All Small Six Plug wire leaks

[DON]

I thought I would share an experience from yesterday. I had an engine “stumble “ on acceleration. It idled fine and up to 2500-3000 it was fine, any more throttle and it started shaking, missing bad. So got home and started looking, cap and rotor were fine, then I noticed around the plug wires, close to valve cover, I noticed “smoking “, I have heard it called “ ghost tracking”. It is a sign of spark leaking out of the wire to ground, instead of the plug. The higher the throttle position, the more resistance in the combustion chamber and the spark is going to take the path of least resistance. It can happen in the cap- between posts, on the rotor, on the insulator part of a plug, and plug wires. Hope you can make out what I’m describing in the pics. Usually in ignitions, it’s replacement time, no good fix. I ordered a set of wires.

 

[drag-200stang]

I did some work a place that made silicone products including spark plug boots. they would mix in a power like filler because the raw material was costly. I always thought too much of that can not be good for its dielectric rating.

 

[DON]

Goes back to there’s a difference in part quality.
Or shrinkflation !. Same product, less of it.

 

[Frank]

Don, way back when in the dark ages of youth and points only ignition, I opened the hood with the engine running at night one time, and it looked like a Christmas light show. Sparks inside the wires were visible everywhere the wire was near the engine. Not misfiring though, just ancient greasy wires that needed retiring.

 

[DON]

Leaked out- then back in

 

[DON]

story goes: there was a old timer motorcycle mechanic that tested spark by grabbing the plug wire and kick it over… if the jolt stayed below the elbow if wasn’t hot enough, it it went to the shoulder, it was good’nuff!!

 

[awasson]

I had a BMW 2002 with a points ignition, MSD 6A and a Bosch blue super coil. I popped the hood one night and the distributor cap looked like a pinwheel firework. It wasn’t missing just sparking all over the place. Fortunately, my 6 doesn’t have that problem. I’ve had the hood open with the engine running at night.