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Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? #1415728 04/07/13 02:11 AM 04/07/13 02:11 AM
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA Kern Dog OP Striving for excellence
Kern Dog OP Striving for excellence Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 18,493 Granite Bay CA	Maybe a theoretical question since electricity travels so fast, but... In big block engines, #2 and #4 are really close to the distributor. numbers 5 and 7 are the furthest away. At high rpm is is at all possible that they are receiving the spark later than #s 2 and 4?

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415729 04/07/13 02:22 AM 04/07/13 02:22 AM
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,424 Florida STAYcation dOc ! The village idiot's idiot
dOc ! The village idiot's idiot Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,424 Florida STAYcation	F-berri ..... do you stay up at nite THINKING about Q's like this ??...

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415730 04/07/13 02:39 AM 04/07/13 02:39 AM
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 5,399 Aurora, Colorado 451Mopar master
451Mopar master Joined: May 2008 Posts: 5,399 Aurora, Colorado	I think the answer is yes, but the difference will be vary, vary small?

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 451Mopar] #1415731 04/07/13 02:45 AM 04/07/13 02:45 AM
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,424 Florida STAYcation dOc ! The village idiot's idiot
dOc ! The village idiot's idiot Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 30,424 Florida STAYcation	at 186,000 miles per second(or there abouts) ....vary VARY s m a l l !

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415732 04/07/13 02:46 AM 04/07/13 02:46 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,069 Washington State 70Duster440 super stock
70Duster440 super stock Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,069 Washington State	Noodle this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 70Duster440] #1415733 04/07/13 02:50 AM 04/07/13 02:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,826 las vegas 70AARcuda master
70AARcuda master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,826 las vegas	make sure you time your engine using the longest spark plug wire...and you will never have late timing..... Tony 70 AARCuda Vitamin C 71 Dart Swinger 360 10.318 @ 128.22(10-04-14 Bakersfield) 71 Demon 360 10.666 @122.41 (01-29-17 @ Las Vegas) 71 Duster 408 (10.29 @ 127.86 3/16/19 Las Vegas)

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 70AARcuda] #1415734 04/07/13 05:55 AM 04/07/13 05:55 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa 340SHORTY Truck Nut
340SHORTY Truck Nut Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 12,291 Kent, Wa	I am truckless..

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 70AARcuda] #1415735 04/07/13 08:52 AM 04/07/13 08:52 AM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 21,345 Marysville, O-H-I-O 70Cuda383 Too Many Posts
70Cuda383 Too Many Posts Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 21,345 Marysville, O-H-I-O	Quote: make sure you time your engine using the longest spark plug wire...and you will never have late timing..... but the what do you do about the shortest plug wires? they'll be premature. I like to use all the same length spark plug wires because of this. works incredibly well on my 4.7, keeping all the sparks in time. Photobucket sucks

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 70Cuda383] #1415736 04/07/13 09:59 AM 04/07/13 09:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia	Quote: Quote: make sure you time your engine using the longest spark plug wire...and you will never have late timing..... but the what do you do about the shortest plug wires? they'll be premature. I like to use all the same length spark plug wires because of this. works incredibly well on my 4.7, keeping all the sparks in time. I eqiuallze all my plug wires with no sharp turns. Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 70Cuda383] #1415737 04/07/13 10:02 AM 04/07/13 10:02 AM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia	Quote: Quote: make sure you time your engine using the longest spark plug wire...and you will never have late timing..... but the what do you do about the shortest plug wires? they'll be premature. I like to use all the same length spark plug wires because of this. works incredibly well on my 4.7, keeping all the sparks in time. I eqiuallze all my plug wires and make sure no sharp turns. Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415738 04/07/13 10:21 AM 04/07/13 10:21 AM
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada Dodgem master
Dodgem master Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada	you guys make me laugh since electricity travels 186,000 miles a second it travels 186 miles in 1000th of a second which is 982,080 feet per 1000th of a second say the longest to shortest plug wire is 2 feet longer that would take 1/491040 of 1/1000 of a second to travel that extra 2 feet. now if you had a plug wire or two that reached around the world so one plug wire 2 feet long and one 24000 miles long (whats that something like 126,000,000 feet?? ) it would take .129 seconds longer to get to the cylinder. Last edited by Dodgem; 04/07/13 10:25 AM.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415739 04/07/13 10:34 AM 04/07/13 10:34 AM
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada Dodgem master
Dodgem master Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada	If your worried about dirty wires slowing down the spark get a set of these http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=27 and why bother degreeing a cam now that these are available http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=27 and boost your power with one of these http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=49 and when your done use the all new butt dyno to see what the improvements did http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=8

