I have been using an Hei with Accel 8mm wires. My engine is a SB 388 stroker. Horsepower is around 425 on the engine and just over 500 on a 100 shot of nitrous. I am getting ready to replace the wires for the start of the new racing season. Should I continue using these inexpesive wires, or will I lower my e.t. by using more expensive thicker wires like MSD, or Taylor. I presently have no problems with the Accel wires that I now use. I run an 11.49 in the quarter (should run faster with the new double pumper).
Thanks,
Daniel

You will get more spark energy to the plug with something like the MSD Superconductors especially if you are using an MSD unit of some type. Can't tell you if that's actually going to give you a lower ET. It certainly can't hurt to try.

Let us know if you do a comparison.

Troy.

On a N/A Engine on Gas and a 100 shot I dont see any change in ET or MPH with any other plug wires. Thats providing the existing wires are in good shape and are routed decently. But there is only one way to tell for sure

Dan,
Dont waste your money. The 8mm wires are probably overkill as it is.

no putting 10.5 mm wires on a honda is over kill, just my opinion :rolleyes:

~Kevin graemlins/beers.gif

Sorry, but No., keep your wires. All that talk about resistance or lack thereof is bogus as well. Don't fall for the marketing...

Originally posted by sexy72chevelle:
no putting 10.5 mm wires on a honda is over kill, just my opinion :rolleyes:

~Kevin graemlins/beers.gif I have seen that...it was so funny I couldn't control myself...I had to run away so as not to be too rude.

Thanks for the info! I was also thinking about going to an MSD, but I have done some research and an Hei is all that I should need for a combo like mine. I have even read about 8 sec. race cars using a GM Hei distributor with out an MSD type ignition system. It may give me a stronger spark, but if it doesn't improve my 1/4 et, then I would rather spend the money on some other part that can actually lower my et. A friend of mine lowered his et by 1/10 of a second after switching to a high dollar MSD ingnition system. Not much change for lots of money.

Originally posted by djgaleana:
Thanks for the info! I was also thinking about going to an MSD, but I have done some research and an Hei is all that I should need for a combo like mine. I have even read about 8 sec. race cars using a GM Hei distributor with out an MSD type ignition system. It may give me a stronger spark, but if it doesn't improve my 1/4 et, then I would rather spend the money on some other part that can actually lower my et. A friend of mine lowered his et by 1/10 of a second after switching to a high dollar MSD ingnition system. Not much change for lots of money. graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif

Originally posted by djgaleana:
Thanks for the info! I was also thinking about going to an MSD, but I have done some research and an Hei is all that I should need for a combo like mine. I have even read about 8 sec. race cars using a GM Hei distributor with out an MSD type ignition system. It may give me a stronger spark, but if it doesn't improve my 1/4 et, then I would rather spend the money on some other part that can actually lower my et. A friend of mine lowered his et by 1/10 of a second after switching to a high dollar MSD ingnition system. Not much change for lots of money. I dunno this 8 second car with a HEI stuff. It might have a Hei distributor in it, but that doesn't make it HEI. The stock unit isn't worth much after 4500-5000 rpm. Definetly would have to be a done up unit IMO.

But in the end it all depends on your combo. Personally I feel you are right and the ignition system is often upgraded without need. Both Ford's Duraspark and GM's HEI are solid ignitions for street cars running NA.

I personally like the taylor and msd wires. They seem to handle the extra header heat well and the price between a decent stock wire like AC Delco or NGK and the taylors is pretty marginal. Personally running nitrous at higher rpm I would go for the aftermarket ignition just for piece of mind and consistancy, but that is just me. Truthfully if you really want to improve your ET's most cars will benifit from weight loss, proper weight placement, and suspension to reduce 60 ft's more then anything else.

It seems power is so easy to buy these days that the art of racing, setting up a car, and other fundamentals have been thrown out the window.

Although illegal for street use and terrible for radio noise, aren't solid core wires the absolute best for delivering maximum spark energy? I always ran better with solid core wires. But I've been told they can't be run with some of the electronic ignitions like MSD 6 and digital 6- anyone know why?

Solid Core wires are all that I have ran. Out of curiousity since when are they " Illegal " for street use ? Havent ever heard that. My car is a track only car with a Magneto so I dont have all the little gizmo's that are affected by the interference they cause.

the solid core wires have been illegal for street use for quite some time, at least in Michigan. They screw up tv and radio signals. Sure put a zap to the plug though!

I ran an ordinary recurved Accel HEI in my 383 for a couple years and switched to an MSD with 6AL box and had NO ET change. However, with the MSD box the engine would idle smoother and 50-100 RPM lower than the HEI.

I think where the multispark ign stuff really pays off is when you're trying to get an engine with a lumpy cam to idle. Maybe with high compression and N20 motors the extra spark energy helps fire them cylinders, but for an 11 second NA pump gas ride . . . I dunno.

I don't know about lowering your ET's, but I do know for a fact that the MSD SuperConductor wires improved the way my engine ran. I ran nothing but the cheap Accel yellow wires for years. I liked the look of the 8.5mm MSD wires, so I decided to change 'em, even though the Accel wires were still in good condition.

The first thing I noticed was that the engine started with just a touch of the key, where before I had to crank on it a bit. The idle improved and gas mileage increased a tiny bit.

This is an Accel "Blueprint" HEI with an aftermarket "High Voltage" coil in the cap.

I only wish I could make the thing stop eating plugs. I still have to replace the plugs every 10,000 miles or so. Guess I need to go EFI for that.

cjlandry, what plugs are you running? I've noticed short plug life with Champions but the AC's seem to live longer.

does anyone know why solid core wires can't be used on electronic ignitions? Most can only be used on points and magneto. Although a friend of mine runs solid cores on electronic ignition 440 Challenger without any problems. Confusing

I run AC Delco plugs. I think it's more a result of high compression than an ignition problem. I'm sure the carb could stand a better tune also. I'm constantly playing with it. The plugs are always a nice tan color, they just don't last as long as they did before I raised the compression ratio.

I've tried Autolite as well with the same results.

I've never heard that you can't run solid core wires with electronic ignitions. I'll have to think about that one.

Solid core wires do cause a lot of radio interference, so I've never bothered trying them. I don't want to screw up the radios of all the other cars around me. Especially the police radios.

Back in the late 70's was the first time I used an MSD 6. I decided to try it with the Accell solid core wires I had been running.... it ran fine....Well then later I was getting tired of the radio noise so I changed to the spiro core type wire..... prior to putting the wires on I did a small test.... I remeoved the coil wire from the cap and put it to ground and bumped the starter.... ZAP !! TACK !! a fat bright orange loud spark emmited from the wire...

I then made up the spiro wires and did the same thing...... a noticably smaller quieter blue spark was the result....

The car really didnt run much differently with the wire change but the radio sure sounded better.


BTW a friend of mine used to run a Comp Elim car..
various C/ED , B/ED ,B/D type cars...9500 + RPM SBC's..... He used an MSD 7 with a Vertex as a backup..... one day at a T/T he did a couple back to back A/B/A/B testing between the two..... there was roughly a hundreth difference.... his comments were about the same as above... no difference in ET but with the MSD it ran smoother in the staging lanes and pits.... but that was about all.