Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug? (Read 1991 times) previous topic - next topic

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

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
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #1 –
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:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #2 –
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
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #3 –
oh well, bought some warner wires, distributor cap, and rotor. Everything's in and running well again, for a 197,000 mile engine
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #4 –
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....
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #5 –
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...
 

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #6 –
I've had BW spiral-core wires in mine for a year or so and they work fine.

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #7 –
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.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #8 –
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.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #9 –
didn't do it a single time today (200 miles, 50 in stop & go traffic), unlike yesterday. So annoying
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #10 –
Do you notice it more when its warmer out?
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #11 –
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.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #12 –
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.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #13 –
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)
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Borg Warner spark plug wires? Cyl 8 plug?

Reply #14 –
It still hasn't made the noise since I last posted about the knock...weird
1988 Thunderbird Sport