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Tested all major spark plug wires. My results...
#61
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Originally Posted by Justin00SS
So the car with the better spark plug wires win?
Damn. I suck. I have no idea why I didn't hang with that 408 stroker. He had stock ls1 spark plugs wires and I have ls2 wires.
Why am I not faster then him and why is he putting down 500rwhp and I'm only at 350rwhp?
Damn. I suck. I have no idea why I didn't hang with that 408 stroker. He had stock ls1 spark plugs wires and I have ls2 wires.
Why am I not faster then him and why is he putting down 500rwhp and I'm only at 350rwhp?
#62
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Originally Posted by GMS Fleet
The objective of high performance wires is about creating a stronger spark, not a hotter one. There is no direct relationship between spark temperature and spark voltage. If you create a hotter spark, you are only increasing the chances of pre-ignition, engine knock, and damage to the pistons or crank.
There is a common misconception that the plug "burns" the a/f mixture when it simply ignites it. This is used as a marketing gimmick for "hot coils" in the old-school V8 world based on the belief that more voltage will equal better combustion, and therefore, more power.
#63
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untill dyno charts are shown and the wires are tested. their really is no point in going with better wires. reliability wise 9-10 times the stock wires will last way longer. and i have yet to see anyone proove what "real" gains you will get form going aftermarket.
wasted money in my mind
wasted money in my mind
#66
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they aren't making false claims when there are little asterisks at the bottom that says Performance varies by application. A nice little loophole to their claims that allow their products to even harm your performance.
just take all claims with a grain of salt.
just take all claims with a grain of salt.
#67
Any discussion of spark plug wire resistance as a figure of merit demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the physics of iginition systems. Zero ohm wire is some kind of scientific breakthrough? A 6 in inch length of 100 year old lamp cord has effectively zero ohms. There's a reason resistance is artificially inserted into spark plug wire, or even the plugs themselves. I won't say what it is, because that would spoil all the fun. Oh wait a minute, I forgot Ohms law. Less resistance equals more current, right? Gee, what a dummy I am. I also forgot that the resistance of the air gap across the spark plug is TENS OF FRIGGIN MILLIONS OF OHMS. Could any of the PhD rocket scientists here please calculate the effect on current of 10, 50, or even 1000 ohms has in a circuit where the load is measured in megohms?
I'm waiting.
Oh, and for the really smart dummies out there, I haven't forgotten that once an arc commences, it's a plasma, and no longer a plain old boring air gap, but the resistance is still up in the stratosphere compared to every other component in the circuit.
I'm waiting.
Oh, and for the really smart dummies out there, I haven't forgotten that once an arc commences, it's a plasma, and no longer a plain old boring air gap, but the resistance is still up in the stratosphere compared to every other component in the circuit.
#70
Not initially. Initially the resistance decreases, reaches a minimal value & then recovers as the current in the spark gap decreases.
Source: Resistance of spark channels
Plasma Science
Volume 34, issue 5, October 2006, pages 1610-1619
If you have something positive to add to the thread, then please share. It's both rude & ignorant to enter a thread & then attack those whom are trying to learn by discussing ideas & sharing information.
#71
As I don't have access to that paper, please cite some specific evidence that the resistance of the plasma channel is not orders of magnitude higher than metallic, or even resistive carbon conductors for a meaningful portion of the spark event, as opposed to measurements like "high" and "low." With voltages measured in the tens of thousands resulting in peak spark currents of 1-2 amps with racing coils, but more typically in hundreds of milliamps, I see no contradiction to my assertion that the DC resistance of the wires has no significant influence on a spark event dominated by the gap parameters and leakage inductance of the coils.
I didn't direct any attack at any individual contributor to this thread, nor was I attempting to stifle the highly scientific and academically stimulating nature of this discussion. However, your characterization of me specifically as rude and ignorant speaks for itself. Moreover, why did you wait until now to grace this thread with your vast knowledge of plasma physics, if its integrity was so important to you?
