New Ignition Wire Set Advice
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 235
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From: Mobile, Alabama
New Ignition Wire Set Advice
Every company from Mallory, MSD, Accel, Crane et al to Magnecor claim to have the superior ignition (spark plug) wire sets for the high performance aftermarket ignitions and distributors. Is any one set better than another? I'm about to install one of the new Crane electronic distributors, Fireball Hi-6 ignitions and Fireball LX Series coils and am now looking for the right combination of Ignition wires - the best, not most hyped - and spark plugs - Autolite - I assume. The truck is a 1980 F350 4x4 400 auto.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,561
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From: Earth
I'm using Ford Racing wires, the 9 mm, for a 460 on my 400. I would suggest going with just a good quality set. I'm running full MSD ignition, 6A, tower coil, and dizzy. I am also just running Autolite 25's. I am right on the edge of needing to go to colder plugs with my setup. With my current setup, on the day I went to do the engine break-in, I had ordered the wrong Accel wires for my setup. Anyway, I had to make a run down to the local Shucks to get a set of wires. I bought a $40 set of NASCAR wires for my 400. I did the breakin with those wires and ordered my current set of Ford Racing wires. I didn't have problems with that cheap set, other than they fell apart when I went to change to my current wires. If you are running headers, get a set of spark plug boot protectors as well.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 235
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From: Mobile, Alabama
I just noticed something else while reading the installation instructions for the Crane electronic distributor regarding advance settings for both mechanical and vacuum regarding cylinder burn rates. Would the stock cylinder head on the 400 with an Edelbrock 2171 intake and Edelbrock carb have a slow, medium or fast burn rate? And is the burn rate affected by gas pump octane?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: chicago burbs
octane rating refers to the fuels' resistance to ignite, not the burn rate. i don't get how a chamber shape can influence burn rate? any fuel is going to burn at the rate it burns i figure?
"you're a fast cook! is that what you said? do the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove?" - Vincent LaGuardia Gambini
"you're a fast cook! is that what you said? do the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove?" - Vincent LaGuardia Gambini
Last edited by grclark351; Dec 30, 2005 at 06:40 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Delaware
Some combustion chambers are called 'fast burn' chambers. It has something to do with the shape of the chamber and the turbulance in the mixture. I suspect that the dome shape of a stock 351M/400 will be a slow burn chamber. Octane does not affect the burn rate, but a fast burn chamber will not require as much spark advance or as high Octane fuel as a slow burn chamber.
