Ign Arc

I just replaced my ign cables because I checked them at night like somone suggested. There was quite a bit going on. Now they are all replaced but I still see just a very little arcing around the alt fan. Is this common? 89 911

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[This message has been edited by Mike Miller (edited 06-01-2000).]

any comments any?

Mike, is the arching on one wire or all of them? Did you use all the stock mounting points?
DRD 85 Carrera

It arcs on mostly the right side where the wires are routed between the fan housing and the A/C compresser. I did use all the factory mounts. At least 2 wires are arcing and its intermintant. The wires are brand new and 100% silicon 7mm. Thanks

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Replace your spark plugs. It sounds like you plugs are in need of replacing. Did it do this with the old wire set?
DRD 85 Carrera

Yes, the old wires sparked all around the Fan housing. Just before I replaced the wires I put new plugs in. The old plugs were in pretty good shape. Could something else be causing it to arc, not directly involved with the ign.

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If your distributor is located near your fan housing, you could have carbon tracks coming off the distributor cap. Check for black tracks on the side of the distributor cap where the wire plug into it. That may be your problem.

Regards


Steve

Your sparkplug gap may be too wide. What year car is it, and what gap are you using?

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Well no tracks that I can see. I also replaced the cap & rotor at same time I put the new wires on. Plugs are new Bosch Plt, also put on about 2 days before I changed the wires. They are gaped at the hand book ref of 028. It seems to arc either on the fan housing or the A/C compressor mounting bracket. By the way its a 1989 911 Carrera non-turbo. Thanks guys I'm still working on it. Could it be a grounding prob. Any ideas on how to test for it. I notice the ground by the fuel filter looks ok and to the intake maifold.

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There is no grounding problem!

Well, it sounds to me like those new wires are a bit substandard ... 0.028" is not even any higher than a '66 Beetle with six-volt electrics and plain point-coil ingnition!

To use a bit of cut-and-try 'improvisation,' if you can put a bit of insulation with higher dielectric strength for the wires to rest on ... between them and those 'runs' where they are close to the fanhousing and A/C bracket (there is NO practical way to 'UNGROUND' them) so separation and higher dielectric strength is present between the conducting core of the wire, and any ground!

I recommend 1/8" of polystyrene, teflon, bakelite, or a similar plastic ... sometimes those clear plastic shoeboxes are made of polystyrene, you might try 'sacrificing' oneto cut into 1/2" strips.

If more insulation doesn't work, you will need another, new set of wires. I hesitate to ask, but what brand are we talking about? I think it would be advisable to change your wire brand!

Good luck!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

.028 is from the owners manual. Good or bad I don't know, I'm sort of a novice at this but willing to learn. The original wires were Beru. A good bit of arcing was happening all over the fan so that was why I replaced them. My replacement wires are Beru ends with 100% sillicon 7mm. I am not sure of the brand. I tried puting some rubber vacum tubing around the wires but it was small pieces. It would arc around the parts. So I just put some new larger pieces on. It is not arcing around the fan any more but, I saw some arcing between 2 wires right next to the compressor. I seperated them and it looks like it might pass. Does rubber work as good as the other items you mentioned. Does a small amount of arcing cause any problems. Thanks again for your time.

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Rubber will work, but it has to be thick enough, you may want to try splitting some pieces and double-up (or even triple thickness) in those areas where arcing continues.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

It's about 1/8 in. and I will double up in some critical areas. Thanks again for your time and we can consider this case closed.

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