Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Engine Tech => Topic started by: Masejoer on November 24, 2005, 01:41:08 PM

Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 24, 2005, 01:41:08 PM
Anyone have any experience with borg warner spark plug wires? When swapping out spark plugs, one of the wires basically tore in pieces at the boot, breaking the contacts inside...part of the wire's connector still attached to the plug, the rest on the wire. Anyways, Advance Auto is open today until 2pm.

They have autolites and borg warner plugs. I'm not sure if autolite's wires are also the same as motorsport ones, since the plugs are, but those are the 2 brands they stock.

On the spark plug, from the records I could find (supposedly all were kept since 1991), I found that this thing supposedly hasn't had a tuneup in 7 years. All the plugs I pulled looked pretty clean with an exception of cylinder 8. It just looks...awful. I don't even know where to start. It appears to have half the total possible problems.

Files are ~180K so I'll just link to them
http://home.comcast.net/~s.g.s/plug1.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~s.g.s/plug2.JPG

Any ideas? Rings?

edit:
the broken wire was from cylinder 5 which looked normal
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: thunderjet302 on November 24, 2005, 01:47:55 PM
I think autolite's should be ok. Ford used to own them at somepoint I think. About that plug my Bird always fowls the #8 plug. Every other plug will be fine except for that one when I check them once a year. Mabey it has something to do with the 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 firing order? 8 is fired after 7 so mabey there's interference between the #7 and #8 wires. I don't know how it could happen on mine though cause I have FMS 9mm wires:dunno:
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 24, 2005, 01:53:42 PM
I never have any oil consumption, just a minor leak underneath. For all I know, this could have been fixed at some point in the last...however many years. I'll just have to pull the plugs a few months from now and look again. Seems like its a problem that would still exist though. Only really been driving the car for 3-4 years, right after it had a lot of work done to it (finally got around to putting all the records into an excel document). Either missing a record, or its last tuneup was in '98

On a side note, #4 was a PITA to do. Add to the fact that its threads were stuck more than any other plug's, I don't like that cylinder. Finally found a ratchet that made it slightly easier
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 24, 2005, 03:50:33 PM
oh well, bought some warner wires, distributor cap, and rotor. Everything's in and running well again, for a 197,000 mile engine
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: V8Demon on November 24, 2005, 05:51:10 PM
the #8 cylinder gets the least amount of air because of the way the stock intake is designed.  They foul out the most often whether SO or HO.  A ported lower usually does wonders for this....
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on November 24, 2005, 06:58:47 PM
Possible the oil drain back is plugged, causing #8 to pull oil in around the valve guide. Otherwise be sure to run #7 & 8 wires away from one another, can cause misfiring problems but I'd be looking at the drains on yours...
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: jimfulco on November 25, 2005, 04:07:30 AM
I've had BW spiral-core wires in mine for a year or so and they work fine.
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on November 25, 2005, 12:54:37 PM
4 and 8 are common with the problem. an engine with alot of blow by will collect oil mist in the upper intake through the pcv valve and the hose that connects the oil fill to the throttle body.and it seems common for #8 to get about 70 % of the vapor.I would also suggest changing the pcv valve and the use of some kind of (fog) to help clean the intake.
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 26, 2005, 12:51:32 PM
Quote from: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87
4 and 8 are common with the problem. an engine with alot of blow by will collect oil mist in the upper intake through the pcv valve and the hose that connects the oil fill to the throttle body.and it seems common for #8 to get about 70 % of the vapor.I would also suggest changing the pcv valve and the use of some kind of (fog) to help clean the intake.


PCV Valve, grommet, and filter were changed in the summer. I'm having some knock happen at idle in drive (600-700rpm) intermittently but I'm having problems duplicating it while not driving on public streets. Engine doesn't rough or anything, but occasionally at idle, it knocks SO loudly...seemingly in only one cylinder. Rechecked wires with no change. Plug gaps were all set to as close to each other as I could possibly get (within probably .005 of one another). I HAD to make a 150 mile drive yesterday and it didn't make a noise at all, until getting off the freeway and idling at the 3rd stoplight. Its being so hard to pinpoint where the problem lies, be it plug, wire, cap, or rotor...or something else. I can't get under the hood while its doing this.
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 27, 2005, 03:19:36 AM
didn't do it a single time today (200 miles, 50 in stop & go traffic), unlike yesterday. So annoying
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: V8Demon on November 27, 2005, 08:00:01 AM
Do you notice it more when its warmer out?
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 27, 2005, 05:43:26 PM
Temperature doesn't seem to have anything to do with it, being that it didn't do it at all yesterday, but occasionally at stops on Friday. Friday 46 high, 37 low. Yesterday, 47 high, 36 low.
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87 on November 27, 2005, 06:27:29 PM
Quote from: Seek
PCV Valve, grommet, and filter were changed in the summer.




even with new parts it is possible to draw oil into the intake. creating deposits like the ones you posted. Just wanted to let you know it is not uncommon for a higher milage 5.0.
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on November 27, 2005, 07:00:56 PM
Quote from: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87
even with new parts it is possible to draw oil into the intake. creating deposits like the ones you posted. Just wanted to let you know it is not uncommon for a higher milage 5.0.


oh, I know that. I've tried cleaning it with a mist at around the same time. Hard to know if the molecules are doing anything productive but go in and come out.

Any tips still help (minus new engine/rebuild yet)
Title: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?
Post by: Masejoer on December 09, 2005, 12:53:51 PM
It still hasn't made the noise since I last posted about the knock...weird