New Ceramic Plug Leads - Worthwhile?

[Andy JB]

Thanks all for the replies - usual mixed bag or views and opinions.

Most comments seem favourable for the ceramics so I may give them a go especially as you can't get the extenders anyway and as many said the last ones made (mine were 2 years old) have easily perished and split & not made anymore.

I'd also heard many stories of the socks not working correctly either over the years, so I may give these ceramics a whirl first & make sure they are tied back appropriately to the head see how we go. Watch this space.

[bobfather]

Haha, rosy coloured glasses and all that, I think you'd made your mind up before posting this question.

You counted wrongly, most replies suggest you shouldn't fit ceramic cap leads. Nobody makes ceramic caps for BPR type spark plugs. Perhaps you could see if the right size screw-on pips are available or machine them down a bit to correct the mismatch

[bomb]

My two-penneth.

My Griff had extenders that started to fail. Misfires and rough running followed. A new set of extenders lasted about twenty minutes before they failed too.

I looked into it and ditched the extenders, and fitted some good quality thermal wrap around the leads, and then socks over the top of that. The car has ran much better since then.

Good quality materials can be sourced in the UK. I found a place in the Midlands that makes equipment for drag race cars, so I purchased my stuff from them. Never looked back.

I avoided the ceramics due to cost and their fragility.

[bomb]

Like this......

[Classic Chim]

bomb said:

Like this......

Lovely job. The rocker covers and heating rails. Class

[bomb]

Thank you. That was my winter project - rockers and heater rail painted ( and a few other bits too).

[Andy JB]

bobfather said:

Haha, rosy coloured glasses and all that, I think you'd made your mind up before posting this question.

You counted wrongly, most replies suggest you shouldn't fit ceramic cap leads. Nobody makes ceramic caps for BPR type spark plugs. Perhaps you could see if the right size screw-on pips are available or machine them down a bit to correct the mismatch

Well actually no I hadn't already made my mind up that's why I was asking the question!

Several support for socks & soild wrap surfacing but no one provided any supplier details as yet, as the quality does appear to vary extremely over years as to their effectiveness, I would be willing to give this a go first as my plugs leads are quite new anyway?

[Skyedriver]

Should never have read this thread.

I've been convinced there's a miss fire on my 4.0.
Probably isn't but getting paranoid about it so lying awake at 5.00 this morning I decided to check the extenders.
Plug leads off right hand bank.
Extenders off after a gargantuan struggle (seemed like they were welded in place!)
2,4,& 6 a bit rust, no 8 clean.
Thought I'd see if No 8 lead would go straight to plug with the intention of getting some socks.
Yes it does, but then wouldn't come off
Then the lead pulled out of the rubber cap/clip.....
So I've now got a 7 cylinder V8 and after the worst winter in years it's really nice out there today.

And you don't seem able to buy plug leads any more, al the local garages used to have racks of different lengths but now all cars seem to have coil packs.

Anyone with a spare Magnacor lead No 8?

ps ordered up some socks and heat wrap.

[bobfather]

Andy JB said:

.........but no one provided any supplier details as yet

Didn't know you were asking for details. The leads should be Lucas from a reputable dealer, TVR Parts for example. eBay Lucas leads are often Chinese copy leads, I know to my dismay. Socks are available all over the place, go to any UK or USA rally / race supplier and you'll be safe, get the longest ones you can. Short ones work but longer is better. I'd give you details of my socks but they were cheap eBay short socks, that said they're still working fine 7k miles on

The pertinent point is that nobody makes ceramic caps for your spark plugs so you're starting at a disadvantage and we're simply warning you that next time you need a plug change it is quite likely you'll regret that choice. Fit them if that's what you want, some people have managed to overcome the problems so you may be lucky

[mk1fan]

Thremal socks off ebay, I think. Memory's not what is used to cauliflour.

[QBee]

mk1fan said:

Thremal socks off ebay, I think. Memory's not what is used to cauliflour.

Just check where they are coming from - I had an excellent set of Hong Kong ones, only £12 now doing sterling service on someone else's car.....but they did take three weeks to arrive.

I will pop out to the man cave and see what make my spare sets of plug leads are.

[QBee]

Skydriver, I have two sets in the man cave.

One marked Bosch, the other unmarked except for "High Temperature double silicone", which I got in a load of spares from another TVR owner who decided he was fed up with an unreliable car and bought a 1968 V12 E-type as his idea of something reliable.....

The unmarked set comes complete with old stock Beru extender and has a bit of tape on it marked "8".

I am happy to lend either if you want to borrow - just email me your address pronto and I will get it onto tonight's post to get you mobile this weekend.

[Skyedriver]

Address emailed
Thanks ever so much

Do I dare look at the other bank 1.3.5.& 7....?

Thinks leave well alone maybe

I only thought I had a miss-fire after all.
Could well just be a resonance from the exhaust, a sort of Subaru Impreza sound at about 2000 - 2500 rpm

[N7GTX]

The plug leads in the pic are those supplied by Powers (8mm) along with the socks. After 2 years number 8 plug lead rubber connector split. I've fitted standard Bosch leads (7mm) as used on Range Rovers that also use the 8 point coil pack. You can get Bosch ones for distributor set ups too and both sets cost less than £30.

[Skyedriver]

Thanks
Will try around tomorrow for a set. Tried the usual suspects this morning but just got blank stares (if you can get a blank stares over the phone).
Trouble is the first thing they ask is "wots the registratun?" When I suggest they look for Range Rover etc the line goes quiet.

[MisterT]

I recently fitted these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-Range-Rover-...

And these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DEI-010542-Protect-A-Boot...


I've ditched the extenders like many others and it appears to be running much sweeter. At the price of the Bosch leads you can almost consider the leads as an annual consumable and fit new ones each season

[bobfather]

Plenty of stuff to wet your appetite here

https://picclick.co.uk/8Pcs-High-Heat-Shield-Blue-...

[QBee]

Skyedriver said:

Address emailed
Thanks ever so much

Do I dare look at the other bank 1.3.5.& 7....?

Thinks leave well alone maybe

I only thought I had a miss-fire after all.
Could well just be a resonance from the exhaust, a sort of Subaru Impreza sound at about 2000 - 2500 rpm

Not turned up yet......

I can lend you the complete set and a couple of extenders if it will help. Too late for tonight’s post, but can post tomorrow, or you can collect from Newark if you like. I am one mile off the A1. I have ceramic capped leads if you wanted to have a look.

[Skyedriver]

Thanks everyone for your help
I carefully removed the rubber plug cap from the magnacore lead, had to split the rubber slightly to ease it out.
Remade the end and put it all back together.
Refitted the extenders and leads and 2 4 6 & 8 all seem to be firing.
Pulling off one plug cap at a time, I think it might be 5 that is causing the miss but I'll wait until my socks , heat tape arrive and will order a new set of Bosch leads as listed above
Socks from Demon Tweeks as I worry about a lot of ebay stuff from China ( i know, that's probably where they get it from)

Apologies for the interuption

[bomb]

Topgear Stockport/ TGS Tuning UK.
Unit 4 Bredbury Court Ind Est.
Ashton Road.
Stockport.
Cheshire.
SK6 2QB

Tel [phone].


MSD 8.5mm Red Custom Leads

Shield Thermal Heat Guard.

Spark Plug Insulator socks.

www.TGSTuning.co.uk