Ignition leads

[pcn1]

Is there such a thing as a "working life" for a set of leads ? The car is 14 years old with 80K and I believe the leads to be original. I assume they will deteriorate with age /use, but what piont do they need replacing, and can you determine this without professional tools ?

Thanks

[domster]

When the engine starts misfiring or when they start arcing out (I think you can do a test whereby you hold a screwdriver close to them and see if a spark jumps etc.)

There is no harm replacing them as a preventative measure tho'. 10 years is the most you could expect from a set, really.