do bigger MM plug wires actually help?

[Wild Card]

ive heard that bigger MM spark plug wires will have a hotter spark. is this true or not? will i have to upgrade to a MSD or Accell hotter coil or aftermarket distrubtor to tell the difference?

 

[onyxxtreme]

bigger wires (the actual conductive core) just mean less resistance
you wont see real power increases with bigger wires, unless your making tons of power
but if i needed a set of plug wires (old ones wore out), and the aftermarket bigger wires cost the same as stock replacements, why not spring for the bigger ones....

 

[joesregalproject]

Theoretically they should have less resistance, but this also depends on the material that the wire is made from, but I don't believe they will have a hotter spark. You will have a tiny performance gain, but more than likely, you won't notice it.

 

[bill]

Mostly depends on the set up you are using. For instance, HEI systems require less resistant wires (8MM+) .... Too much voltage through 6-7MM, non HEI wires, will create more heat and cause the casings to crack, or even melt, and leak voltage. MSD and Accel are fine upgrades....IMO, you cant go wrong with larger than stock wires.

 

[565bbchevy]

I wouldn't buy wires solely based on overall size,a quality known brand with less resistence per foot is what makes the difference and having RFI suppression.
The advantage of an overall large diameter wire is it is well insulated which is good.

 

[rustyroger]

You won't see any significant gain using high performance plug wires unless you have a high performance ignition system.

Much more important is using good quality wires, if you have an oem ignition wires that meet oem standards will be fine.

Roger.

 

[H2O gbodies]

Be aware too that the quality of the wire is also a determining factor-most aftermarket plug wires have copper conductor wire which is manufactured overseas....where quality control is lacking and to help keep costs down, materials such as tin is added which doesn't take to heat well and embrittles the wire overall.

I use Taylor wires exclusively and they offer both 8mm stock replacements up to their 409 Race Wire. They are manufactured and wound here in the US....the same can't be said of most aftermarket companies....MSD included. As for less resistance, it can be said that the best ignition system is only as good as its most resistive link....if you want to take advantage of a high quality wire, you better have reasons for it. Reasons such as higher compression, wider plug gap, higher voltage HEI coil/module (60K DUI comes to mind here...), high RPM motor where accurate ignition is demanded, use of a timing belt or gear to gear, etc. It's never a bad idea to use performance wires but it should be looked at more as 1 part of a larger ignition upgrade puzzle.

 

[pontiacgp]

I wouldn't buy wires solely based on overall size,a quality known brand with less resistence per foot is what makes the difference and having RFI suppression.
The advantage of an overall large diameter wire is it is well insulated which is good.

x2, the sleeved Moroso Ultra 40 wire is what we use on all our race cars plus I use them on my GP. We tested the resistance on all major brand wire sets and they were inconsistent and none registered as low as the 40 ohms per foot of the Moroso wire

 

[gp02a0083]

Like mentioned before. Strictly speaking about the wire and not the ign system used. A larger core / conductor diameter, metal composition / purity of the conductor and the length can affect the ohmic value measured. PontaicGP mentioned about variations, this is very true with your bargain brand wires. They are not consistent, which can cause some problems if the resistance drifts. Then there is spiral or solid conductor, RFI / EMI suppression ( not a big deal unless you got sensitive audio equipment and things to that effect. Basically a larger solid core, short length plug wire will provide minimal resistance.

 

[thrasher]

I wouldn't buy wires solely based on overall size,a quality known brand with less resistence per foot is what makes the difference and having RFI suppression.
The advantage of an overall large diameter wire is it is well insulated which is good.

x2, the sleeved Moroso Ultra 40 wire is what we use on all our race cars plus I use them on my GP. We tested the resistance on all major brand wire sets and they were inconsistent and none registered as low as the 40 ohms per foot of the Moroso wire

Over the years my friends and I have used and liked Taylor Spiro-Pro, MSD Super Conductor 8.5, and the Moroso's.
Those are the only wires I would consider these days. But as mentioned there could be some question about the MSD now days.