I didn't direct any attack at any individual contributor to this thread, nor was I attempting to stifle the highly scientific and academically stimulating nature of this discussion. However, your characterization of me specifically as rude and ignorant speaks for itself. Moreover, why did you wait until now to grace this thread with your vast knowledge of plasma physics, if its integrity was so important to you?
#72
mistermike,
Everyone has access to the paper, including you. Further, my characterization of your involvement in the thread is accurate. You absolutely atacked the thread contriibutors as a whole & the nature of the discussion.
If you had taken the time to read the thread prior to boring us w/ your wisdom, you would have seen that "the PHD rocket scientists" had discussed the air gap resistance long before you chose to use it as a platform to launch your attack.
The end result that us "PHD rocket scientists" are trying to achieve is optimum cornel size & burn time. In this thread, the learning is related to part of the ignition sytem. There is no reason to attack others for trying to learn & understand events not understood while discussing the issue.
Go back to your followers before they stray off track while planning for the "Big ending."
Everyone has access to the paper, including you. Further, my characterization of your involvement in the thread is accurate. You absolutely atacked the thread contriibutors as a whole & the nature of the discussion.
If you had taken the time to read the thread prior to boring us w/ your wisdom, you would have seen that "the PHD rocket scientists" had discussed the air gap resistance long before you chose to use it as a platform to launch your attack.
The end result that us "PHD rocket scientists" are trying to achieve is optimum cornel size & burn time. In this thread, the learning is related to part of the ignition sytem. There is no reason to attack others for trying to learn & understand events not understood while discussing the issue.
Go back to your followers before they stray off track while planning for the "Big ending."
#73
Fine. I'll Join IEEE, pay a subscription fee, and purchase a copy of the paper, when it would have been far simpler for you to simply provide a link to a freely downloadable copy of it, or better yet, simply address my question about actual real world resistance of plasma channels, or even intelligently contradict my assertion that gap resistance values are orders of magnitude higher than other circuit elements with real data. Instead, you want to play this pseudo intellectual jousting match by tossing out quotes from IEEE papers and walking away.
I certainly did read the thread. Camaroholic made an intelligent reference to gap resistance, which was subsequently ignored. Further interpretations of Ohm's Law assumed a zero value for gap resistance and calculated current based on wire resistance alone. There were also intelligent posts by RevGTO, Joecar, Justin, and others which were met with nothing more than superstition, misinformation, and unsubsubstantiated marketing hype.
Bullshit. Where's the "US?" You were not even part of this thread before you posted your objections to my post. Moreover, there was ZERO discussion of burn time or "cornel" size prior to your post I'm quoting.
What are you smoking?
It is clear that your objection to my post was based solely on its admittedly sarcastic tone, as you have been unable or unwilling to provide any substanitive rebuttal to my technical points. Your citation of a paper where the only sections freely available on the internet are the ones you quoted, combined with your implication that you were a contributor to this thread prior to getting all butthurt about my post, and the inclusion of topics never discussed, leave me with the indelible impression that you are far more of a bullshit artist than the type of quality technical contributor to are pretending to defend.
It is clear that your objection to my post was based solely on its admittedly sarcastic tone, as you have been unable or unwilling to provide any substanitive rebuttal to my technical points. Your citation of a paper where the only sections freely available on the internet are the ones you quoted, combined with your implication that you were a contributor to this thread prior to getting all butthurt about my post, and the inclusion of topics never discussed, leave me with the indelible impression that you are far more of a bullshit artist than the type of quality technical contributor to are pretending to defend.
Last edited by mistermike; 01-02-2009 at 08:27 AM.
#75
There are hundreds of LS1Tech members of whom would dissagree. It's apparent that you won't hop off of your & until you've had the last word. So, I'll leave this for those actually interested in obtaining information.
Don't fret; I don't pretend the infomation to be of my own. Some of us actually give credit to to those we learn from.
For the Archives:
Here's what works best in my car, mod's in signature. Stock coils, MSD wires,
WeaponX plugs gapped to 0.46", ground strap drilled (through) below the electrode.
This set-up allows 17-18:1 Air/fuel ratio during normal driving & 2* more in timing advance @ WOT. Further, Air/fuel during WOT can be increased from 12.5 to 12.9 w/ the 2* more advanced timing without producing engine pre-detonation. MPG under normal driving is an avg of 4 MPG greater. Idle is improved w/ increased part throttle power.
