Klewitt Plug wires?

Dave L · 03-12-2009, 04:47 PM

Does anyone use Klewitt Plug wires? There arent many options for the 944S and the Klewitt ones are half the price of OEM. I just want to know if they are half the wire

Jeff Laurence · 03-13-2009, 06:14 AM

Where did you hear of them?

Dave L · 03-13-2009, 06:54 AM

Pelican sells them - part number CE-9192-33-B

http://www.clewett.com/

vette951s · 03-13-2009, 07:51 AM

I've got a set I'll sell for $50 shipped to CONUS. Used for one track season with one brand new plug wire due to gas line fire.

John

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Never used the Clewitt wires. Will say that the Magnecor wires that pelican sells are very nice and only about 58.

Dave L · 07:03 PM

I ordered the Clewitt wires as there arent many affordable choices available for the 16v engine. I installed them yesterday along with a new rotor and plugs.

Overall they seem to be good quality and provide a nice solid "click" when connecting to the plugs and cap. They are a little short in the boot though. On the 16v the wires are raised above the valve cover where as these are resessed in a little. I'm not sure if this is a big deal, the car seem to start and run fine I just hope they dont pop off the plugs.

I do have to replace the 5th wire to the cap as well, it wasnt readilly apparent how this one comes off, I think I might have to move something to get at it.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Pull the little plastic cap off the coil and it should just be snapped on under there. easy.

Dave L · 04-28-2009, 07:47 PM

lol, yes, 15 minutes or so of twisting, pulling, prying and it finally came off.

andyshoun · andyshoun's Garage

I bought a set of Clewett cables for my '68 911. They seemed to work fine until I had to pull them off a couple of times for plug maintaince. First one then another allowed the cable to pull up inside the plastic connector ends at the plug. When I tired to put the connector back on the plug it only made poor contact. The only way I found to fix the problem was to slice the whole connector open using a dremel cut off wheel, reposition the cable in the plastic connector, then glue it all back together with JB weld. This has happened on 3 of the 6 wires. I asked Clewett for help, but they we unresponsive. I'd look for other wire sets.

rickharrison · 04-29-2009, 06:09 AM

They look solid and well made to me...at least better than the stock ones I have that are 20+ years old!

I need to remove my cam cover for the annual inspection I do to check the tensioner. Then I'll try the wires on for ****s and giggles.

I'm surprised my car runs as good as it does with these old ones...wow are they ever cracked and brittle looking.

Dave, have you gone for a rip around the block yet?

onZedge · 04-29-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyshoun

...First one then another allowed the cable to pull up inside the plastic connector ends at the plug...

First: NEVER try to pull off a plug wire until the engine is cold. Heat expansion makes the connectors difficult to pull off resulting in plug wire damage.

Second: Remove the plug wire by pulling on the plug boot and NOT the wire. Give the boot a twist before pulling.

Third: Before re-installing plug wires, use a SMEAR of dielectric grease on the inside of the boots before putting them back on. This makes them easier to get off later and improves weather resistance.

The "problem" you describe above proves that you tried to remove the plug wire by pulling on the wire instead of the plug boot like you're supposed to...

PAUERMAN · 04-30-2009, 07:23 AM

Buy your plug wires direct from Kingsborne. They make the wires for Klewitt.

Dave L · 04-30-2009, 03:14 PM

Kingsborne is more expensive??

Dave L · 04-30-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickharrison

Dave, have you gone for a rip around the block yet?

Yes, I drove the car around a bit but will be taking it around this block this weekend

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100108623465122908860.000437a9c5c9308149362&t=k&z=17&om=1

rickharrison · 05-01-2009, 07:12 AM

Cool!

What's the cost, and what's required to do so?

Dave L · 05-01-2009, 07:49 AM

$40 for the day, you would need to be a member of a CASC-OR club. Check www.solo2ontario.com for details.

924RACR · 05-01-2009, 07:51 AM

I used to run Magnecors on my racecar; finally chucked them after pissing away the Driver's Championship from first place with a misfire due to a plug wire falling off the plug - happened many times, that was the last straw.

Converted to Kingsborn after my teammate showed them; no more misfires ever! Brand new Beru connectors, much more secure, and cheaper too IIRC!

It's a shame, I did like the Magnecors otherwise, the factory is around the corner here and service was excellent, but the connectors just weren't up to the job.

rickharrison · 05-01-2009, 08:03 AM

Kingsborn apparently makes the Clewett wires...so they should be good quality then!

andyshoun · andyshoun's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by onZedge

The "problem" you describe above proves that you tried to remove the plug wire by pulling on the wire instead of the plug boot like you're supposed to...

Edek,
thanks for the advice on waiting for the engine to cool and grease. However, the problem does not prove that I pulled the plug wire causing the problem. On the 911 the plug boot has a 90 deg bend to facilitate making the turn to the plug. It is actually difficult to grab the wire (and not the boot) and pull the plug boot lose. The plugs are down a blind hole (at least it is blind when you are installing the plug wire). I've been aiming the plug boot where I think the plug is and pushing it in until it "clicks" or doesn't. If not, I back it up and try to find the plug again. I believe imperfect alignment between the plug tip and plug tip connector caused the problem. Misalignment shoved the plug tip connector and wire the up into the plug boot. I'd appreciate it if anyone could show me a better way (I know this is off topic for the 944 forum.) Thanks.

Dave L · 05-04-2009, 04:51 PM

Okay, here is the update, the wires I have SUCK!

I installed them along with new plugs and a new rotor, the cap was replaced last year. The wire boots, as shown in the picture above, were too short and the elbow was somewhat resessed into the valve cover. I had emailed Clewett about my concerns that the boots were short (this was before the big problems) and I got an email back from Richard Clewett

We know that the wires are recessed into the valve cover to about the limit. The next available longer connector is too long and not as relaible. As long as the wires click onto the plug, you'll be fine.

Thank you for the feedback.

Richard Clewett
Clewett Engineering

While the conectors did click onto the spark plugs they also worked loose and popped off. When they pop off the car would sputter, buck and hesitate off of idle. I would have to turn the car off, pop the hood and go and check to see if the wires were connected properly. This happened infront of a customers business (nice!) and at Mosport (even Worse!) I got home fine but after turning the car off then restarting it later the car wouldnt even make it up the street without bucking and sputtering like crazy.

I checked to be sure I did everything right, checked the plugs and gap, checked the rotor then finally swapped in the BEAT TO HELL 20+ YEAR OLD WIRES > Problem solved.

Also the connection to the coil had a different connector and never really "Clicked" like the stock wires.

The wires do look good but they just dont seem to be made for my car.

LUCKILY I bought them from Pelican. Customer service A+

The wires are going back DOA on Thursday and I will probably look at getting the Beru STOCK wires.