Equal length header - burning my plug wires!!!!!

Aug 10, 2005 17 Replies

Has anyone experienced an issue with the equal length header burning your plug wires?? I have a 95 GT and have recently installed some equal length headers. The only problem is that one of the plug wires is very close to the header and it is suffering the consequences. I have tried adding a heat sleeve, but it still burns through it. I don't want to go back to the shorty headers, but I don't know what to do.



Help!!


This happens. Find a way to get the wire away from the pipes. use a zip tie, a coathanger, whatever it takes. Secure it clear of the pipes. This is a common problem. Don't re-swap your exhaust because of plug wires.

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Gdriver:

Jegs has header wrap. You can buy a coil of it for about $25.

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It states that it reduces header temp by 70%. That should keep your plug wires from burning up.

Alias

And cause the header to rust out a lot quicker. He said he tried heat shields. What heat shields?

Al

Header wrap voids most manufacturers' warranties to begin with. One should consider these types of problems beforehand.

Don't use header wrap. An owner of a Sunbeam Tiger with header wrap had a catastrophic engine fire. Valve cover oil leak saturated the wrap which eventually caught on fire. Bye Bye Kitty.

Did you try Flame guard from Earl's?

Erich

Think "move the wire" rather than "alter the exhaust or the plug". Really, it's not worth all that trouble, dude.

One more general comment - I'm just trying to help you know - aftermarket parts NEVER fit like factory (OEM). Just assume you'll have to change something a little in order to make an aftermarket improvement work, and you won't be disappointed. Best of luck

Yikes, Agent 86 calls the fire brigade! That's a tragic loss... sorry to hear about it. Poor lil Tiger, my sincere condolences!!

Sounds like you learned the wrong lesson. Seems it should have been don't leave your oil leaks unattended to. BTW: I have run header wrap on my hot 351 Cleveland for over 15 years, with no ill effects.

GD,

I've run EQ shorties on my 5-oh Mustangs for years. And I've had to contend with the same issue. Here's my permanent fix: Simply find a

90-degree boot that fits into that space. (Most auto part stores sell a variety.) Then pull the old boot off the wire and replace it with the new 90-degree boot. Works everytime! If you have any more questions, let me know.

Patrick '93 Cobra

I was about to say the same thing. Nice!

Thanks for the vindication there, 351CJ. I get nothing but beat up here whenever I post. It's nice to hear some agreement for once.

And on that same topic, a note to the newgroup in general:

As I stated when I rejoined this news group a little while ago the tenor of this group has changed drastically, and not for the better. Based upon the kinds of "help" I've seen here of late and all of the flame wars, I think I'm better off just leaving for good; I'm tired of it. I get better advice (and no fricken attitude, BTW) from a local parts shop. Besides, my ride is almost done and as far as I'm concerned...well, maybe that's best left unsaid.

Take care all.

Alias

it should have been don't

Header wrap looks like Krap. I just had my headers ceramic coated. Does the same job looks good too.

You don't always know when you spring a leak.

We'll just have to disagree on this topic.

Erich

We had a low 9 second 85 Corvette with header wrap. Killed the headers in about three seasons. It started knocking one night and after we pulled the valve covers and could not find anything we noticed exhaust was coming out of the wrap. We un-wrapped the header and it was like tin foil. Most of the tubes were rotted off the collector. One tube had about an inch hole in it, and when we touched it, it just caved in. We'll never use it again. BTW, we're in Tucson. Moisture is not a problem here. I have two race cars with ceramic coated headers. Coated inside and out. If you guys think they don't get hot, guess again. They run cooler than un-coated. But they still get very hot.

Al

Sorry, I misspoke. It is burning the boot on the #3 plug, not the wires. I put a DEI Spark plub wire protectant sleeve on the boot and it still burned through. I have heard that I should use shorty plugs. Comments??

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