I measured the resistances on my stock wires with 60k to be between 6k-12kohms. I thought this was unusually high for oem wires and was the cause of slower times at the track. I shot Len from Barranco Acura to test the resistance on NEW OEM wires. They tested at 25k-ohms each. Why is the resistance higher? i thought with age that the resistance would get worse but it got better instead. Does that mean that my old stock wires are better? I remember reading on another site that older plug wires made more power than new ngk blues. So im asking: Is it a bad idea to get new OEM wires? Is there a reason that they have that resistance and not anything lower?

What are you resistances? I know brand new MSD only has 50-ohms

The reason im asking is that my a/f gauge read between 10.5 to 11.5 at WOT. Im guessing that my stock ignition system has reached its peak and needs to be replaced with new oem parts. Having bad wires, plugs, car, and rotor would b a reason why my a/f ratio is too low right? Its not burning all the fuel properly.
Thanks for you help.

 

*bump* I really need your expertise and opinion on this guys. Thanks!

 

Wouldn't the lower resistance mean the core is burnt out some and less spark is getting to the end? One of my old wires recently was down to 9k, no spark got to the end at all, it just shocked my hand all along the wire. Higher resistances draw more current, so more powerful spark would come from high resistance, not low. When I was getting shocked it was no worse than an electric fence.

 

Lower resistance draws more current if this was DC, but in ignition systems it's not that simple.

Maybe you measure lower resistance because the insulation is breaking down & there's multiple paths for the ohm-meter current to flow. When the engine's running some of those paths become shorts to ground, or there's some capacitance between the different paths...

 

Thanks for the informative replies guys. Maybe i am thinking the opposite way. I should buy new oem wires cause they have more resistance? I still dont understand why you would want more resistance. At a constant voltage rate, the higher the resistance, the lower the current flow. The lower the resistance the higher the current flow. Im going by the general equation V = RI. Are you saying that MSD's design with 50 ohms is incorrect? Need your opinions guys!

 

V = I*R is Ohm's law; that's for DC. Ignition systems aren't DC.

The way I understand it, your coil builds voltage across the spark gap, but since the spark hasn't fired yet, the current is zero and the voltage drop across the wire is zero. Within a few milliseconds the spark fires, THEN the wire resistance controls current. Because once the spark fires, the spark itself doesn't have much resistance. You want the current to be limited because of RFI noise for your stereo & maybe because your ECM doesn't like spikes or something... Or maybe just to prevent your coil from burning up.

 

So getting new OEM wires or NGk blues would be beneficial? Im gonna do an ignition tune up. Cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. Hope that helps my problems about running rich.. THanks for the help bro! i really appreciate it.

 

A little OT but has anyone had any problems with the Crane wires' elbow boots slipping off the cap often. It gets a little tedious boosting 15psi and then having spark cut out at higher rpm.