Engine light show :(
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Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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Engine light show :(
Hi guys.
at night I can see flashes of electricity from where some of my spark plugs go into the block and from the back of the ignition coil. some of them are flash-flash-flash-flash ... and some go FLASH with a noticable 'TIC' noise. the bigger ones make the revs skip or miss. how do i fix this? engine specs;
351c rebuilt 5000k ago,
NGK LPG spark plugs
10mm top gun racing leads
bosch gt40-r ignition coil
standard ford duraspark ignition system and distributor.
:/ I sure dont think this sort of stuff is standard. I've never noticed it before.
- Sean
at night I can see flashes of electricity from where some of my spark plugs go into the block and from the back of the ignition coil. some of them are flash-flash-flash-flash ... and some go FLASH with a noticable 'TIC' noise. the bigger ones make the revs skip or miss. how do i fix this? engine specs;
351c rebuilt 5000k ago,
NGK LPG spark plugs
10mm top gun racing leads
bosch gt40-r ignition coil
standard ford duraspark ignition system and distributor.
:/ I sure dont think this sort of stuff is standard. I've never noticed it before.
- Sean
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Replace the wires, cap, coil etc, -wherever you see a flash. You may have the gap set too wide on the plugs also.
If you ever get antifreeze on an engine wash it off immediately with lots of water. The antifreeze forms conductive paths that will cause what you are describing. Once the flash/leakage paths form there is no way to get rid of them except to replace the parts.
If you ever get antifreeze on an engine wash it off immediately with lots of water. The antifreeze forms conductive paths that will cause what you are describing. Once the flash/leakage paths form there is no way to get rid of them except to replace the parts.
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Senior User
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? why are they ruined?
I just wedged a thin screwdriver between the spark plugs to widen the plugs, and after I pulled them out I forced the tips back by pushing them against the block. no cracks (that I can see) and my truck runs fine so far. in future.. what is the correct method to set a spark plug gap?
I just wedged a thin screwdriver between the spark plugs to widen the plugs, and after I pulled them out I forced the tips back by pushing them against the block. no cracks (that I can see) and my truck runs fine so far. in future.. what is the correct method to set a spark plug gap?
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: chicago burbs
you don't want to leverage off the center electrode, the porcelain is very delicate and easy to crack. a gapping tool grabs the ground strap and leverages off itself to open the gap. light tapping is generally accepted for closing the gap. once a wire or boot allows an arc to ground, that pathway through the wire or boot is there and will be prone to arcing. it burns a hole through the part. it starts out so small you can't begin to see it, but eventually it will burn through big enough to see.
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Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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grclark is correct. Those places where the "lights" were flashing now have small burned in arc tracks in them, on them, or thru them. They will also be very sensitive to humidity and engine load. -Replace the parts! Consider it the cost of learning. While you are getting new wires etc get a shop manual for your truck. Probably a Haynes if you can find one to start out with. You may want to replace the plugs if the arcs were jumping over the insulator or you have damaged the center insulator. A screwdriver or metal object will leave a mark on the center insulator that will cause them to fail. All it takes is a few atoms of metal to lay a trail.
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Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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ok, cool. I never realised spark plugs were such sensitive items. I knew you could crack the electrodes pretty easily. ...
the plugs were not too expensive. $3.40 each. the leads were... $150 for the set. (top gun 10mm) I dont have to replace the leads, right?
and thanks for your help guys.
I do appreciate it.
the plugs were not too expensive. $3.40 each. the leads were... $150 for the set. (top gun 10mm) I dont have to replace the leads, right?
and thanks for your help guys.
I do appreciate it.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
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Unfortunately if they were arcing you will need to replace them. You don't need anything more than a set of regular Motorcraft wires unless you are running a race engine at the track with super high compression, race gas etc.