Spark Plug Wire Thingy

[jeff0547]

I've searched everywhere I could think of but "Spark Plug Wire Thingy" just isn't in there. I'm refering to the metal piece that all 6 spark plug wires go into on their way from the distributor to the plugs.

Also: How do you get the wires out of it (trying to replace 'um) and how do you get the new wires into it. Is it necessary?

[JerseyHarold]

I've only been able to use "semi-finished" spark plug wires in my cars. You put the wire through the holder first, then add the spark plug boot and terminal. The factory may have used spark plug terminals without a boot so they could fit through the holder. You can probalby be OK without it, but the holder keeps the wires neat.

[pflaming]

NIo it is not necessary, but it keeps things organized. I just collected mine so they were together and wrapped a soft wire around them. Some are a pair of tubes on a mount, a more fanciful model is somewhat lake a fan tail. Look at pictures of member's engines and you'll see what is available.

[jeff0547]

Thanks to you both.

Harold, you're right about it keeping them neat, but it seems like a real POA. I'm going to think about it for a couple days.

Paul, mine is the one that looks like a fan tail. I'm just not sure. BTW, I've been reading your thread about your convertible. Your last post talks about wiring. I'm at the point that I have to, at least, replace SOME of mine. Almost none of it has any insulation on any wire under the hood. It's funny to see all the wire in bare naked copper.

I'm afraid that I got in way over my head. A 52 Suburban has never been my favorite car and I think that I'm going to have to do way too much to it to make it roadworthy. Up until a month ago it would start. Now it has no spark. I bought a new coil, today and hope that helps. I am also going to replace the plug wires and a couple more just to see if I can get it started. If not, it will hit the "Block". I'm waiting for more posts on your latest one. Good luck and good job.

[Scruffy49]

Check your point gap, my old engines are bad about them sticking shut.

[randroid]

jeff0547,

That wiring thingy has been a bone of contention with me for quite a while because of the opportunity for "cross induction", in which the spark for one wire will cross to another wire running alongside it, thereby creating a miss. I've written about it here in the past, noting that is the reason why racing cars will always have wires crossing at 90 degrees (if at all), but very few of us have ever noticed that problem in actual practice. What I have done about it was to make sure the thingy on my '46 P-15 more-door (Pigiron) is painted glossy black because it looks best that way, and let it go at that. Should you ever develop an inexplicable miss, there's one of the first places to look, but if it you were writing about it keeping the car from starting you would have already had to put out the fire.

I'm surprised one of the wizened old farts here hasn't landed on you with both feet about your wiring in general because that's the first thing that will keep your car from starting, with a fire being optional. The wiring on our cars can be confusing from any angle, especially from under the dash with one leg over the back seat and another out a window and all your blood rushing to your already over-worked brain, but take heart in that it's actually a fairly simple system and only becomes intimidating when seen as a whole and not just one circuit at a time. You could just grab the worst wire you see and replace it, making sure to draw a simple diagram of from whence the wire came to whence it went, and learn what each wire does as you're doing it. Odds are it won't take long to find your problem but don't stop there because if you have bare wires showing they ain't a-gonna fix themselves. There are some good quality commercially made brand new wire looms out there, some can even be ordered with original cloth covering, and if you want to just get the job done correctly there are several members who have used them and had great success. I prefer to replace them myself but you won't be criticized however you do it, just so long as you eventually get 'er done.

One other place that's worth looking at, so long as you'll be disconnecting wires anyway, is the connection the wire makes. We run low voltage-high amp systems and corrosion will stop amps a lot faster than volts so anything other than a clean connection is a breeding ground for personal headache.

End of lecture; enjoy your car and become one with it. And send pictures because pictures are fun and pretty and easy for us to understand.

-Randy

[Andydodge]

I wouldn't be surprised if this wire separator was pre-wired by whoever the company was that supplied the plug leads...as for its usage, I've discarded it when I installed the HEI as I have the thicker 8mm plug leads that the HEI's use and have cut them short so they fit into the 90degree grey plugs without any extra........tho' if I had access to a local chrome shop then I would plate it and use it then...........lol......I love chrome......lol............andyd

[jeff0547]

Hmmmmm, gloss black, chrome plated..... I like the look of Andy's pic. I can find wire separators at the junk yard or make my own with zip ties. I also like the coil mounted on the firewall. Still unsure.

Randy: I am one of the "Old Farts" and I know of the dangers of naked wires. I am going to replace enough of them to isolate the danger of fire and allow the car to start. Many of the connections are corroded and I have cleaned some with a small wire brush. Also, I am going to make my own harness.

Sadly today it is raining and cool and the car is parked in the driveway, so probably nothing will get done right away. Florida is the "Sunshine" state so I guess this is "liquid sunshine".

First thing, tomorrow, check the points to make sure that they aren't stuck closed. Second thing, re-wire engine circuit.

[Plymouthy Adams]

most folks when replacing with new wires will do so and finish the one end to length. thus the wire is just that..an unfinished end and easily routed through the wire guide. I do not recall any problem routing the last set on tune up..

[Frank Elder]

First thing, tomorrow, check the points to make sure that they aren't stuck closed. Second thing, re-wire engine circuit.[/color][/size][/b]

Jeff, a wire that gets overlooked is right inside your dizzy at the top.....sometimes only frayed but alot of the times shorted out and will cause trouble.

[Young Ed]

FYI if you have the clam shell style(you called it a fan tail) thats not the proper style for a 52. You should have one with 2 tubes and the coil mounts in the center.

[montego8]

I have a spare on you can have if you pay for shipping. It is off a 37 and looks like a fan. Dan

[Don Coatney]

The spark plug wire thingy is called a loom as mentioned by Randy.

