HT leads... again

[Imran999]

I know this topic has been covered many times (have read previous posts).
The consensus is that only the traditional (carbon core) wires work well with the AJP8, and more advanced solutions (Magnacore, other low resistance wires etc) should be avoided.

I installed the standard Racing Green leads about 2 years/1200 miles ago but started having some issues.
After replacing the coil packs, I was still suffering misfires, so starting pulling plugs.
A few of the leads came apart when I pulled them off (by the boot of course) and I realized they weren't even crimped properly.
The further back on the engine you go, the more they have suffered from heat damage (at the plug end) with the top of the no.8 boot being very crazed and it looks I can even see the blue lead through the crazing.

The point of my post is, that surely you're all getting more than 1200 miles out of your leads?
But if so, what are you using, because the standard leads are absolutely crap.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by Imran999 on Monday 13th September 19:38

Edited by Imran999 on Tuesday 14th September 13:35

[mrniceguy351]

Mine runs MSD leads.

[Imran999]

Interesting.
The original (purple TVR leads) were around 7000 ohms iirc.
The current RG blue ones are about 3500 ohms
MSD leads are about 100 ohms and they are extremely well made.

[spitfire4v8]

That lead hasn't been crimped any where near enough, no wonder it pulled apart.
Shame you are so far away and postage expensive / takes a while .. sending that back and asking for a new set correctly made would be the answer otherwise.

Get some leads made locally maybe?

[Jhonno]

mrniceguy351 said:

Mine runs MSD leads.

Did you fit a Universal V8 set?

[Jhonno]

I've just had a lead pull apart in the same fashion, so looking at getting a new set.

[Imran999]

spitfire4v8 said:

That lead hasn't been crimped any where near enough, no wonder it pulled apart.
Shame you are so far away and postage expensive / takes a while .. sending that back and asking for a new set correctly made would be the answer otherwise.

Get some leads made locally maybe?

Many were not crimped properly at all, I can re-crimp them, but the breakdown of the boots (due to heat), remains an issue.

I was stuck on the fact that I needed plain carbon-core leads, but couldn’t find a local source, for love or money.
So I gave up, and ordered a custom-kit from Taylor Wires. 300 ohm’s per foot, spiral wound stainless steel core. The quality of the connectors and silicone is very good, and they come in 36” lengths with bare-ends (for the coil side). I can cut them to length and crimp-on the (supplied) coil connector.

Will report back when done - but if they work, I expect they will last a lot longer.

The mother-in-law is heading over from Blighty at the end of the month, so can always order a set of the Racing Green ones, if this doesn’t work out. Will be prepared to re-crimp them all, upon arrival :-)

[spitfire4v8]

Ive used the leads from racetech in the past with no issues whatsoever .. maybe a better bet than the RG ones you were thinking of buying ..

[Imran999]

spitfire4v8 said:

Ive used the leads from racetech in the past with no issues whatsoever .. maybe a better bet than the RG ones you were thinking of buying ..

Thanks Joolz, but they don’t show them on their website, perhaps they don’t supply them anymore?

[spitfire4v8]

You're right.

[ukkid35]

Intermotor 83095 leads at £34 a set

They last at least five or six years, the main problem is that I end up damaging them when removing them, which I do far more than most sadly

Edited by ukkid35 on Tuesday 14th September 15:59

[Bogsye]

I’m running a set I had made up by MrRetroLeads last year. Seemed nice quality and the service was good.
I’d say the connector at the spark plug end could be a better shape but this was his first set, so there’s scope to improve this.

I’m just glad to have ditched the Magnecor leads which I could never get seated properly first time.

Time will tell how well they last. They weren’t too costly either.

[Imran999]

Bogsye said:

I’m running a set I had made up by MrRetroLeads last year. Seemed nice quality and the service was good.
I’d say the connector at the spark plug end could be a better shape but this was his first set, so there’s scope to improve this.

I’m just glad to have ditched the Magnecor leads which I could never get seated properly first time.

Time will tell how well they last. They weren’t too costly either.

Thanks Bogseye, looks very promising.

[Tony91]

I used MSD Super conductors they are 40-50 OHMs per foot and moved the coils also added heat socks.
I got the coil ends from Mr Retro and crimped them up.

