ohm Spark Plug Wires
11-11-2012, 07:23 PM
#1
ohm Spark Plug Wires im kinda confused here. Lower the ohm reading the less resistance.
For instance a 4.4 reading is worse than a .700 and a .350 is the best correct?
Problem is my 98 trans am (stock) is missing after new wires so i pulled them to check resistance. The new cheepos i installed are measuring .700 ish and the old ones i pulled are reading around .350 and i have 2 that are .750.
What is confusing is I pulled a wire off the 5.3 in the camaro for reference and it measured 4.400.
WTF!?!?!?!?!?
For instance a 4.4 reading is worse than a .700 and a .350 is the best correct?
Problem is my 98 trans am (stock) is missing after new wires so i pulled them to check resistance. The new cheepos i installed are measuring .700 ish and the old ones i pulled are reading around .350 and i have 2 that are .750.
What is confusing is I pulled a wire off the 5.3 in the camaro for reference and it measured 4.400.
WTF!?!?!?!?!?
Last edited by Brando5641; 11-12-2012 at 02:20 PM. Reason: For some reason i spelled plug pluge
11-14-2012, 05:10 PM
#2
While checking the resistance is a good thing but in real world application using a standard digital volt meter doesnt cut it. You really need to use a meg ohm meter so you can put more voltage through to measure the resistance.
On another note dont use the "cheapo" wires purchase an OEM wire through a good vendor like https://sdparts.com/
MSD wires are good but the oem ones are hard to beat I have pn if your interested.
On another note dont use the "cheapo" wires purchase an OEM wire through a good vendor like https://sdparts.com/
MSD wires are good but the oem ones are hard to beat I have pn if your interested.
11-14-2012, 08:44 PM
#3
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Everybody talks about the ohms, as if they mattered.
You've got 40kV or so at the coil, and only an amp or
so of coil current. So what if you drop 4, or 0.4 volts
down the plug wire? Right. A tiny bit of Joule energy
doesn't make it to the hole.
It is pedantically true that less resistance means more
energy. But you won't see anything quantitative and
verifiable from manufacturers. Just "improves" and "up
to" blah blah blah.
Now if some don't match others, it could indicate some
problem like flaky contact from the core to the clips,
etc. that might get worse over time. You should expect
uniformity.
You've got 40kV or so at the coil, and only an amp or
so of coil current. So what if you drop 4, or 0.4 volts
down the plug wire? Right. A tiny bit of Joule energy
doesn't make it to the hole.
It is pedantically true that less resistance means more
energy. But you won't see anything quantitative and
verifiable from manufacturers. Just "improves" and "up
to" blah blah blah.
Now if some don't match others, it could indicate some
problem like flaky contact from the core to the clips,
etc. that might get worse over time. You should expect
uniformity.
11-14-2012, 09:12 PM
#4
Brando, I'll bet you're reading the meter wrong. Those reading would make more sense if they were 4,400, 700, 350, etc.
Yes, this has been beaten to death and the fight goes on as it never dies.
Lower Ohm wires do NOT "add" power to an engine.
Having said this, when I switched to a set of zero Ohm wires, my engine ran and responded better. More power? I really doubt it.
OEM wires (ACDelco) have become junk since GM spun off AC-Delco. Their wire sets are made in Mexico or Asia with Asian components.
You can't go wrong with the standard MSD wires or any of the other usual high performance aftermarket sets on the market. I use Granatelli Motor Sports wires. Stay away from Taylor wires-they arc and fall apart.
Yes, this has been beaten to death and the fight goes on as it never dies.
Lower Ohm wires do NOT "add" power to an engine.
Having said this, when I switched to a set of zero Ohm wires, my engine ran and responded better. More power? I really doubt it.
OEM wires (ACDelco) have become junk since GM spun off AC-Delco. Their wire sets are made in Mexico or Asia with Asian components.
You can't go wrong with the standard MSD wires or any of the other usual high performance aftermarket sets on the market. I use Granatelli Motor Sports wires. Stay away from Taylor wires-they arc and fall apart.