Total resistance before that "PESKY" air gap is as low as it can be. The electrode design is superior to most & the cornel size & burn rate is as good as I've found.
As many of you know, I have tried several set-ups & tunes as we have discussed & evaluated different products,...etc.. Prior to the above noted combination, it was the V-power NGK gapped w/ a drilled (through) ground strap below the electrode that had performed the best, but less than the gains noted above. Prior to the V-power NGK it was a standard copper plug w/ a dimpled electrode & a drilled ground strap below the electrode.
Have tried the combo's w/ MSD, Taylor, Accel & Magnecore wires. It's also, a great idea to ground both ends of both heads w/ braided ground wire. Have learned from LS1Tech, experienced drag racers, experienced road course racers, trial & error & theory. The combination of all sources has led me to the current set-up.
Was hesitant to bring up the WeaponX plugs because there is a sponsor doing some final testing prior to introducing them to the board. I have no affiliation w/ the sponsor or WeaponX.
#76
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I'm just going to interrupt the epeening to say a big THANK YOU to those that have posted to say how bad the Taylor's are. I've gone through two sets of them and had just assumed that was as good as it gets when running headers.
I'll be going with a different set now.
Thanks!
Dan - looking forward to not having to change plugs and wires everytime
I'll be going with a different set now.
Thanks!
Dan - looking forward to not having to change plugs and wires everytime
#78
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While resistance checking is good to see if a wire is broken or not, it is my opinion that you are not going to see any benefit with a lower resistance wire. Get the one that is the most durable.
I'm inclined to agree with Magnecor.
http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/truth.htm
Testing with a DC ohmmeter that's powered by less than 9 volts (mine uses 4 aa batteries) is certainly going to have different electrical characteristics than testing at 40,000 volts of spark arc.
And remember, your spark is jumping an air gap. Which has, oh, let's say for argument's sake 10,000,000 (10 megohms) resistance, even though in reality it's much higher (test the air gap with your DC ohmmeter ).
Difference between 10,000,000.1 and 10,000,500? Really pretty insignificant in the big picture.
That's why I don't buy in to claims of any power increase with plug wires. At all. Replacing bad wires will result in a power increase (duh) because you're fixing misfires.
I check my wires for continuity with my ohmmeter, but I do not rate performance of a wire based on the resistance.
I'm inclined to agree with Magnecor.
http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/truth.htm
Testing with a DC ohmmeter that's powered by less than 9 volts (mine uses 4 aa batteries) is certainly going to have different electrical characteristics than testing at 40,000 volts of spark arc.
And remember, your spark is jumping an air gap. Which has, oh, let's say for argument's sake 10,000,000 (10 megohms) resistance, even though in reality it's much higher (test the air gap with your DC ohmmeter ).
Difference between 10,000,000.1 and 10,000,500? Really pretty insignificant in the big picture.
That's why I don't buy in to claims of any power increase with plug wires. At all. Replacing bad wires will result in a power increase (duh) because you're fixing misfires.
I check my wires for continuity with my ohmmeter, but I do not rate performance of a wire based on the resistance.
#79
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IMHO the wires can make a difference. But don't let that influence you.
Ill leave this here so you can draw your own conclusions.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_2/6.html
Compare the curve of the "lamp circuit" which would be the wire in this case and the air gap. The curves are completely different. Then look at the part where it says "ionization potential was reached, then substantial conduction after that"
When the circuit is closed the properties completely change so try to imagine what is occuring during that state and what happens to the components resistance as the current spikes.
Also the air gap values are also different when in the combustion chamber.
Ill leave this here so you can draw your own conclusions.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_2/6.html
Compare the curve of the "lamp circuit" which would be the wire in this case and the air gap. The curves are completely different. Then look at the part where it says "ionization potential was reached, then substantial conduction after that"
When the circuit is closed the properties completely change so try to imagine what is occuring during that state and what happens to the components resistance as the current spikes.
Also the air gap values are also different when in the combustion chamber.