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Spark plug wire question

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  #1  
Old 06-28-2010 | 06:13 PM
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Default Spark plug wire question

I have an electrical question I need answered and hope one of you guys can help. I understand that ohms is resistance. My question is if you are replacing lets say spark plug wires on your bike and one brand mentions that the resistance is 50 ohms per foot and another brand mentions that theirs is 270 ohms per foot, wouldn't you want to have the wires with 50 ohms or resistance to get the job done faster? This would also probably mean that the 50 ohm wire would run slightly cooler. This being the case, why would someone buy the 270 ohm wire over the 50 ohm wire? What is the difference? Does it have something to do with radio interference also? Please help if you have an answer. The problem I have is when I take a short trip from home to get gas, I have a difficult time restarting the engine. Sometime after a long trip, there may or may not be the same problem. It also seems like the battery , when cranking, gives one turn over, pauses and the cranks normally. Then it coughs and spits like it has a bad lifter before it starts. Is this due to the high compression stock 96 engine? This never happened on a Suzuki Cruiser I once had. My bike has the Stage 1 upgrade from Harley, Stage 1 air cleaner and Rush pipes along with the Vance & Hines FuelPak.
 
  #2  
Old 06-29-2010 | 12:53 AM
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The reistance of a wire has no effect whatsoever on the 'speed' of an electrical signal.
Electrons (electricity) will flow along a conductor at the speed of light, period.
What resistance affects is the amount of current or amperage that a particular circuit uses.
In the case of your spark plugs a higher resistance wire will require you to put more current through the coils to achieve the same output at the plug.
Where that extra current comes into play is that more current means a hotter spark.
But on a bike, changing the plugs to a hotter range might be a better way to go if for no other reason than it won't put as much of a load on the coils as higher resitance wire might.
In a car higher resistance and carbon core wires are the norm because they generate less interferance with radio reception.
So if you want to have a little fun put low resistance wires in your bike and if your lucky. You'll be able to play merry hell with the radio's and sterio systems in those boom box cars the kids like to ride around in.

PS as far as the cranking thing goes, mine does pretty much the same thing. So I don't think its much to be worried about.
 
  #3  
Old 06-29-2010 | 04:30 AM
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ionhd
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Default Plug Wires

Hi go to this link, it explains all thats needed to know about plug leads.

http://www.magnecor.com/magnecor1/truth.htm

In my experience the best option is to go with good quality wires, you wont get any noticeable performance increase from plug wires.
 
  #4  
Old 06-29-2010 | 08:06 AM
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you will get engine fault code if you dont have the right wires. they are part of a sensor circuitry for the ignition
 
  #5  
Old 06-29-2010 | 05:56 PM
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Thank you. That was a good article with good information. I am not looking for more power. I am looking for a good smooth running bike that starts the way is was intended to start.
 
  #6  
Old 06-29-2010 | 11:45 PM
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oct1949
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the wrench I really like just says to use the org stuff, pi$$on the bigger is better idea.
 
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