[keithl1967]

About to build my first "custom" set of wires. they are Taylor 8mm.

Any pitfalls, rules of thumb before I start?

[DjD]

Don't over crimp and measure twice before cutting...

[67sc]

Heh, I'm thinking of trying to correct mine. They were ended by someone who didn't know to cut the ends...

[ace's68]

If they are the type of taylors I'm thinking of (the ones at autozone etc...) I would go with a stock GM set of wires, or splurge and get a set of MSD or other type of wires. I've never liked them, and seen many of them have spark scatter, not from the boots, but from the actual wire.

[srode]

MSD comes with a crimping tool - follow the directions and you are good to go on the crimps, you can't over crimp using their tool. Get some dielectric grease to use on the outside of the wire end before you slide the boot on don't get any on the core or the very end of the case - stay about an 1/8 of an inch from the end. A little goes a LONG way and they slide easily even around 90 degree turns in boots. Use sharp side cutters to cut the wire to length, the core is fiber with small gauge metal winding around it. Use a razor knife with a fresh blade to cut the casing and insulation off to expose the core, and don't knick the core. Start at your plug and route each (do one wire at a time completely including plugging it in to the cap, then do the next wire) back to the distributor then mark where you want the cut with a wax pencil. Pay attention to which side of the wire you want the end to point to so it lays naturally in the position you want it, so you don't have to twist it to snap on to the cap. Take your time and it's an easy job.

[69 383 tko 5sp]

When I did my MSD set using the dielectric grease to help the wire through boot, I still had a hard time getting it to go through. After beveling the edge of insulation where you strip it, it went through much easier. Make sure to test with ohm meter when done.

[keithl1967]

They are Taylor sprio pro 8mm--not sure if that makes a difference or not...

The crimp tool that I have Taylor also, does not seem to allow the 8mm wire through for proper stripping (too tight a fit)...

[keithl1967]

when putting on the ohm meter, what Am I looking for?

The first wire (34") I built shows .943 (Taylor 8mm), whereas the wire that I took off (factory build ACCEL 8.8mm) shows 1.3...

Is this just a difference in the brand, is this reading OK, or did I do something wrong with it?

[Everett#2390]

Your 0.943 is an open. Usually, the center core gets folded over the outside jacket, the the wire end goes on and crimped.

[Steiner]

Spiro Pros should be 350 ohms per foot. Sounds right to me if you've got your meter set to the 1K scale. Your Accels might have been 500 ohm per foot.

[keithl1967]

Originally Posted by Steiner

Spiro Pros should be 350 ohms per foot. Sounds right to me if you've got your meter set to the 1K scale. Your Accels might have been 500 ohm per foot.

That's good news--so I guess that begs the question...will I notice any difference in spark withthe new wires that show less resistance?

[Arch Stanton]

FWIW, I had 2 sets of Taylor's 8mm cut n crimp sets. Liked 'em. I'd get another if I needed to.
To answer your question, I noticed a slightly better/smoother idle, but they replaced a pretty old set, so I dunno how much difference you'll see.

SRODE's directions are very good. If you dont have dielectric grease to slide on the boots, I used Palmolive liquid dish soap.

My one bit of advice: I started with the shortest length and worked my way to the longest, because at first I just grabbed any 'ol piece from the little box and started making a wire, not realising that I might not have a long enough of a new one to do my longest length one. Got lucky, had just enough. Just lay 'em all out first and try to match up the short lengths to short distances and long lengths to the longest ones out. Especially if you have the billet type wire looms that go into the brackets on the valve covers n such. Hope that made sense......

[PA Camaro Guy]

Doesn't hurt to mock it all up in your looms too--- especially if you are going to replace your looms with something different. You'd be surprised how you will find that you can be as much as 3'' off of what you thought you had once you start snapping them down in your wire looms for final routing. This happened to me when I swapped out looms between vortec mount valve covers and standard. I had to start swapping wires across the motor to compensate and could have easily avoided had I just done a full mock up and then made my markings. Little extra time well spent up front.

[srode]

Brian, that's exactly why I did one wire at a time, starting with #1 and working down that side, then over to #2 and going down that side - putting wires from the plug into the loom and then to the distributor, using the shortest wire on each one that would reach the entire way, then marking the wire at the distributor for the cut I wanted. I found that for the most part, the short wires in each set would make long runs so when I got to the shortest runs I actually had long enough pieces of wire left I could make medium length wires up with the left over parts if I needed to at some point in the future. A little planning on how you want the wires routed that cross from one side of the engine to the opposite side of the rotor is very helpful too. Wire orientation on the distributor is important for a nice need job if you are using 90's there like I did, plus making sure no interferences with linkage, air cleaner, PCV hose routing etc.