• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A TR3 Spark Plug Wire Question

Share this page

af3683

af3683

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
On one of my TR3 spark plug wires the piece inside the wire where the spark plug snaps into keeps sticking to the plug when I pull remove the spark plug wire. The end of the wire has a plastic 90 degree connector and the piece that keeps sticking to the plug has threads on the bottom and triangle shaped wire on it. There doesn't appear to be any threads on the inside of the plastic connector for it to screw into. However, the wire inside the connector also has threads on it. Has anyone had this problem or know how to fix it? The plugs are new and seem to be firing OK. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Art
 
Unless someone is much better at visualization than I am... a photo or two may help.

Since you mention a connector that is plastic... are these the sort of connectors you have?

TR4Wires.JPG
 
Unfortunately, I've never been successful in uploading photos to this web side. To make matters worse my wike is out of town and has the camera. My distributor cap looks similar to yours. The wires appear to be similar but are not Champion. The only say "Made in England."
 
Are ignition wires with plastic boots inferior to the ignition wires with the rubber boots?? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks.
Art
 
I like the plastic 'boots' as shown in the above photo -- they screw very securely into the wire and snap onto the plug with a definite click.

I have one set of originals and one that's repros (Moss) and the repros are as good as the originals as far as I can tell.

Because they (the ones shown) screw into the end of the wires it is best to be using copper core wires... but then those also work best with the original type distributor cap (with the pointy screws that penetrate the wires).
 
Did our cars originally come with plastic boot wires? My distributor cap appear similar to the above photo. Is this the original style distributor cap? Thanks.

Art
 
af3683 said:
Did our cars originally come with plastic boot wires? My distributor cap appear similar to the above photo. Is this the original style distributor cap? Thanks.

Art
Click to expand...

Here's a picture of an original Lucas cap with original Lucas wires. I also have the KLG plugs.

DSCF4745-1.jpg
 
af3683 said:
Did our cars originally come with plastic boot wires?
Click to expand...

No. I should have said NOS (Champion) rather than 'originals'.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] My distributor cap appear similar to the above photo. Is this the original style distributor cap?[/QUOTE]

Yes.
 
Well that was my picture and my problem. Those plastic 90% wires work great until the connector pulls out of the plastic and stays on the plug head. The connector is barbed and not threaded. At lease on mine. No permanent way to fix them ether. I just went to NAPA and bought a 7 mm universal spark plug wire set and so far it's great. I'll know soon as Thursday we will be driving 3+ hours to the Roadster Factory Party. That's a lot of driving and in the past is after we got home is when I start experiencing problems. I think all that heat builds up over long drives and the plastic brakes down around the barbs on the connector. You pull the wire off and the plastic pulls out around the barbs and your done. I've been through at lease 2 sets and a couple partial sets.
 
The period correct (Lucas I think) plastic caps I had were a real pain and frustrating. For what it is worth, out of furstration, I went to Pep Boys and we randomly looked at different wire and caps sets, looking for one that had wires to fit into the stock distributor cap and with rubber boots. We settled on a set that I think was for a K car. I simply inserted the wires into the distributor cap, turned down the screws/contacts, poped the rubbber boots onto the plugs, and it has worked great for a long time. Took 2nd place in the TR 2, 3 and 4 catagory Saturday at Pennypacker Mills British Car Days, so I guess the K car wires and caps didnt hurt too much (though perhaps Id have gotten first with the originals?).
 
I had the same problem you had (with what sounds like the exact same plug wires) and went to NAPA to get some universal wires (with rubber boots). They are Belden and work great. This is the 3rd vehicle I've put them on and have never had an issue since ('52 International 1-ton and '86 Jaguar XJ6). Most likely universal kits from other places would work just as well, but I have stuck with the NAPA ones.

The only kit I saw was for a V8 so now I've got some spares.

Good luck.
 
Back
Top