plug wire resistances...

Hi Folks,
I have a 98 escort wagon se, 2.0l, single cam. 5 speed, 200 000 kms
I have been reviewing earlier threads for informatioon on cars that stutter, lose power, poor fuel efficiency etc.

The common result is ignition. Almost everybody agrees on replacing/ regapping the plugs and new wires. So i bought new plugs, Autolite from Partsource in Ontario, and gapped them to .054 (the old ones were all greater than .08)...i just recently purchased the car.

OK that fixed the stuttering problem (it felt like it was misfiring under heavy acceleration, always at the same rpm...low around 1500 to 1800- a guess, i have no tach).
This hasnt addressed the fuel efficiency. I drive the car about 50/50 city/ HWY and am getting between 10 and 11 km/l. Not bad but my 2.4 l 98 accord gives me 13.5.
Does this soudn low to others as well?

I bought new wires at the same time so i thought i'd try them as well.
My manual suggsts checking the resistance with an ohm meter. (not more than 7000 ohms per foot). Somebody in a previous thread was kind enough to do the math. Below is a list of the recommended max resistances as well as the resistances of the old and the new wires in Mohms:

max old new
1 16.3 12.5 13.0
2 15.7 10.3 13.1
3 14.0 8.0 10.6
4 11.0 8.8 10.6

So the old wires all had lower resistance than the new ones. What does that mean to you guys (and gals), seems wrong to me. Did i buy crappy wires? Were my old ones still good? there was no dielectric grease on the speark plug end but there was some on the coil pack/ distributor end. I never did check for spark plug leakage.

Where should i go next to improve fuel efficiency?
I have been recommended to put a few containers of fuel injector cleaner in the next couple of tanks. Another recommendation was to replace the fuel filter, I have one but it looks like a real pain to get off and replace.
any other suggestions? Or am i just barking mad and should i just be content with the efficiency that i currently have?

thanks for the input, sorry for the length.

Dave

Hi Folks,
I have a 98 escort wagon se, 2.0l, single cam. 5 speed, 200 000 kms
I have been reviewing earlier threads for informatioon on cars that stutter, lose power, poor fuel efficiency etc.

The common result is ignition. Almost everybody agrees on replacing/ regapping the plugs and new wires. So i bought new plugs, Autolite from Partsource in Ontario, and gapped them to .054 (the old ones were all greater than .08)...i just recently purchased the car.

OK that fixed the stuttering problem (it felt like it was misfiring under heavy acceleration, always at the same rpm...low around 1500 to 1800- a guess, i have no tach).
This hasnt addressed the fuel efficiency. I drive the car about 50/50 city/ HWY and am getting between 10 and 11 km/l. Not bad but my 2.4 l 98 accord gives me 13.5.
Does this soudn low to others as well?

I bought new wires at the same time so i thought i'd try them as well.
My manual suggsts checking the resistance with an ohm meter. (not more than 7000 ohms per foot). Somebody in a previous thread was kind enough to do the math. Below is a list of the recommended max resistances as well as the resistances of the old and the new wires in Mohms:

max old new
1 16.3 12.5 13.0
2 15.7 10.3 13.1
3 14.0 8.0 10.6
4 11.0 8.8 10.6

So the old wires all had lower resistance than the new ones. What does that mean to you guys (and gals), seems wrong to me. Did i buy crappy wires? Were my old ones still good? there was no dielectric grease on the speark plug end but there was some on the coil pack/ distributor end. I never did check for spark plug leakage.

Where should i go next to improve fuel efficiency?
I have been recommended to put a few containers of fuel injector cleaner in the next couple of tanks. Another recommendation was to replace the fuel filter, I have one but it looks like a real pain to get off and replace.
any other suggestions? Or am i just barking mad and should i just be content with the efficiency that i currently have?

thanks for the input, sorry for the length.

Dave
My :2cents:
The misfiring, hard cold starting, and the reduction in fuel economy is probably due to the excessive sparkplug gap. The 2.L should be getting better km/l than the Accord if both are manual transmission, and driven the same.
As to the sparkplug wire resistance: The resistor wire and (sparkplugs) are engineered to reduce EMI (electromagnetic interference with on-board electronics) higher resistance is not worse, low resistance is.
I would like to see the 'Math' you referred to, and also the length of each of your sparkplug wires before I could comment on the quality of the replacement wires. I'm guessing the resistance on your new wires are approx. 5.5K/ft.
4/17/05 Added information: I checked a new set of 'Premium' Prestolite wires yesterday, and the resistance readings were very close to the 'old'
reading you gave. The resistance readings of replacement wires should be within approx. 10% of the vehicle specification or OEM wires. (Prestolite is the OEM for Ford) Wire connectors are another factor: Factory wires use a two piece inner and outer collar to grip the sparkplug, many after the market wires use one and don't grip the plug tightly.

>My :2cents:
>The misfiring, hard cold starting, and the reduction in fuel economy is >probably due to the excessive sparkplug gap. The 2.L should be >getting better km/l than the Accord if both are manual transmission, >and driven the same.

they are both manual and are driven pretty much the same

>As to the sparkplug wire resistance: The resistor wire and
>(sparkplugs) are engineered to reduce EMI (electromagnetic >interference with on-board electronics) higher resistance is not worse, >low resistance is.
>I would like to see the 'Math' you referred to, and also the length of >each of your sparkplug wires before I could comment on the quality of >the replacement wires. I'm guessing the resistance on your new wires >are approx. 5.5K/ft.

Sorry i just 'searched' for PLUG WIRE RESISTANCE and somebody had already posted the numbers, based on 7000 ohm per foot.
If hgher is better than lower, why do you checkfor maximum resistance and not minimum resistance

>4/17/05 Added information: I checked a new set of 'Premium' >restolite -wires yesterday, and the resistance readings were very close >to the 'old'
>reading you gave. The resistance readings of replacement wires >should be within approx. 10% of the vehicle specification or OEM >wires. (Prestolite is the OEM for Ford) Wire connectors are another >factor: Factory wires use a two piece inner and outer collar to grip the >sparkplug, many after the market wires use one and don't grip the >plug tightly.

Since, i have just replaced the wires and have new, properly gapped plugs, where should i go next for more fuel efficiency?
(btw, i already checked to see if i had any dragging brakes/ sticking poarking brake...by testing the lug nuts for heat after a longish drive)

thanks, Dave

>

Since, i have just replaced the wires and have new, properly gapped plugs, where should i go next for more fuel efficiency?
(btw, i already checked to see if i had any dragging brakes/ sticking poarking brake...by testing the lug nuts for heat after a longish drive)

thanks, Dave

Sorry if my post confused you, I will try to clarify..
The key to wire resistance and after market wire replacements is trying to match up to the vehicle manufacturers specification as closely as possible. (Within +/- 10%) Example: Vehicle manufacturers specification may be 1K - 4K per foot. The 7K MAX indicated in some manuals may not be good for your make and model. The authority is the FORD Manual.
Higher as opposed to lower wire resistance is good from a EMI standpoint.
Lower resistance is good from an electrical delivery standpoint....within the manufacturers specified limits. Resistance too low could damage the ignition system.