Crane 351C 8.5mm Fire (spark plug) Wires

Aaahh .. what's wrong with the Crane wires if you already have them? What am I missing?

Looks like a cut-to-length wire set, which are a pain in the arse to do. I have an MSD cut-to-length wire set for my car which has been sitting in the garage for 3 years now. It was such a PITA to do the first wire that the set went into a drawer, where it still sits. Buy a set sized for an Olds or some other car that has the length you need; you'll be glad you did. MSD makes a 351C set, but I found the wires were too short to go through the wire loom I had mounted to the side of my valve covers.

quote:

cut-to-length wire set, which are a pain in the arse to do

Indeed they are.

It took me hours when I did mine last year. Two days, two sessions. One can only crouch in the engine bay so long.

I used some brackets as posted in a photo years go on this forum (imitation is the most sincere form of flattery) and the resultant discrete barely-even-noticed wiring is exactly the look I wanted for my engine bay.

Sometimes good things take some effort.

Larry

I have a thing about mixing some colors, and have a set of red MSD wires will go better with my car, so the blue wires are expendable.

As far as difficulty, it usually depends on having the right tools. MSD makes a crimping dies for plug wires:

http://www.bing.com/videos/sea...3D7F14F74C2620377811

did you try them?

quote:

did you try them?

Indeed.

Proper crimpers are a pricey investment for a seldom-used tool, but it is the ONLY way to do the job right.

I used an Accel unit.

Larry

quote:

did you try them?

Nope! I don't have the special tool. Didn't know it was required or available. The instructions offer some mickey-mouse workaround using a vice or pliers - a cumbersome process that's not very effective.

FWIW, a dyno operator once told me the single most common malady a Pantera has when showing up for a dyno check is bad plug wires! Most owners do not often use the full power or rev-range of their engines and thus 'get used to' the thing running a bit sub-par. Then when full power is called for, there's a 'surprising' misfire. Most dyno shops actually stock generic plug wires and maybe new spark plugs as well as carb jets and such. But using expensive dyno time is not the venue to do a basic tune-up! Tweeks- sure, but not stuff like old wires or plugs.

Larry,

You are correct that the right tool is about $80, but the dies are interchangeable. If you do any wiring, it's worth having a really good ratcheting crimping tool and buy the dies for different crimps (maybe you guys have the skills to use a less expensive tool, I don't). The MSD dies for plug wires are about $28.

I also am not sure a finished set of wires will have the lengths I want. I think as soon as you start changing valve cover, wires looms,etc. it makes more sense to get a set of wires you can cut to the best length.