Spark Plug Wire Heat Shield (‘Socks’)

[SPF Required]

My car has been through a rough couple of weeks. Radiator replaced, alternator replaced, now getting to maintenance items and see the heat from the exhaust manifold has destroyed my spark plug wire boot (driver side, closest to the driver).

Any of you have luck with those heat shield socks they sell for this purpose? Figure with so many available on the market, and being relatively cheap, it seems like good insurance from this happening again…. But foolish if they don’t actually work.

 

[mikedrini]

I've had luck with the socks, but the ceramic spark plug boots are really nice.

 

[SPF Required]

These?
ACCEL 9045C Extreme 9000 Spark Plug Wire Set https://a.co/d/dz83ugZ

Most of those boots are 90s. My current set are mostly straight boots. Is there enough wire in yours to have the wire point down and clear the manifold?

 

[mikedrini]

On mine yes, but I have a 440/505 with shorty manifolds, not the logs. Not sure what your setup is or if they make straight ceramic boots, but the socks work well too.

 

[Big_John]

Just thinking out loud... Would it make sense to add some of the factory plug heat shields?

Like these (almost all the way down the page) Hoffman's Winners Electrical System Related

 

[Gerald Morris]

Just thinking out loud... Would it make sense to add some of the factory plug heat shields?

Like these (almost all the way down the page) Hoffman's Winners Electrical System Related

One would think so. Saw even some aluminum shields meant to snap right over 90 degree boots just today, while researching aluminum or other metallic plug wire flex, mesh tubing, even high temp silicone adhesive Al tape (3M 433) to wrap my ever so low resistance old school copper plug wires in, IFF it should prove necessary. It may not be, and I'm most apt to use 3/8" flex to shield the wires for budgetary reasons as well as strength.

 

[cbarge]

I use the " socks" on the Boab's HP383. Especially on #7 and #8..
Barely see it on the back..lol. Had no issues.
Get them at any parts jobber or online speed shop.

 

[Gerald Morris]

I use the " socks" on the Boab's HP383. Especially on #7 and #8..
Barely see it on the back..lol. Had no issues.
Get them at any parts jobber or online speed shop.

Saw some very interesting socks, putatively made of woven basalt instead of mere sand (silicone -> glass) Still see no need, for moi. I found some thick aluminum tape which I will roll around my plug wires, stopping any RF flux coming off or into them. Might be interesting for the EE's and physicists here to calculate the E and B fields surrounding the copper (in my case) conductor, then seeing what comes of an aluminum shield. The dielectrics like EPDM and silicone will be constant, but the coaxial shield might better propagate the spark pulse, OR IMPEDE IT, depending on This and That.

But, being the lazy, senile, junky empiricist I am, I reckon so long as Gerty goes VROOM! better or at least as well for the effort, then I'll call it good.

 

[SPF Required]

My new wires were delivered today. I am inclined to swap them all out (one at a time) but wondering if it is better to just focus on the damaged one(s) and hang on to the others as spares?

The replacements are the same make and model as the ones currently on the car.

 

[Gerald Morris]

My new wires were delivered today. I am inclined to swap them all out (one at a time) but wondering if it is better to just focus on the damaged one(s) and hang on to the others as spares?

The replacements are the same male and model as the ones currently on the car.

Just replace the bad stuff then. I've reached the point where I don't care to pay for premade plug wires. I buy whatever conductor I need, and terminate the wires after custom cut and fit. I use Rajah screw together ones with bakelite insulators. Still, one MUST crimp the distributor terminals well, and Harbor Fright/PLA sloppo tools can't do that. I like these ceramic boots on the new stuff though. Still, I figure good socks, and care to avoid sharp edges near the plug junction goes a long way for insulation.