Giving the Plug Wires a Solid

When I posted my motor pictures at Fiberglassics.com. "Ponyboy" (who runs several McCulloch 75's) pointed out that I should not be using "Suppression Core" plug wires.

Here's why:

Most wire sets you will purchase today are the newer HEI (High Energy Ignition) type. These wires are designed for use on ignition systems with outputs of 35,000 to 45,000 volts. Your original classic point-type ignition system operates in the 20,000 volt range. Putting modern HEI wires on your 20,000 volt classic ignition system causes low voltage to the spark plugs, resulting in hard starting, poor gas mileage, decreased performance, rough running, fouled plugs, and other symptoms that seem carburetor-related, when, in fact, they are being caused by incorrect plug wires.

So it was off to the parts store for some old school solid core plug wires. Here is the OE Plus solid core 6 cylinder kit I bought. (aka 2 sets of plug wires for $40). The center wire is not actually solid, it is strands of solid wires. Strands of small wires have less resistance than one large wire.

The drama was the OE Plus wire set has a "universal" plug ends that can be put on straight or at a 90 degree angle. The issue is even when bent to the 90 degree angle the plug end is too long to clear the cowling. I couldn't even install the #3 plug with the cowl off.

So I took the plug ends from the Accel kit which are as short as you can get and so I used them on the OE Plus kit.

Here are the new 7MM solid core black wires with the Accel plug ends and red boots.