Ignition leads

[Fyldeflier]

I have decided during this winters check over to change the ignition leads.

The car is a 1400 ss eu2 with a single coil.

any recommendations ? If possible I would like the king lead to have a  rubber boot to cover the coil as the original has one and it seems a good way of keeping water and muck away from the coil.

thanks 

John.

 

[Nigel B]

I bought a set from Magnecor last year. 

My car is Vauxhall, rather than K series engined. They supplied me with a Cavalier set, with a longer coil lead (supplied at no extra cost!). 

The 1.4 K series is listed in their online catalogue, so I’d imagine they’d be able to modify a set to match your requirements. I found them a pleasure to deal with.

Nigel.

[TomB]

I bought a set from Redline a couple of years ago. 

[Toby S]

I got a set from Magnecor last year (the red ones) and they are very good - changed the distributor and rotor arm at the same time which I'd also recommend (got them from Rimmer Bros). Standard Rover 25/200 leads are long enough

I would suggest however that you try and take a picture of the coil end connection, as when mine first arrived it had the wrong end - they changed it for a few quid extra without too much of a fuss - it was just a bit of a faff and in the end I sent them the old cable to ensure the coil end was correct - mine sounds the like it's the same as yours.

 

 

[Bottrill]

I had these guys make me a set for my k series r300. Very good.

http://www.formulapower.com

[virden]

 How does one test the efficiency of leads?  Mine are c10k miles old

[Jonathan Kay]

I don't think there's a way of testing them without dedicated kit. Other than swapping them in and out with good ones.

Jonathan

[Stridey]

A multimeter can measure resistance. A simple calculation of that figure divided by length means you can at least work out if ones duff compared to the others.

I did this after changing spark plugs and feeling one cable plug seemed to go on too easily.

At least it proves to me I did need a new lead, before any real probs occurred.

 

 

[Jonathan Kay]

A multimeter can measure resistance. A simple calculation of that figure divided by length means you can at least work out if ones duff compared to the others.

Good point. 

But I don't think that you can show that a lead is good by testing with an ordinary multimeter... the current is too low.

Jonathan

[Stridey]

But I don't think that you can show that a lead is good by testing with an ordinary multimeter... the current is too low.

I tested my old suspicious set, along with the new custom 'premium' Retro Leads set and also a set of off the shelf ones from an early Ford Ka (my Crossflow has electronic ignition) the results were all different, but not perceptible on the road, to me at least.

I put it in the nice to check perhaps in the spring before a service category. 

 

[Jonathan Kay]

I may well be wrong: NGK suggest using a multimeter.

Jonathan

[Stridey]

The NGK link you give above is interesting, but leaves out the idea of measuring length of cables and using division to compare the resistance of each lead to (hopefully) give a similar figure for all four, thus detecting a problem.

Thanks to you JK i'm realising how useful a multimeter is to have. And learning some the functions beuond voltage readings. Just being able to test a wire for continuity with a beep is jolly useful! 

[Jonathan Kay]

The NGK link you give above is interesting, but leaves out the idea of measuring length of cables and using division to compare the resistance of each lead to (hopefully) give a similar figure for all four, thus detecting a problem.

It depends on how you look at it: the oomph available to the plug only depends on the absolute resistance (at the right current and waveform). 

Jonathan