327 cu in 340HP

[Richard S.]

Anyone have experience in the noting the difference in engine performance (327 cu in 340HP standard ignition) when going from stock spark plug wiring to suppression wiring (including visual plug performance)? No other changes in engine configuration.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

I have had a Lectric Limited plug wiring harness in mine for over 15 years using standard AC-44 plugs. This is the replacement Radio Resistance wiring. I have had no trouble making redline in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gears with a 3.36 final. In previous years I had tried solid core wires, Packard 440, and had the original factory wires for a number of years. The engine, with 46,000 miles, runs as good now as ever before.

[Richard S.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

I have had a Lectric Limited plug wiring harness in mine for over 15 years using standard AC-44 plugs. This is the replacement Radio Resistance wiring. I have had no trouble making redline in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gears with a 3.36 final. In previous years I had tried solid core wires, Packard 440, and had the original factory wires for a number of years. The engine, with 46,000 miles, runs as good now as ever before.

Thanks Stuart
What difference did you see in the coloring on the spark plugs between the two different harness wiring?

Thanks
Rich

[Mark E.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

Anyone have experience in the noting the difference in engine performance (327 cu in 340HP standard ignition) when going from stock spark plug wiring to suppression wiring (including visual plug performance)? No other changes in engine configuration.

I thought the stock spark plug cables were TVRS/suppression core.

Favorite spark plug cables, like favorite engine oil and favorite filters, have been discussed extensively. With that said, I've tried original style suppression core, solid core (e.g. Packard 440) and "spiral core" cables.

My favorite so far are spiral core cables. Cross fire is virtually eliminated enabling a smooth running engine, but unlike suppression core, resistance is low. A side benefit is little, if any, radio interference with this design.

[Frank D.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

I think the question was about performance differences between varying plug wire sets. I think with fresh, correctly installed spark plug wires of any of the types already mentioned the 'seat of the pants' performance will be identical. Spark is voltage which is potential energy. When enough potential is built up for a spark to fire across the gap - its gonna do it, be it delivered from solid core, spiral, etc plug wires.

[Richard S.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

I think the question was about performance differences between varying plug wire sets. I think with fresh, correctly installed spark plug wires of any of the types already mentioned the 'seat of the pants' performance will be identical. Spark is voltage which is potential energy. When enough potential is built up for a spark to fire across the gap - its gonna do it, be it delivered from solid core, spiral, etc plug wires.

Yes I agree but what I am interested in is what you saw when you looked at your spark plugs when you switched between wire plug sets. Any detail is appreciated.

Rich

[Duke W.]

Re: 327 cu in 340HP

If an ignition system delivers enough per spark energy to consistently light the fire, adding more energy doesn't improve performance, but does provide more margin for component degradation.

All engines misfire occasionally - maybe once every few thousand cycles, but you can't feel this. Modern engines actually count misfires via sensors on the crankshaft that can detect them from the slight variation in normal torsional strain when a misfire occurs, and if frequent enough you, get a check engine light and code.

If you compare two different ignition wire sets, and both allow adequate energy to keep misfires at a very low level, there will be no difference in spark plug color.

In fact the whole idea of "reading" spark plugs is highly subjective and not very accurate. It's both a function of heat range and fuel-air ratio, but the differences are subtle. Certainly one can pick out excess deposits, which indicates the plug is too cold or the air-fuel ratio is too rich. Back in the days of leaded fuel, off-white lead oxide deposits were common, and if they built up fast causing plug fouling, the plugs were likely too cold and the insulator was not running hot enough to burn off deposits.

Excess black deposits indicate high oil consumption if sticky and wet and a rich fuel-air ratio if fluffy and dry.

The OE single point ignition system was generally adequate including the RFI suppression wires that measure about 5K ohms per foot when new. But the distributors were often sloppily assembled with excess end play and wobbly breaker plates. Anyone who had not done a "blueprint overhaul" of their OE distributor in the last 50K miles or twenty years including optimizing the spark advance map is likely leaving a lot of performance and fuel economy on the table.

Duke