I don't expect anyone to have this problem but just maybe someone is expericing this problem too. I would not want anyone to go through what I went through.

I have been battling a missfire most prominate while cruising for 2 years. Full throttle is fine. I have spent $100 of dollars trying to find it. I do most everything myself and had to resort to other mechanics trying to figure it out. Everyone I went to I just scared off when I told them want has been done in an effort to cure it. I knew much more than them in understanding the PCM anyway. I even had one of those machines with the scopes hooked up and no problem was found.

Late last year I figured out that spark plug wires only lasted about a week before they started to deteriorate. I could maybe get about a month out of them before it became unbearable. So every month or earlier, I would get new plugs and plug wires. I felt I finally had identified the cause of my cruising problem. So now how do I fix it?

I decided to try these super high temp plug wires. They are Jacobs Electronics Ceramic 2000 degree plug wires and I went with MSD 1000 degree sleeves just to protect as much as possible.

http://www.knology.net/~eac/images/Jacob.jpg

The result is I have not had the car run this good in 2 years! I now have incredible torque that you would expect from a high compression 383. The car now has passed the summer time super heat test. The regular plug wires would only last a few days with this test. It would involve driving around with the A/C on going to store to store for some errands. This would get the under the hood temps extremely hot. I have taken the coolant temps to 230 which I rarely see.

I can think back when I have temperature guned the header tubes and have seen almost 700 degrees from some of them. Makes me wonder if I got ripped on the ceramic coating on the headers. I am not sure of temperature limits of regular plug wires but they certainly can't stand the heat I put out.

Just last week I met another Corvette owner that has been battling the same problem with plug wires. He has spent a lot of money and been to many shops too! The only common factor is that he has headers too. He is a 91 Vette.

 

Good job!!

 

What kind of headers are you running? Even when I had the crappy (uncoated) Hedmans on my car, which were very close in some places, it never bothered my MSD wires. I have heard great things about those Jacobs wires and may give them a try when it's time to replace.

 

i've had heat related issues but its mainly the plug boots, not the ignition wires themselves........#5 boot is especially vulnerable s its closest to the header primary vs. the rest.

i've found that not all boots are created equal.....the Taylor boots really suck, they are very pliable silicone based and weak as hell.

the fix in my case was to install "boot socks" and for extra measure i wrap #5 boot with heat tape.

 

I have tried many Taylors and MSDs. The MSDs are the best, most heat resistant and best boot design. The boot socks did not help. It looks like #1 is the closest on my Hooker LTs.

 

What about header tape???

 

I heard that over time the tape will cause the headers to rust. I really don't know if that is true.

 

doesn't it make you feel so good now to drive it? so much enjoyment after 2 years

 

Glad you solved the prob, e, and shared it with us. Bet you're glad, too! I've never had Jacobs or Nology stuff, but I've heard of them. I even spoke with Doc at Jacobs in Texas. And then, something happened and the company got sold and Doc left, from what I hear. I guess Nology bought them. Hope it works FOREVER for you, e!