VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 SPARK PLUG WIRES!!!!

I just found out I have a modern type spark plug wires on my Chevy from previous owner.
I have a set ordered from the fillingstation but is the correct design a steel core wire?
The second part of this is....how is my performance being effected by these new suppressor wires?

Help please..........Shocks

Hi Shocks,

This subject came up as a result of a picture you sent me of the oil connector on the rocker shafts. It was obvious that you were using modern suppressor type spark plug wires which are designed to reduce spark static in the radio. They are designed to transmit a very high peak voltage, although with considerable lost because of the media employed. In the old fellows much lower peak voltages are used which can be transmitted without significant voltage loss with a solid wire plug wire. Performance is readily apparent in starting the engine. With most of the amperage consumed by the starter, marginal peak voltage is conducted to the spark plug which may cause misfire. If you have set the spark plug gap wider than instructed in the OM and RM the performance is readily noticeable.

Lesson learned: Use solid core wire for spark plugs in the old fellows.

Sideline: Before systems were designed to use the suppressor wiring, special spark plugs, called Radio Plugs, were available for antique cars that were equipped with radios. If you do a search on this forum you will find pictures of some of those plugs.

Yes Ray I did find the photo on the radio staic protective wires (resistors)wires. I never gave it a thought on the spark plug wires on the difference. The wires were on the car when I started this project and seem to be in good shape. In fact, they were one of only a few things which appeared to be in good shape....

I thank you for the guidance...Shocks :)

i've had nothing but bad luck with the repo suppressor plug wires(most often bought from Lectric Limited or their parent company, Chicago Corvettes). lower voltage to the plugs (as Ray noted) and one or two plug wire removals from plugs and the carbon core seperates and ya get essentially no electron flow to the plugs). This problem was especially signicicant in our old 6 volt engines. years ago i started making my own plug wire sets using new Packard 440 solid core(metal) plug wire Ithat I by from the local delco dealer in 50 foot rolls. The NCRS guys want to see the suppressor info ink stamped at intervals in the wires insulation surface. had local stationary shop make the stamps and inked them on the packard wires. they live forever (unless they kiss an exhaust manifold) and the old 6 bangers start right now. " they don't make em like they used to" mike

I found it amazing how many things I have learned on how to get it right on these cars.
I question how people got into this hobby and get things right without the availability and support of people found here on the internet.
To find parts and learn the correct way these cars were built and maintained.

This site will save a lot of cars from being turned into hotrods.

Simply great for saving American car history.....

Shocks, some of us got into the "Hobby" after years of driving and working on these old Chevys under a shade tree or the shop as a mechanic and we didn't have time for this "hobby" but now that we are retired we are having a ball, doing what we may have considered a chore 50 years ago and we like to be a leddle more knowledgable as to what we were doing back then by trial and error. Many of our vendors and mom and pop auto parts stores stock metal (copper?) plug wires, don't forget to change the coil to cap high tension wire too!

Thanks, I guess I'm just a pup in the old jalopy world. Just born to D. A .M. late. I have the wires ordered from the Fillingstation. I hope they are copper! So far, they have supplied me with good quality products/Parts.
Yes, I will change out the coil to dist cable as well.

Thanks shocks

The spark plug wires that you are getting should be black lacquered with a solid wire core, and brass elbows soldered on the plug end. The Chevrolet Bow-tie should be stamped on the brass spark plug ends as well.

Where can you get Packard 440 wires? Years ago I bought it in rolls and made all my spark plug wires. I've not seen any in long time since then.

Should the brass elbows have little bow-ties cut out of them also?

Quote: "The Chevrolet Bow-tie should be stamped on the brass spark plug ends as well."

Stamped? Not cut outs for what years? Cool, which years had the cut outs?

None. The Bow Tie's were stamped on the brass ends.

Thanks JYD, I am back on the right path again. the ones I have ordered are stamped with the Bow tie and are brass. The Fillingstation offers both. With and without the bow ties. I ordered the stamped ones.
Each step gets me a little closer to the original ........

Cool! Glad that we were able to help you out! Bow Wow!!!

Your local AC Delco dealer can get them for you although i doubt they stock the packard 440's. Does anyone have the bowtie stamp for rent or buy or borrow? mike

AC Delco does not have the correct cloth covered black lacquered spark plug wires with the brass Chevrolet Bow Tie ends. The correct wires are supplied by the foot from YnZ Wiring and other wire reproduction manufactures.

For the brass spark plug ends with the Chevrolet Bow Tie stamped into the brass with a die, a set of six spark plug ends are also available separately from the Filling Station or I&I Reproduction.

Now I understand, when you said 'stamped' I was thinking of a stamp and a stamp pad using ink. But you are using 'stamped' on the brass as in 'enbossed'; right?

Nope! Stamped is "stamped" and embossed is "embossed". The Bow Tie on the brass spark plug end is stamped INTO the top side of the brass end, not embossed on the top side of the brass end.

Should a 1940 216 have brass ends on the plug wires?

Thank You

Sparky

The 1940 wires have "silver" right angled ends with no Bow Tie.Wire is black Lacquered - as were all cars from 1929 thru 1952.

Anybody know the phone # of YnZ Wiring??

909-798-1498