Thread: Melting Plug Boots!

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I recently put some sanderson shorty street rod headers on my 350 and cant find any plug wires with boots that dont melt. The headers are really tight and there is less than 1/2 inch clearance between the boot and the header in some spots. Anyone had similar problems? Suggestions?

thanks
bruce

1981 volvo 242 w/ '90 GM 350 TBI, Borg Warner T56

my plus wires on my suburban were pretty close to the headers too, about an 1/8 of an inch, didnt have any problems...
maybe try getting some header tape, tape up the header where its closest to the plug boot, and put some tape on the boot aswell......

check summit...
msd makes a universal set with bendable ends plus you need to
get the wire pulled up tight....to holder not loose....i think jacobs makes some ceramic wires but they cost about 175.00
i burned about 5 up the first hour i had mine running....
heres a pic...with wires loose had to pull them up a bunch...
you can also put on the little bootys

OK, I should have said Ive already tried bootys AND tape, its just the headers are too close. Tape the headers and they touch the spark plugs (they are really tight), without tape, with boots they are still melting (MSD wires). Its only the #5 and #6 plugs because the collector is right there. Has anyone tried Accel's 9000 series wires? theyre supposed to be ceramic but half the cost of jacobs wires....

I got taylor spiro-pro wires on my suburban, no problems there...

Try getting the headers ceramic coated also take a look here you might find somthing

www.jegs.com

www.summit.com

sorry dont use that summit use this www.summitracing.com

Originally posted by pusilanime
I recently put some sanderson shorty street rod headers on my 350 and cant find any plug wires with boots that dont melt. The headers are really tight and there is less than 1/2 inch clearance between the boot and the header in some spots. Anyone had similar problems? Suggestions?

thanks
bruce

1981 volvo 242 w/ '90 GM 350 TBI, Borg Warner T56

Iwould hope that after practically two years he's got it figured out.

Works for me, by the way did you get my email on the cam specs Richard?

I'll try and download it here

I've got Borg-Warner wires and headers in my truck and have had no problems with the wires. I was having some leakage issues with the headers though. Nothing my new welding torch and a good file couldn't fix.

Hey pusilanime,
I found JBA power cable on this site it may help you .
http://www.jackit.com/headers/jba_wires.htm

how about some accell 9000's? the ones that have the silvery coated boots alot cheaper around 70-80 bux might try them.......scooter

Go to your local Iron/Steel foundry and ask one of the guy's for an offcut of refractory cloth.
This is the stuff they use to insulate blast furnaces.
One of the products is called "Carbon Fiber Graphite Cloth"
There are other types of refractory material.
you may also find it at a shop that build's wood burning fire place inserts.( they use the stuff to line the inner walls of furnaces )
It's pliable,,you can wrap anything with it,,and it'll withstand temperatures in the thousands of degree's.

I had the same problem on my 400 with aluminum heads and angle plugs. I put the boots on all my plug wires and they actually touch the headers (some of them) I noticed if I keep the temp down and good air flow they are just fine on the headers. I noticed this by disconecting my electric fan and watching the plugs/boots and they started to smell warm. I then started the electric fan up and the airflow immed. cooled them to the point where they were just fine. Maybe you want toa good electric fan that puts out serious airflow. Just a thought.