89 - cooked wires
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 2
From: Elgin Il
89 - cooked wires
Lately she just seems to run like crap sometimes.
Im pretty sure its the wires. They get cooked down unitil they short on the exhaust, wherever they may be touching it.
Any ideas?
I need new, better wires that wont go up in smoke and maybe some heat protection / sleeves for the wires to keep them from melting again.
Thanks in advance...
Im pretty sure its the wires. They get cooked down unitil they short on the exhaust, wherever they may be touching it.
Any ideas?
I need new, better wires that wont go up in smoke and maybe some heat protection / sleeves for the wires to keep them from melting again.
Thanks in advance...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
you seem to have asked and answered your own question...
I would suggest either Taylor or MSD. Taylor does sell a fibreglass heat sock for the plug ends. They will work with most any brand of wire.
I assume you have headers?
I would suggest either Taylor or MSD. Taylor does sell a fibreglass heat sock for the plug ends. They will work with most any brand of wire.
I assume you have headers?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 2
From: Elgin Il
No headers. Car is completely stock. Not even an intake.
I have Taylor 8mm red wires. I'm on my second pair in a year. If the wire touches the exhaust anyplace though, it burns right through the red outer wire coat, and through the white inner "filler"
Plug ends seem to be ok. They aren't touching anything.
Think I got an exhaust leak on one side thats roasting stuff?
Seems to be worse on one side then the other, but it could be just that the passenger side is so congested.
Cars been fine for 16 years, something must have changed.
I have Taylor 8mm red wires. I'm on my second pair in a year. If the wire touches the exhaust anyplace though, it burns right through the red outer wire coat, and through the white inner "filler"
Plug ends seem to be ok. They aren't touching anything.
Think I got an exhaust leak on one side thats roasting stuff?
Seems to be worse on one side then the other, but it could be just that the passenger side is so congested.
Cars been fine for 16 years, something must have changed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Try some zip ties or the original plug wire holders that mount to the valve covers. My 86 has 8mm AC Delco wires and stock exhaust manifolds and no problems. My plug wire holders broke, so I just used zip ties to hold them in a certain position...for now.
Injectors stuck open, bad spark plugs, faulty O2 sensor (left exhaust), ECM fuel command too high for various reasons. '89 is batch fire with 8 distrubitor refrence pulses.
Injectors stuck open, bad spark plugs, faulty O2 sensor (left exhaust), ECM fuel command too high for various reasons. '89 is batch fire with 8 distrubitor refrence pulses.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,056
Likes: 2
From: Elgin Il
Thankjs guys, sounds like I have a host of things to check...
I't will take me three weeks to look at all that with my schedule
The wires a definatley crap, I have to find the underlying reason why they are suddenly cooking.
I'll start with the hit list you folks gave me...and buy some new wires and heat sleeves.
Thanks!
I't will take me three weeks to look at all that with my schedule
The wires a definatley crap, I have to find the underlying reason why they are suddenly cooking.
I'll start with the hit list you folks gave me...and buy some new wires and heat sleeves.
Thanks!
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: Arlington Texas
Wires touching exhaust? Yup that aint gonna work. I posted some pics of my 1990 below, just to give you an idea how the wires should be routed. Notice there is factory wire loom on those passenger side wires. My sparkplug wire holders got brittle and broke off also, so I just used tiewraps until I get some new ones.
Last edited by purplewindworm; Aug 20, 2006 at 01:24 PM.