[DeTomaso] more evidence I'm a not much of a mechanic...

[Christopher Kimball]

Thanks for all the help, but I need clarification on one thing:

I do use an MSD 6AL (I think that's the model) electronic ignition, so when you say I should run the spark plug wire to ground, do you mean that once I remove the wire from the plug I should actually run the spark plug wire directly to ground, and that won't damage anything?  Wouldn't that be equivalent to what would happen if a spark plug were shorted out (the tip of the plug connected to the plugs threads)?

Thanks again,

Chris
#3846

From: RFogle1 at aol.com
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:30:15 -0500
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] more evidence I'm a not much of a mechanic...
To: larry at ohiotimecorp.com; chrisvkimball at msn.com; detomaso at realbig.com









Invest in the pliers.  Getting zapped by a spark plug lead, Car, lawn 
mower, motor cycle, has a distinctly different feel than say, the kind of jolt 
you get leaning one arm against the kitchen faucet and poking around in a 
household electrical box.  It'll get your attention, higher voltages, 
I guess.  Don't ask me how I know!  
 
Ron (The cardiologist says the arrhythmia is 
harmless!)  
 

 

In a message dated 2/19/2010 5:15:17 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
larry at ohiotimecorp.com writes:
Hi 
  Chris,

Your test will work fine. If you are running an electronic 
  ignition you
should have a ground wire (stripped wire under a motor bolt) 
  to put the
spark plug wire on. It is not a good practice to have the plug 
  voltage not
go to ground for a long time. You can then pull it back a bit 
  to make sure
the spark is strong and blue in color. Caution should be taken 
  doing this as
the spark volts/amps can bight ya.

Story time - Had a 
  kid in the neighborhood that could hold a spark plug wire
and not get a 
  shock. Car, lawn mower, motor cycle it did not matter. He
would just say 
  "yes you have spark"....very odd.

Larry - 
  Cleveland

-----Original Message-----
From: 
  detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] 
  On
Behalf Of Christopher Kimball
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 4:47 
  PM
To: Pantera List Serve
Subject: [DeTomaso] more evidence I'm a not 
  much of a mechanic...


I had my motor built to a 408 stroker not 
  long ago, but lately, it doesn't
"feel right."  It feels as if it may 
  be missing on once cylinder, but I'm
not sure how to test that.  Will 
  this work?:

Let the car idle, and while it's running try disconnecting 
  the spark plug
wires, one at a time to see if it makes a difference in how 
  the engine runs.
My logic would say every time I disconnect a wire from a 
  firing cylinder,
the motor would run a bit rougher.  If I disconnect 
  the wire to the cylinder
that isn't firing, it wouldn't make any 
  difference, since that cylinder
wasn't firing in the first place.

Of 
  course, the problem could be something else; once before, with my 
  old
motor, I thought the same thing was happening, but it turned out it was 
  an
exhaust gasket leak.

Thanks for your thoughts on 
  this.

Sincerely,


Chris
#3846
      
                  
  
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