plug wires
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 151
Likes: 14
plug wires
1978 F-600 389 XD motor; approx. 2 years & 75 miles ago I put new plug wires, rotor, cap, plugs etc. & she ran pretty good. approx. 6 months ago I installed pertronix , increased plug gap to .042"& it seemed to start easier & with less choke ( my imagination ??!!) . last week it developed a slight miss so my investigation revealed that the plug wires had vibrated back out of the boot (distributor end) so far that there was no contact with the metal inside of the female receptacles on the cap. When I tried to plug them in properly most of the ears on the metal pieces on the wire ends broke.The new plug wire set was a Motorcraft WR3820 DR & the cap was a BWD C183. Does anybody make a GOOD set of plug wires & with molded distributor ends ? I believe that forcing the wire to make that 90 degree bend to fit the boot is what caused them to work their way out
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 96
From: Waterloo, Iowa
It is important that plug wires are installed with the terminal ends fully inserted and fit tightly metal to metal in the receptacle. Sometimes it helps to spread the terminal end slightly so as to fit tighter in the receptacle end. I usually put a light coat of dielectric grease on the inside of the boots to help keep moisture out and the spark in. But, it can be kind of a pain sometimes to install them as an air bubble forms if not careful and everything will pop back up. Maybe that's what happened? Pinch the side of the boot firmly when installing to allow space for trapped air to escape. Motorcraft wires are as good as any, good enough anyway. Check the cap receptacles for signs of arcing or pitting too?
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 778
From: Simi Valley, CA
1978 F-600 389 XD motor; approx. 2 years & 75 miles ago I put new plug wires, rotor, cap, plugs etc. & she ran pretty good. approx. 6 months ago I installed pertronix , increased plug gap to .042"& it seemed to start easier & with less choke ( my imagination ??!!) . last week it developed a slight miss so my investigation revealed that the plug wires had vibrated back out of the boot (distributor end) so far that there was no contact with the metal inside of the female receptacles on the cap. When I tried to plug them in properly most of the ears on the metal pieces on the wire ends broke.The new plug wire set was a Motorcraft WR3820 DR & the cap was a BWD C183. Does anybody make a GOOD set of plug wires & with molded distributor ends ? I believe that forcing the wire to make that 90 degree bend to fit the boot is what caused them to work their way out
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