LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Losing my mind. Arcing problem

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-23-2013, 04:16 PM
  #21  
12 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
bufmatmuslepants's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hampstead, NC
Posts: 3,266
Received 46 Likes on 32 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Camaro350Z28
possible fix. out there checking everything i can i was removing grounds to clean etc. I go to the stud over by the power distribution block and started to loosen it. Sparks flews and the stud broke. Hoping thats my issue. just gonna put a bolt n nut setup, sand up the contact points and pray to god i found the issue. Ill report back
Don't ground the positive to the chassis, I'm confused by your bolt n nut idea.
Old 07-23-2013, 04:31 PM
  #22  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

why would i ground the positive lol. theres a ground stud by the power distribution block and it broke. i just replaced it but the car still appears to be running the exact same. doubt the arcing is fixed. ill know for sure in the dark tonight to. until then ill still be thinking of wtf.

actually with some posts ive read on here i could see why you are telling me not to ha
Old 07-23-2013, 04:38 PM
  #23  
12 Second Club
iTrader: (3)
 
bufmatmuslepants's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Hampstead, NC
Posts: 3,266
Received 46 Likes on 32 Posts

Default

Your wording scared me for a second haha.

http://community.cartalk.com/discuss...w-wires-arcing

Last edited by bufmatmuslepants; 07-23-2013 at 04:49 PM.
Old 07-24-2013, 01:19 AM
  #24  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

survey says still arcing strong.
Old 07-25-2013, 01:50 PM
  #25  
Registered User
 
GreenMeany94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Camaro350Z28
Im getting an arcing problem from all wires. I noticed the porcelin on the spark plugs glowing. Then following that got under the car to notice a laser light show. Arcing everywhere to the entire wire flashing bright white. Now ive noticed coil wire and even the coil itself is arcing out. coil is arcing to waterpump and to even the opti vacuum line.

new wires, new plugs, tried 2 coils. im losing my mind. just installed afr heads and a cam. started afterwards. grounds seem fine. i dont even know what to do now im out of ideas. anyone else ever solve this?

Thanks guys
more than likely gonna be ur distributor rotor and or cap
Old 07-25-2013, 01:53 PM
  #26  
Registered User
 
GreenMeany94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

you got spark dancing all the way across the coil wire from coil to distributor right?
Old 08-02-2013, 05:33 PM
  #27  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

yes i do. plus all the wires after the opti as well
Old 08-02-2013, 05:34 PM
  #28  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

ive got nothing else to try other than swapping the tune back to stock and or opti. dunno how the tune could do this though or opti. guess ill prayon one of those is it. when i feel like letting myself down ill go out there and try some more lol. thanks for the help guys
Old 08-02-2013, 09:24 PM
  #29  
Banned
 
cardo0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Kinda like what that car-talk forum said. Arcing means a lower resistance path to ground than through the plug gap. Take meter and measure resistance of each plug wire (<100 ohms for good wires), engine block to battery negative (<1 ohm), every circuit path u can think of. U could also remove the wires one at a time from the opti cap and measure to the spark plug anode (center electrode) <100 ohms then to the threaded case of the plug (open circuit). Did u drop the plugs onto the hard floor when installing? Wasting your time with computer tune but maybe not the opti.

cardo
Old 08-02-2013, 10:03 PM
  #30  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

didnt drop a single plug. the fact it did this on brand new wires on 2 seperate sets to me is crossing out wires. ill go ahead and ohm them. i got less than an ohm on all my grounds.
Old 08-03-2013, 12:54 AM
  #31  
Banned
 
cardo0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

FYI, there are plug wire/cable testers made for aircraft:http://www.easterntech.com/e5.html. Not cheap though and i have seen them in use to find a problem myself so know they work. Don't know any auto motive wire testers that do the same job.

That high voltage charge ain't making it to the plug gap for some reason. Could polarity be wrong? I would look at the coil or opti having wrong polarity for some unknown reason.
cardo
Old 08-03-2013, 08:36 AM
  #32  
Village Troll
iTrader: (2)
 
SS RRR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Jackstandican
Posts: 11,037
Received 533 Likes on 385 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Camaro350Z28
survey says still arcing strong.
I have heard a lot of talk of plug wires not being what they used to be just a few short years ago. I've used Taylors since my first plug wire change in my car over a decade ago and they have always been great. Bought a set last year, put them on and there were a few signs of arching out of the box. Something about the insulation quality going to ****/China made/ blah blah blah...
Post up a video. Would love to see it.
Old 08-03-2013, 01:21 PM
  #33  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

pulling wires off and ohm'ing them

old msd wire, one ohmd out at 120ohm then next one i check 1.100k ohm.. that dont sound good right? just pulled a taylor off thats on the car. the coil wire itself is at 1.170k ohm. arnt these supposed to be like 50ohm a foot or so for wires???
Old 08-03-2013, 04:40 PM
  #34  
Banned
 
cardo0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Heres what i found, take a look MSD:http://www.msdignition.com/page.aspx?id=3302 are like 50ohms/ft
and Taylor:http://www.taylorvertex.com/spark-pl...sal-wire-sets/ for like 350ohm/ft.

But we need to find out what is burning them up.
cardo
Old 08-04-2013, 11:17 AM
  #35  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

hmm at 350 a foot is what i have in those taylors. but the coil wire is what 6-8 inches? my msd coil wire ohmd out at 60ohms which is in their spec. i might try swapping coil wires and see if the coil wire itself quits arcing.

from what im reading plug wires are fine at 6000-7000ohm. now thats for stock wires. I dont know if a wire that is supposed to ohm at 200 and then ohms at 1000-2000 makes it bad or not?
Old 08-04-2013, 11:45 AM
  #36  
TECH Regular
 
GMRL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 446
Received 30 Likes on 23 Posts

Default

I bought some name brand wires once a while back. After i put them on, i also experienced a power loss and rough running issues. Major light show at night. I pulled them off, and found that they were covered in dielectric grease. I cleaned it all off the plugs and wires and it fixed it. It ran fine for a while. But eventually bought some cut to fit wires.
Old 08-05-2013, 12:02 AM
  #37  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

my wires were clean. i doubt the ohm read is bad. its getting hard to keep trying stuff out when i have no clue what the issue it.
Old 08-05-2013, 12:30 PM
  #38  
Staging Lane
 
RandallBlackwell's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Do you use anti-seize? if so how much? We had a guy come in the shop with missing issues and arcing, he just changed his plugs and put a **** ton of cheap anti-seize on them to where it wasnt even making a good ground.
Also have you tried a set of jumper cables from the battery and jut move your (-) around while looking for change?
Old 08-05-2013, 09:17 PM
  #39  
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
 
Camaro350Z28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

no anti-seize. ill try jumper cable thing and see if that works. i might just go buy a new ground wire for the f of it
Old 08-05-2013, 11:27 PM
  #40  
Banned
 
cardo0's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Don't get discouraged man. U have a unique problem and are sorting things out. The more items u eliminate the closer u get and the more expertise u gain with your own car.

Hang in there and if u need to take a cold beer break to get back and try the six foot view of things.
cardo


Quick Reply: Losing my mind. Arcing problem



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:42 AM.