bulk plug wire

[echrisconnor]

I'm getting ready for a tune up and wanted to rebuild my existing plug wire set. Warren has responded a few times in the past about being able to simply rebuild you old wire set using existing parts and new wires. My question is whether the metal core wire is necessary or whether you can use the non-metallic core wire?

[Chuck Moreland]

The Beru connectors have resistors built in. They are intended for use with solid core wire that does not introduce resistance.

That way all plugs/wires have the same resistance regardless of wire length.

Suppression wires including spiral and other non-solid core type offer resistance in the wire itself. If you use these in combination with your Berus, you will have a total resistance greater than the factory intended.

On the other hand if you use non-Berus with a lower resistance value you can design a solution using suppression wires.

[echrisconnor]

My current wires are stock Porsche - I don't believe they're Berus. Does this mean that it's ok to use the non-metallics? I've already got a bunch of the stuff lying around and would like to use it if I can safely do so.

[echrisconnor]

My last response may have been odd. Beru is the stock manufacturer right? So if I'm replacing the stock wires I should do so only with metal core ones.

[Superman]

I can't give you a definitive answer to your question, as I understand it. I can restate what was told to you above, which is that if you do not use solid cores wire, you will have more resistance at each spark plug than the factory specified, and you will have more resistance on the 4-5-6 side than on the 1-2-3 side due to the length of the wires.

I can also tell you that, as near as I have been able to determine, the ONLY reason why ignition wires have resistance is RFI, Radio Frequency Interference. With non-resistor ignition wires, your radio may BUZZZZZ.

Your Beru spark plug connectors already have resistance (about 3000 ohms) and so do your distributor-side connectors (about 1000 ohms). So, really, the best wire to use would be copper-core. In fact, if someone were not interested in RFI suppression, they might replace everything, including connectors, with ones that have no resistance whatsoever. Racers used to do this. If they still did, then it would be easier to find copper-core ignition wire. Racers' ignition wires now have resistance for a simple reason. Racers use radios.

As far as your question goes....Can I use the factory connectors with 'resistance' cabling?...I don't know. Probably.

Heck, try it and tell us.

[Early_S_Man]

I think the difficulty with resistance/suppression type wire will be making a reliable connection to the crimp-on screw ends used on the shielded CIS wires. It would be pretty hard or impossible to solder most of the resistance wires! And, soldering the 911.609.310.00 screw terminals after crimping is the way to make them more reliable over the long term!

Since the bulk wire-core cable is available from Belden, Packard, AC-Delco, Accel, and other mfrs ... I think it would be worth the trouble to find the most suitable cable.

[pbs911]

My question is whether the metal core wire is necessary or whether you can use the non-metallic core wire?

I can't tell you if you should, but I rebuilt my wires reusing the OEM Beru connectors and resistance wiring about 1.5 years ago. It is still going strong and was an improvement over the worn OEM wires. Would I have better results with the solid core? I dunno.

[HawgRyder]

I redid my wires using wire core wires.
I got the bulk wire from a marine dealer (boats).
They normally carry rolls of the stuff.
And yes....it just screws on to the Beru connector at the plug end (I got new ones at the local Volks parts place...straight ones...but the right resistance)....and at the dizzy end...just stripped back about a 1/4" and fed that through the hole in the brass end ...then soldered it for good measure.
Don't forget to put the little boot on before you put the brass end on.
Bob

[echrisconnor]

I'll pick up some solid-core wire and give that a shot.

When looking things over last night, both the plug and cap sides seem as though they press/screw into the wire. I don't see how one would solder them. The coil wire has brass pins on both sides which are soldered, but for all the plug wires, the wire pushes into a rubber boot with a ceramic central insulator and copper contacts. It does not look like I could solder it if I wanted to.

Does this sound right?