headers are probably glowing on a hard run! They have been there since I put it together with the turbos...so can't really complain. That's about 8 years ago....
Yes..the wires were getting up against the headers in a few spots......it's pretty tight in there...I tried to re-route them a little this time. The aluminum separators are away from the headers and don't touch.
WOW- looks like you've been running a torch over them!!!
Just a thought- have you looked into doing a COP set-up and get rid of the wires for the most part.
I'm using the Holley DIS system with a crank trigger. No distributor. The coils are mounted under the dash inside the car.
The COP setup is OK....but frankly I don't like the looks of them on the valve covers. I'd have to move them somewhere to make it look OK and still run a wire to the plug.
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Just a thought....but Taylor still makes copper core.......wonder if it would cause any issues?
Jebby
Not sure how it would do with EFI? I talked to several of the serious plug wire folks and all had similar stuff. One didn't like the sleeves because you can't see the burned wire..which is true but I gotta believe it helped prolong things a little.
strange how it lines up like that right after the clamp. Do that heat marks line up with a header tube? I wonder if the clamp is transferring heat through the insulator and causing it to remain hot like a reverse heat sink...
AND Congrats on getting into the 8's, thats AWESOME!!! Im only in the 13's but Im runnung a small cam and lower compression. I dont want to get too rowdy and break something. My buddy John here has more cam and compression and is in the mid 12's on street tires pretty easily with a 350. Also congrats on the 200 mph runs too
12's and 13's is a lot of fun on the street. In fact it can be more fun because you can actually hammer it and it begins to hook up and move. Hard to get mine to hook.....when I tested it the other night the drag radials were lighting up at 90 MPH! LOL
wonder if its possible to bend up some thin gauge metal, bolt it to?? Just to keep the heat away. 8s..you are a badazz man. And driving it on the street!!! The garage it guys are missing out on the fun
Gotta CK things closely...
