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Topic: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (3/13)
 3/29/15 7:00pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

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Either they were not properly installed, or the wires are no good. Ouch

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (4/13)
 3/30/15 12:53pm
EDeBella
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I checked them all they appear seated properly. Any risk of serious damage if I drive it and one or two drop off again? Remember...I am a gearhead in training...:)
Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (5/13)
 3/30/15 1:39pm
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 Won't cause any major damage if they fall off, other than melting the wires, or possibly firing up a fuel leak, but as you know, it ain't gunna run very well! LOL
 If you have gone thru and verified ALL of them are pushed all the way down onto the plugs, and you felt the "click" of the metal terminal, then they should not fall off again. Just the tension of the boots themselves should hold the wires on, even if the terminals are a little loose. Make sure you have the correct size boots(and terminals) for the plugs....there are different sizes of boots, since some older plugs have larger diameter porcelain than the later ones. Thumbs Up 

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (6/13)
 4/1/15 9:35pm
EDeBella
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Talked with the shop via phone and told them the circumstances (falling off at freeway speeds). the guys first question was do you have headers? The answer to that is yes, and the question tells me he's familiar with this problem because the headers must be vibrating too much and shaking the wires loose.
Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (7/13)
 4/1/15 10:41pm
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EDeBella said: Short story, had a shop put a new exhaust system on my 80.....new wire set was needed to clear the manifolds coming off the block. Shop ordered in and built the wire set

Hmmmm....they must have a really bad memory if they don't remember installing the headers themselves....Ermm
Never heard of a tube steel header vibrating enough to blow the wires off the plugs. I'll have to store that one in my "Are you f-ing kiddin me?!" file....Wacko

My suspicion is that the wire terminals are not right, or not properly seated.


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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (8/13)
 4/2/15 8:03am
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Angry  Somebody has bats in their belfry or rotten in Denmark for that assumption. I agree with The Apple. What a story!  Nuke

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (9/13)
 4/3/15 12:00pm
lukesvetteLifetime Member
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HOWELL, NJ - USA

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If they are snapping on correctly and the boots are the right size, try adding a little dab of silicone grease to the inside lip of the boot. It may allow the boots to slide a little further down and remove some resistance if the boots are dry and pushing against the porcelain.
Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (10/13)
 4/3/15 2:20pm
dskopp
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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (11/13)
 4/3/15 3:42pm
69CRUZR
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I've had a similar problem with the number 8 and 4 plug wires on my '69. I'd swear that the plug wire is tight on the plug but they still seem to pop off occasionally. I've tried crimping the connectors on these but it usually takes a couple of attempts to get them to stay on. I'm hoping that the new set of wires are going to resolve this....I'm still keeping the leather gloves in the storage tray. I'll take the tip to check the terminal size before I install the new wires.  

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (12/13)
 4/4/15 8:42pm
rod7515Lifetime Member
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Ive also had this issue with headers as well. I found that Accel makes a shorter spark plug that keeps the boot farther away from the header pipe and then the heat doesnt effect the boot. I also had to use the heat resistant covers at the boot. On mine I could see the heat was the cause as the boots would sag from the heat. Funniest thing for me was that my 72 did it 4 years ago on a wednesday before carlisle so I thought I would drive the 74 instead and it happened to the 74 on the way home from carlisle. Both my vettes had headman headers on. I havent had the problem since I went to the shorter plugs. The bad thing about the plugs is they only come in one heat range but worked well in both cars!
Best of luck
Rodney

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Re: Spark Plug Wires Popping Off Plugs (13/13)
 4/4/15 10:47pm
EDeBella
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rod7515 said: Ive also had this issue with headers as well. I found that Accel makes a shorter spark plug that keeps the boot farther away from the header pipe and then the heat doesnt effect the boot. I also had to use the heat resistant covers at the boot. On mine I could see the heat was the cause as the boots would sag from the heat. Funniest thing for me was that my 72 did it 4 years ago on a wednesday before carlisle so I thought I would drive the 74 instead and it happened to the 74 on the way home from carlisle. Both my vettes had headman headers on. I havent had the problem since I went to the shorter plugs. The bad thing about the plugs is they only come in one heat range but worked well in both cars!
Best of luck
Rodney



Thanks to all who replied....I believe heat may actually be the problemo...
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