Honda Car Forum

My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.

The following has been on my mind:

I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.

Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
replacing them?

I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
(or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
Comments?

Elle wrote:
> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
> The following has been on my mind:
>
> I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
> haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
> water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
> Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
> average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
> on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?
>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
> Comments?
>
=====================================

My oldest Honda is a '97, and I think handling them more than necessary
is a bad thing since it's the copper connectors that get pulled apart
from the wire, or loose their 'grip' from being yanked about. As long as
they are OEM wires I'd think you can go almost forever on them. Wiping
them down with some silicone might not be a bad idea just to keep them
supple and clean, but other than that, do (newer) Honda wires ever go
'bad' ? ?

'Curly'

Elle wrote:
> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
> The following has been on my mind:
>
> I check the wires' resistances once a year.

resistance is no indication of h.v. leakage. just like a coil can test
"ok" for resistance, but spark internally to earth at high voltage.

> The resistances
> haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
> water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
> Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
> average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
> on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?

if they're working for you, i see no reason not to continue using them,
but personally, i'd replace them.

>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
> Comments?

that may be the case, but i can't say i know that to be fact. i use
coiled core leads on both my civic and crx - they're noticeably better
in both cases across all conditions. i wouldn't go back to traditional
oem polymer core leads.

Elle wrote:
> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
> The following has been on my mind:
>
> I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
> haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
> water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
> Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
> average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
> on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?
>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
> Comments?
>
>


Best to leave sleeping dogs alone. You'll get symptoms when the wires
need replacing...

JT

(Don't spend more than you hafta...)

motsco_ wrote:
> Elle wrote:
>> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and 66k miles
>> old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval is four years/60k
>> miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991 Integra at five years,
>> period, though he lives in a northern climate in Canada (and I like
>> what he says about ignition components). I live "out west" where in
>> summer it's kinda hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty
>> darn warm. I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
>> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>>
>> The following has been on my mind:
>>
>> I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances haven't
>> moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with water about twice a
>> year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991 Honda continues to get great
>> fuel mileage, continuing to average about 40 mpg around town even in
>> winter. Last summer on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>>
>> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be going on
>> with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant replacing them
>> a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without replacing them?
>>
>> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today (or
>> thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991. Comments?
> =====================================
>
> My oldest Honda is a '97, and I think handling them more than necessary
> is a bad thing since it's the copper connectors that get pulled apart
> from the wire, or loose their 'grip' from being yanked about.

plug leads don't have copper conductors any more. most use a conductive
elastomer core, the so-called "high resistance" leads. higher quality
leads use a coiled [stainless] wire core.

> As long as
> they are OEM wires I'd think you can go almost forever on them. Wiping
> them down with some silicone might not be a bad idea just to keep them
> supple and clean, but other than that, do (newer) Honda wires ever go
> 'bad' ? ?
>
> 'Curly'

"Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in
news:cshEh.6305$tD2.442@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net:

> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
> The following has been on my mind:
>
> I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
> haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
> water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
> Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
> average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
> on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?
>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
> Comments?
>
>

I would think insulation breakdown would be the primary failure mode(for
age),followed by broken connections at either of the ends where they plug
into/onto something,and people pull on them.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 14:56:08 GMT, Elle <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote:


>My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
>66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
>is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
>Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
>climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
>components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
>hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
>I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
>more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.

>The following has been on my mind:

>I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
>haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
>water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
if it works, don't fix it

Elle wrote:
>
> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
> The following has been on my mind:
>
> I check the wires' resistances once a year. The resistances
> haven't moved since purchase. I wash the wires off with
> water about twice a year. They do get pretty dusty. My 1991
> Honda continues to get great fuel mileage, continuing to
> average about 40 mpg around town even in winter. Last summer
> on a 1000 mile highway trip, the car got 45 mpg.
>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?
>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
> Comments?

Using Honda OEM wires, this shop recommends a replacement interval of
120,000 miles or 10 years.

http://www.high-road.com/maintenance/maintenance.htm

Eric

"Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in news:cshEh.6305
$tD2.442@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:

> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.



Maybe not. Other than from unusual physical trauma, OEM ignition wires fail
primarily due to insulation breakdown. This is impossible to measure with a
multimeter.

If your area experiences very high summer heat, I suppose that may
contribute to insulation breakdown.


>
> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
> replacing them?
>
> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.



Could be. I'd be willing to guess the insulating polymers are probably more
robust than those available 16 years ago.

If you get a good strong spark at the plugs, and you never have signs of
weaker starting when the weather is very wet and the car is cold, your
wires are almost certainly just fine.

I've personally found that wires tend to start leaking current once they
get past seven years of age. You can tell leakage easily: Engine running,
wires soaking wet, grab a wire with your hand. No shock? It's fine. Get a
tickle? It's failing. Get a jolt? It's gone.



--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Tegger <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in
news:Xns98E350F68ADF9tegger@207.14.116.130:

> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in news:cshEh.6305
> $tD2.442@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:
>
>> My 1991 Civic's OEM ignition wires are now five years and
>> 66k miles old. The 1991 owner's manual replacement interval
>> is four years/60k miles. Tegger says he does his on his 1991
>> Integra at five years, period, though he lives in a northern
>> climate in Canada (and I like what he says about ignition
>> components). I live "out west" where in summer it's kinda
>> hot, and for nine months of the year it's pretty darn warm.
>> I would think the higher heat where I live would argue for
>> more frequent replacement than Tegger's schedule.
>
>
>
> Maybe not. Other than from unusual physical trauma, OEM ignition wires
> fail primarily due to insulation breakdown. This is impossible to
> measure with a multimeter.
>
> If your area experiences very high summer heat, I suppose that may
> contribute to insulation breakdown.
>
>
>>
>> Is there anything undetectable, so to speak, that could be
>> going on with my Honda's ignition wires that would warrant
>> replacing them a.s.a.p.? Or could I go another year without
>> replacing them?
>>
>> I also remember reading here that ignition wires made today
>> (or thereabouts) last a lot longer than those made in 1991.
>
>
>
> Could be. I'd be willing to guess the insulating polymers are probably
> more robust than those available 16 years ago.
>
> If you get a good strong spark at the plugs, and you never have signs
> of weaker starting when the weather is very wet and the car is cold,
> your wires are almost certainly just fine.
>
> I've personally found that wires tend to start leaking current once
> they get past seven years of age. You can tell leakage easily: Engine
> running, wires soaking wet, grab a wire with your hand. No shock? It's
> fine. Get a tickle? It's failing. Get a jolt? It's gone.
>
>
>

I think I'd rather brush a knuckle against the wire than grab it.
Then if you get zapped,you inherently pull away instead of latching on to
the wire.

It's Good SOP for any electrical work.(one-hand rule)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net