Checking Plug Wires

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> Had a friend with a "sure thing" test for his wires...had someone crank the
> car while he held or had his hand near the wires.  If he got zapped, he
> replaced them.  Made sense.

This system worked OK with older cars - lacking today's HEI 
ignitions.  Heck, I never had a problem finding a bad plug wire using 
this technique.

BUT!!!  With the new high-voltage systems (since when, maybe 1985??) 
This is not a good idea for ones' health!  Especially if ones' heart 
is weak, the results can be FATAL.  So I've had to swear off this 
technique.

Used to also be that one could pull a plug wire loose at the 
distributor end - NOT the plug end - and see if a spark was jumping.  
But that can damage the ignition systems on some of today's hi-tech 
cars.

So the only dependable - and safe - way that I know of to test HEI 
systems is with a scope.  RATS!!!!  -- say all us shade-tree types.


********** A Washington State Cougar in Aggieland (aTm) ************

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
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            "The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing."  
        Dizzy Dean, after a beanball in the 1934 World Series. 
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