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Dodgem] #1415740 04/07/13 10:41 AM 04/07/13 10:41 AM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia	Quote: you guys make me llaugh I thought that was whole point Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: jcc] #1415741 04/07/13 10:46 AM 04/07/13 10:46 AM
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada Dodgem master
Dodgem master Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 5,746 Ontario, Canada	Quote: Quote: you guys make me llaugh I thought that was whole point well it brightened up my morning for sure! :-)

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: jcc] #1415742 04/07/13 10:47 AM 04/07/13 10:47 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,436 Blair County,PA 62maxwgn master
62maxwgn master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,436 Blair County,PA	And you really have to watch fuel line routing,liquid flows faster down than up ! I know,it's under pressure so it doesn't matter .

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Dodgem] #1415743 04/07/13 11:00 AM 04/07/13 11:00 AM
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,954 Blairsden, CA T Triggerfish top fuel
Triggerfish top fuel T Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,954 Blairsden, CA	Quote: Quote: Quote: you guys make me llaugh I thought that was whole point well it brightened up my morning for sure! :-) Simple solution...just use a smaller gap on the plugs with the longer wires...or, get the Accel shorties... Last edited by Triggerfish; 04/07/13 11:02 AM.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Kern Dog] #1415744 04/07/13 11:03 AM 04/07/13 11:03 AM
Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,162 USA 3 360view Moparts resident spammer
360view Moparts resident spammer 3 Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8,162 USA	The question is not silly all real world electrical circuits have some resistance capacitance inductance if the ignition wires used have appreciable capacitance and/or inductance then this will delay in time the build up of "flashover voltage" at the spark gap the delay is not due to a change in the speed of light but because of the time to build up stored energy in capacitive or inductive fields typical carbon core factory ignition wires will not have much capacitance or inductance .. but can have enough capacitance to cause "crossfire" to a nearby wire from another cylinder's if they run close and parallel Chrysler has had problems with this: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998/18-48-98.htm spiral wound metal core low RFI design ignition wires will have more measured inductance but the design is an inherently bad "antenna" for high frequency AC aircraft gasoline engine ignition wires can be fully covered by a shield for RFI reasons and might measurably slow down the speed at which flashover voltage builds up but this is understood and compensated for as an extreme experiment if you took an extra long solid metal core ignition wire and wrapped it numerous times around an iron bar midway before connecting it to the sparkplug the delay would be as great as practical and spark burn time would be extended somewhat as the inductive fields discharged as the current declined

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 62maxwgn] #1415745 04/07/13 11:04 AM 04/07/13 11:04 AM
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,383 Az 69hemibeep pro stock
69hemibeep pro stock Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,383 Az	I like to use equal length wires and wrap the extra wire around empty toilet paper tubes which slip over a toilet plunger that I stick to the inner fender. That way you don't kink off the electricity 1969 Hemi Roadrunner 2nd owner

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 360view] #1415746 04/07/13 11:29 AM 04/07/13 11:29 AM
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,336 South-Central (Sebring), FL Commando1 master
Commando1 master Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 9,336 South-Central (Sebring), FL	Quote: The question is not silly all real world electrical circuits have some resistance capacitance inductance if the ignition wires used have appreciable capacitance and/or inductance then this will delay in time the build up of "flashover voltage" at the spark gap the delay is not due to a change in the speed of light but because of the time to build up stored energy in capacitive or inductive fields typical carbon core factory ignition wires will not have much capacitance or inductance .. but can have enough capacitance to cause "crossfire" to a nearby wire from another cylinder's if they run close and parallel Chrysler has had problems with this: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998/18-48-98.htm spiral wound metal core low RFI design ignition wires will have more measured inductance but the design is an inherently bad "antenna" for high frequency AC aircraft gasoline engine ignition wires can be fully covered by a shield for RFI reasons and might measurably slow down the speed at which flashover voltage builds up but this is understood and compensated for as an extreme experiment if you took an extra long solid metal core ignition wire and wrapped it numerous times around an iron bar midway before connecting it to the sparkplug the delay would be as great as practical and spark burn time would be extended somewhat as the inductive fields discharged as the current declined You weren't suppose to take him seriously...

