1988 Carrera - ignition wire question

[Raulg]

I have a 1988 Carrera with what appears to be the original ignition wires.
The rubber sleeves on the wires on top of the fan are brittle and crumbling.
I tried unscrewing the connector at the distributor end of one of the wires to take the sleeve out and try to find a match at the local autoparts store.

The wire end by the distributor broke off inside the rubber connector. I have these questions:

1. Is the rubber connector (distributor end) supposed to unscrew from the end of the wire?

2. If the rubber sleeves are brittle, would the ignition wires be not far behind needing replacement?

3. My car idles rough sometimes, could this be related to old ignition wires?

4. If I purchase the Clewett wires recommended in some posts here, would I need to get new rubber sleeves? or would the wires need to be routed differently?

Thank you in advance for any information and/or advise you can provide.
Raul G.

[James Brown]

no, yes maybe, could be, no same routing and that would take care of question 1,2,3

[Richwro1]

just replace it. Yes its expensive, but its important and you don't know the real age. When I got my 87, I just did a major tune up replaced all fluids and its been rock solid reliable.