Spark-plug wires for 5000ST ..

["Arun Rao" <rao%frisbee@frisbee.pixar.com>]

	Well, I decided to do this weekend what I'd been putting off for
	a while: check the spark plug wires/distributor/rotor.

	Amazing findings: two of the five wires were *absolutely* open --
	they would not register at all on my (admittedly cheap) multimeter.
	The other three yielded the correct resistance (about 6K) after
	some coaxing.  I can only theorize as to how the car ran just
	fine with two bad wires: possibly because of some high-voltage
	insulator break-down.

	I finally ended up replacing all the wires, the distributor cap
	and the rotor for the ridiculous price of (choke, gag!) $106. A
	couple of experiences to pass on:

	1. Don't buy non-Bosch ignition wires.  In particular don't
	ever buy a brand called MSW: it doesn't fit, even though it's
	supposed to.

	2. A 17mm open-end wrench makes a good tool to push down on
	the no. 5 plug connector, should you not be able to do it
	with your fingers.


	The patient (an '85 5000ST with 98K on the clock) is doing well,
	except for a sound from the distributor when the engine's cold.
	Probably the dust cover, but I'll have to check.
	Also, starting it the first time after the wire replacement
	was really hard .. it usually  starts instantly.

	-Arun