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 360view] #1415747 04/07/13 11:45 AM 04/07/13 11:45 AM
Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours Supercuda About to go away
Supercuda About to go away Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 14,889 up yours	Quote: The question is not silly all real world electrical circuits have some resistance capacitance inductance if the ignition wires used have appreciable capacitance and/or inductance then this will delay in time the build up of "flashover voltage" at the spark gap the delay is not due to a change in the speed of light but because of the time to build up stored energy in capacitive or inductive fields typical carbon core factory ignition wires will not have much capacitance or inductance .. but can have enough capacitance to cause "crossfire" to a nearby wire from another cylinder's if they run close and parallel Chrysler has had problems with this: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998/18-48-98.htm spiral wound metal core low RFI design ignition wires will have more measured inductance but the design is an inherently bad "antenna" for high frequency AC aircraft gasoline engine ignition wires can be fully covered by a shield for RFI reasons and might measurably slow down the speed at which flashover voltage builds up but this is understood and compensated for as an extreme experiment if you took an extra long solid metal core ignition wire and wrapped it numerous times around an iron bar midway before connecting it to the sparkplug the delay would be as great as practical and spark burn time would be extended somewhat as the inductive fields discharged as the current declined Thanks, Professor Way to ruin a useless thread, lol. They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Commando1] #1415748 04/07/13 11:56 AM 04/07/13 11:56 AM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia	Ne Isnt there a treadmill in this thread somewhere? Last edited by jcc; 04/07/13 12:59 PM.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: 69hemibeep] #1415749 04/07/13 12:15 PM 04/07/13 12:15 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,238 Nevada D dezduster pro stock
dezduster pro stock D Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,238 Nevada	WOW so does this thread demystify the fact that my 440 punctured holes through preignition or detonation on #2 and 4 cylinders? I had an MSD timing retard dial setup and unwiesly timed the engine with the adjustment in near center of its throw. Long story short,in the heat of battle on a dark desert highway blueberries and cherries flashing in the rear view it got bumped up to a total of 55ish degrees. In less than 2 miles of uphill grade she popped holes in the 2 forementioned pistons, yes they were hyperutectics. ALSO shortest plugwires. Or was it lean? But on just those two cylinders? No I was not caught red handed she still ran on six and since the Charger I was in was a Ram Charger I used alternative routes to elude those who opresse us who enjoy the finer things in life such as POOOWER unleashed. What was cheaper a ticket or a rebuild I dont know what the ticket would have been, but the insurance hit from an SR22 on a teen is huge. So I think a two grand rebuild was a fair ticket. LESSONS LEARNED, MANY INFACT.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: dezduster] #1415750 04/07/13 12:51 PM 04/07/13 12:51 PM
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,819 Kirkland, Washington Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,819 Kirkland, Washington	Back when I was young and it was 5 inches it often fired prematurely. Like a gun with a hair trigger it was quick. As I grew, and it grew in length, the time to fire was delayed significantly. That's not a bad thing, you just need to adjust for it and time the events appropriately.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #1415751 04/07/13 01:01 PM 04/07/13 01:01 PM
Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,161 CT GTX MATT master
GTX MATT master Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,161 CT	Be sure that you run EQUAL LENGTH plug wires, especially when running equal length headers and indexing your spark plugs. Now I need to pin those needles, got to feel that heat Hear my motor screamin while I'm tearin up the street

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: GTX MATT] #1415752 04/07/13 01:08 PM 04/07/13 01:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 162 nj N notforsale440 member
notforsale440 member N Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 162 nj	someone needs to invent "wireless" ignition Last edited by notforsale440; 04/07/13 01:09 PM.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: notforsale440] #1415753 04/07/13 01:10 PM 04/07/13 01:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia J jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds..
jcc If you can't dazzle em with diamonds.. J Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 22,695 Bitopia	Diesel? Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: jcc] #1415754 04/07/13 01:23 PM 04/07/13 01:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,819 Kirkland, Washington Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,819 Kirkland, Washington	Quote: Diesel? Glow plug...

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #1415755 04/07/13 04:42 PM 04/07/13 04:42 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,238 Nevada D dezduster pro stock
dezduster pro stock D Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,238 Nevada	You mean like coil on plug like modern Hemis and most every engine made?

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: dezduster] #1415756 04/08/13 01:20 PM 04/08/13 01:20 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 16,376 D dogdays I Live Here
dogdays I Live Here D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 16,376	RE: 360view Thanks for reminding/teaching me something new. I appreciated the lecture even if some others didn't. Brought me back to EE312. R.

Re: Can longer plug wires lead to LATE firing ?? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #1415757 04/08/13 02:34 PM 04/08/13 02:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX feets Senior Management
feets Senior Management Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 28,067 Irving, TX	Quote: Quote: Diesel? Glow plug... No glow plugs on Cummins. We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon

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