Wire Managers: Magnecor Install

[orph]

I am the process of installing a set of Magnecor plug wires in my '86 930.

I've searched old posts on this subject and found many worthwhile tips. However, there is one issue I'm seeking advice on and that is in regards to the wire managers. From old posts, seems many of these are of a hard plastic and folks drill them out to accommodate the heavier gauge Magnecors, but on my 930, the setup ( in looking at old posted pics ) is slightly different from the non turbo'ed 911's. Let me explain:

There are 4 rubber wire managers on the old wiring setup that snap into various places within the engine bay, including two on the fan shroud. It appears that one would pretty much destroy the old ones if one were try to get them to fit the Magnecors. Ist of all, the Magnecors are thicker at 8.5mm, so one would need to enlarge the holes on the existing rubber ones. Removal itself from the old wires would not be too difficult, but to get on the Magnecors, the only way I see to get them to work would be to slit the rubber managers with a thin razor, creating a slot whereby one would push the wire into a now greater diameter opening. The end result might not look the best !

Does any one know of a solution other than this ? Are these rubber managers with the snap-on tit so to speak available with a greater hole diameter ( 8.5 mm ) that would allow use with the Magnecors ?

ORPH

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

I'm damned if I remember where I got them, but I believe it was simply an ordinary auto-parts store that at least in part catered to minor-league hot-rodders, but my plastic wire managers fit my twin-plug Magnecors just fine. Well enough that I assume they were marked "for 8.5mm leads." In other words, they're out there. Came in packets of four-, three- and two-wire managers, and because they were obviously intended for V8s, I had to buy a couple of extra packets. Remember, Magnecors go on lots more American V8s than they do flat sixes, so somebody domestic has to be making wire managers for them

Stephan

[rlane]

I did the same...check out JEGS or similar catalogs. The brand I used was Moroso.

[ruf-porsche]

I just slit the old rubber wire managers and put the new magnecor wire in, work like a charm and it still look stock.

[Schrup]

My rubber wire managers were already slit & the Magnecor wires fit as long as I put the middle one in first.

[azasadny]

Call me a "jury rigger", but I use good old cable ties (in black). They work well and don't look too bad. I'm not a "concourse guy", so they keep the wires off the hot parts of the engine, so I'm happy...

[sammyg2]

I slit mine and installed the magnecors. After I was done I came to the conclusion that it would have been better If I'd drilled them before slitting them but they work fine as is for me.

[ruf-porsche]

Kinda hard to drill the soft rubber IMHO. I think slit is just fine or you can fine one of those hot rod guy that whittle you some wire manager from a piece of billet aluminum.

[cegerer]

OK, let me add my 5 cents ..... installed my Magnecors today on my 2.5L 71. (purchased from Pelican, of course). What should be a 15 minute job, is about a 2 hour job because of the larger diameter wires! The wire managers are only one headache. My managers are rubber (there's 3 of them - 2 hold the rightside wires and 1 holds the 3 left side wires) and can't really be drilled out, so I slit them. This didn't hold the wires well, so I cut electrical tape to the correct width and wrapped the rubber managers. That worked well and looks good.

Now, if you run Webers, the plug wires are supposed to run thru 3 holes cast into the base intake manifold of the right side carb (I've seen many installations where the wires are not run thru these holes). It makes for a neat installation. The wires on the left side are not run thru the manifolds. You must take the distributor-end boots off the 3 right side wires to fish them thru the holes. I found it easiest to remove the brass plugs completely. I then ran the wires and reinstalled the plugs using a crimper designed for cable TV coax cable - worked great. Except for the rearmost hole - this had to be drilled out to a larger diameter.

Sounds easy, but with the carb installed, there's little access. Used a 90 degree adapter on my drill motor, but still not enough room. So I had to break off a small piece of a drill bit (11/32 dia.) about 1.5 inches long and put that in the chuck!!!

That's it. As mentioned by several others on this board, the Magnecors do not 'snap on' to the plugs as nicely as the Berus. But they seem to work fine and I estimate at least a 20 HP increase .... -- Curt

[Wil Ferch]

The benefit of the 8.5 mm diamter is mostly lost for a lot of us...the core might be the same diameter for Magnacor's 7 mm set. Anyone use these ( excellent) 7mm ones and care to report? Should fit better ( less bunching) on the dizzy cap, too !
---Wil Ferch

[cegerer]

Well the 7mm versions are not a pretty red color, Wil! Seriously though, you're probably correct. However, when I ordered mine, Pelican only listed the 'Competition' version, so that's what I bought. -- Curt

[rds356]

MSD and others make nice wire looms for various applications

[azasadny]

Curt,

It's always nice to see pics of the "Gray Wolf"!

[Wil Ferch]

bump...anyone use 7mm Magnacors ???

--Wil Ferch