[The-mdlr2]

Hi, Interesting that you have moved the coil packs, how and where to ? Do you have an over-view photo of what you have done ?
Mine is a 4.2, currently undergoing a looong overhaul.

[Imran999]

Bogsye said:

I’m running a set I had made up by MrRetroLeads last year. Seemed nice quality and the service was good.
I’d say the connector at the spark plug end could be a better shape but this was his first set, so there’s scope to improve this.

I’m just glad to have ditched the Magnecor leads which I could never get seated properly first time.

Time will tell how well they last. They weren’t too costly either.

Bogseye, I’ve connected with MrRetroLeads, can you suggest any other changes (beyond the spark
plug connector) that would be worth making?
Thanks!

[Bogsye]

Hi Imran,
It was really just the plug connector that I would change. I’ll go and photograph what I have so you can see.
Mine is a 4.2, so that’s the lead lengths he will be working to - not sure if 4.5/4.2 is different?
Cheers,
Brian

[Bogsye]

Here we are - Managed to get a couple of photos without taking off the air boxes.

The rubber boot that goes over the sparkplug isn't straight, it's angled, much like the Magnecor boot. My initial thought was perhaps straight one would be better as it allows the boot to sprout out of the plug recess without toching any metal surfaces of the head or manifold flange. Perhaps a better solution yet might be to have the boot angled as it is now but the straight portion that goes over the plug could be a little bit longer to avoid it contacting the surface of the head as can be seen in the photo below. It perhaps rests against the head a little too much.

I'm possibly being fussy - as far as I can see it's not a show stopper, and on other applications the boot seals against the head.

This was the first shot of a set of leads for an AJP8, and for avoidance of doubt, I'm more than happy with the leads and the service. He was a nice guy to deal with.





If you need more dimensions, I'd be happy to pop off an airbox at the weekend and measure the boot size or get better photos.

Cheers,
Brian

[Tony91]

The-mdlr2 said:

Hi, Interesting that you have moved the coil packs, how and where to ? Do you have an over-view photo of what you have done ?
Mine is a 4.2, currently undergoing a looong overhaul.

Hi I made a pair of fly leads to connect the exsisting plugs to extend the coil wires to mount the new coils to the inner wing under the airboxes.
The coils do not have to be earthed so they are fine mounted direct onto the fibreglass wing.
The MSD leads have a long plug end that can be bent to any shape so they are not a fixed solid end so can be positioned where you want the HT lead to route.



With the coils mounted to the inner wings its only a short distance from coils to plugs

[Imran999]

Bogsye said:

Here we are - Managed to get a couple of photos without taking off the air boxes.

The rubber boot that goes over the sparkplug isn't straight, it's angled, much like the Magnecor boot. My initial thought was perhaps straight one would be better as it allows the boot to sprout out of the plug recess without toching any metal surfaces of the head or manifold flange. Perhaps a better solution yet might be to have the boot angled as it is now but the straight portion that goes over the plug could be a little bit longer to avoid it contacting the surface of the head as can be seen in the photo below. It perhaps rests against the head a little too much.

I'm possibly being fussy - as far as I can see it's not a show stopper, and on other applications the boot seals against the head.

This was the first shot of a set of leads for an AJP8, and for avoidance of doubt, I'm more than happy with the leads and the service. He was a nice guy to deal with.





If you need more dimensions, I'd be happy to pop off an airbox at the weekend and measure the boot size or get better photos.

Cheers,
Brian

Thanks so much Brian, those pics are very useful indeed.
I see what you mean, if the plug-end connector were a little longer then the boot would turn up a little further from the engine metal.
Otherwise, looks great.
I have emailed Anthony (MrRetroLeads) and will hopefully be getting a set made-up in-time (mother in law is coming over to Can at the end of the month).

However, just in case that doesn’t work out, I’ve salvaged the coil-end connectors from my old Racing Green leads and attached them to shortened Taylor wires, locally sourced. The plug-end connector is very nicely made, but bloody useless, as none of the boot protrudes out of the spark-plug recess - removal will therefore be a challenge.

But I’ve become a dab-hand at crimping :-)