A forum search for loom will net you 102 results for your reading pleasure.

A forum search for thingy will net you 84 results for your reading pleasure.

[pflaming]

We're in Indianapolis, IN with six inches of fresh snow, it's beautiful with the snow stacked on top of each branch, etc. Whe I left, my wires were ready to come out to be replaced. It is eyeopening how brittle the wires are aTnd how many are bare. That suburban should be a very nice car to drive. Go to google, put in 1952 plymouth then to IMAGES and you will find a number of Very nice suburbans. Happy new year to you and good luck on your car.

[BobT-47P15]

I would think that on a 1953 Plymouth flathead, your coil would be

mounted on top of the wire thingy......like this.......

So, where does the coil reside now?

The early 40s Plymouths had the coil mounted on the firewall.

To dress up that wire holder, I wrapped it with some shiny chrome looking

tape - a cheap alternative to real chrome. Or you could paint it black as

it was originally. There are actually at least two styles of those wire looms I've

seen......one like mine which is flat on top with the tubes facing down.....or one

with the tubes facing up.

Edited December 31, 2012 by BobT-47P15

[pflaming]

I have the clam shell type and mounted my coil on the side of the engine. Bob, what type and color (silver) paint is on your engine? How long did it last? we've headed back to CA this afternoon. Time with family was TOO short but I'm ready to get back in the shop.

Happy New Year To All

[BobT-47P15]

I used "POR 20" high heat aluminum made by POR 15.

Costs about $18 or so for the small can.....but has held up well

for me. Was applied with a small paint brush. It's been on

there maybe 10 years.

[jeff0547]

Thanks guys for all the responses. Here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to leave the spark plug wires as is in the wire holder thingy, for the time being. I'm going to rewire the car, starting with the engine circuit.

Today I went to my local Home Depot and bought enough wire to re-wire the engine circuit in my 52 Suburban. A friend (electrician) gave me some # 10 wire that was designed for use in kitchen appliances. It is gasoline, oil and heat resistant. He gave me Black and Red. (Didn't need much.) It is a little more stiff than automotive wire, but I think it will still work.

I have printed several copies of wiring diagrams and feel ready. I have a vast assortment of connectors and an abundance of solder. I'll take some pics to share as I progress.

I have started several engines sitting on cinder blocks and out of the car, with just basic wiring. This can't be too much different.

@ Dan, thanks for the offer of another style of "Spark Plug Wire Thingy", but I think I'll pass.

@ Bob, My "Spark Plug Wire Thingy" looks just like yours except mine isn't covered with chrome tape (although, I do have some and maybe some day...)

And thanks to Don for explaining that, "The spark plug wire thingy is called a LOOM..."

Here's a pic of the car I'm working on:

[bamfordsgarage]

Your kitchen appliance and Home Depot wire is likely single strand, which would explain the apparent stiffness. Multi-strand wire is much more flexible and is the type used in motor vehicles.

One reason is because multi is far less prone to breaking/open circuits (from vibration) than single-strand would be. Try this for yourself — bend a single strand back and forth a few times and see how quickly it breaks then compare with multi-strand.

Not to say you can't re-wire with house wire, but automotive stuff is a much better choice and not expensive.

BTW: very, very cool car. I love old wagons. There are those among us that would be happy driving it looking as is (Tim Adams is not one of these people).

Unsolicited opinion... My suggestion is do nothing to the body until/unless you are ready to do the whole job — few things look more jarring than an otherwise original appearance with one fender in primer or just the wheels repainted. Looks dorky and does not help resale.

[Scruffy49]

I used some left over home center sourced wire for the generator to voltage regulator heavy lead. 6g multiple strand, heavy copper lugs on the ends. Looks good, works fine, rated up to 600 volts... Almost wish I was staying with the 6v stuff just because the wiring I've already done looks so neat, nothing smaller than modern 12g, wire from West Marine (tinned multiple strand, big time corrosion resistance and solders beautifully), high heat safe, chemical resistant... And I have no idea what goes to where now... many same color wires all eaten by mice.

[Frank Elder]

My advice is to wire your car with automotive wire........not appliance wire which looks similar, but it is not manufactured for your application.

[BobT-47P15]

Jeff......not that it makes any difference to anything......but did that

wagon come from Joplin?

Seems like one was sold by a local fellow, and I wonder where he got it

as you don't see those around here much.

[jeff0547]

Jeff......not that it makes any difference to anything......but did that

wagon come from Joplin?

Seems like one was sold by a local fellow, and I wonder where he got it

as you don't see those around here much.

Same one, Bob. His name is Gilbert and he has moved to New Mexico. That car came out of Kansas. The floor has a sheet of galvanized metal welded over the rusty original floor. My next big job.

The guy who transported it said that until the late 60's, they didn't salt the roads in Kansas, otherwise it would have been rustier.

[jeff0547]

All wire being used is multi stranded and although unconventional will work just fine for my purposes.

OK, I promised pics so here are some. The first 3 are of my supplies, and the last 3 are of the alleged wiring.

[jeff0547]

Well, I have replaced all of the "suspect" wire for the engine harness all the way back to the ignition switch including heavier battery cables. Sadly, my camera took a dump and I don't have pics. (Camera is under warranty and will be back in about a week.)

I just have one question, What is the middle lug on the solenoid for? Mine had a wire on it but the wire broke away fron the fitting, so i have no idea where to hook it up.

Just a note, the nuts on my solenoid were three different sizes. the small one was, well, small. The bigger ones were the same size thread, but the nuts were different sizes. One was 5/8" and the other was 19/32". I found 2 in my spare hardware box that were 9/16", so i changed 'em. (Surprisingly, I have a 19/32" wrench.)