Help! What was I thinkin'...or why wasn't I thinkin' at all?!?

[Mitch]

I recently installed new spark plug wires and plugs on my '78. What a tedious job that was, to say the least! Problem is after a good run today, the engine felt like it was going to jump like David Lee Roth! I got home and raised the hood with the engine still running to see what the heck. The Number 4 spark plug wire boot was arching on the header tube! The boot was slightly melted against the header and made a pin hole in the boot itself. Crap!

What can I do to fix this problem? My first thought was to hammer a dent in the header tube for some clearance...but I might break the welding off if I mess around. Is it possible to somehow dent the tube without having to remove them? Any other suggestions whatsoever would surely be appreciated! Also..that particular spark plug wire is history, right?;help

 

[Dream Ride]

Wire is history. Try some shorty plugs or take a small pair of 'C' channel Vise Grips placing a small block of wood against the outside visible part of the header between the grips and the header. Place the other side of the grip right on the header where the plug wire is touching. Then with a small amount at a time, tighten the grips and squeeze until you have enough 'dent' clearance for the plug. This will still make your plug wire go bad a little faster than the others but it won't be melted. Kinda like David Lee Roth but it'll just be the lamer Sammy Haggar, it'll work but jut not as good.

 

[Mitch]

Sharp wit, Dream Ride! I guess Sammy Haggar is better than nothing. I thought about the c-channel vise grip but was concerned that I'd sqweeze the two header tubes together. There's an approx. 1/8" clearance between the two and I'm worried that the weld on top might loosen (even if so slightly might cause a leak there, I dunno). Maybe I can find something thin enough to place between the tubes so that neither don't move when vising. As for the shorty plugs, I'm not at all familiar with those. Man, that would have to be a mighty short plug! But I'll look into that before I attempt using the vise. Hopefully NAPA will sell me just one if they carry them. Thanks!

 

[Art Jett]

Get on the internet and look up "Wrench Rat" . They make porcelin spark plug extenders that get your plug wires safely away from the headers. I bought a whole set and love them. I went through two $100 sets of wires before I got them and haven't had a problem since!

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Get on the internet and look up "Wrench Rat" . They make porcelin spark plug extenders that get your plug wires safely away from the headers. I bought a whole set and love them. I went through two $100 sets of wires before I got them and haven't had a problem since!

Ditto!

 

[Mitch]

Get on the internet and look up "Wrench Rat" . They make porcelin spark plug extenders that get your plug wires safely away from the headers. I bought a whole set and love them. I went through two $100 sets of wires before I got them and haven't had a problem since!

"Thanks, Art! I just ordered one a few minutes ago!"​

 

[Dream Ride]

Get on the internet and look up "Wrench Rat" . They make porcelin spark plug extenders that get your plug wires safely away from the headers. I bought a whole set and love them. I went through two $100 sets of wires before I got them and haven't had a problem since!

Thanks a lot Art, beats my shade tree logic all around. I'd never heard of these before.

 

[Mitch]

Yes!!!

Hey, fellas...
I received my SparkArm yesterday from wrenchrat.com (I only needed one) and it works and looks just great! It's adjustable, so you can position it in any direction away from the headers--up, down or sideways! The engine runs smooth and strong and my car has back just the right beefy tone as before! Really, if I could afford it, it would look cool to have all eight SparkArms installed. But I ain't rich like you guyz!! Anyway, thanks again--especially to Art!!