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Re: [T3] Spark plug wire question


On 7 Sep 2002, at 13:13, jim wrote:

> My squareback (1969, FI '72 Engine MT) has been running rough so this weekend I did a
> basic tuneup*.  When I was timing the car, the inductive pickup was intermitten from the
> wire for Plug 1 but stable and fine for the other three wires.
> 
> I then swapped the diz. cap for another cap and that improved the pickup on the wire to
> plug 1, but it's still intermittent.  Does that mean that wire is bad?  Also, I assume
> the spark plug wire is a one-way device... meaning that a bad plug wouldn't cause this in
> the wire, right?

The inductive pickups are great for troubleshooting because they respond to 
CURRENT. No current, no flash. It doesn't matter what keeps the current 
from flowing, so it certainly could be the SP. My first guess, however, would 
be the SP connector. See if it still has 1000 Ohm resistance. It may be 
open. The spark will usually jump this, but it can eventually become too 
much. 

> The spark plug for cylinder one looked like it was running rich (darker, sootier color on
> the tip) while the other spark plugs looks fine (a nice brown, no deposits) which made me
> think it's not always firing, very likely caused by the spark plug wire.

The copper wires themselves are seldom the problem, unless they have been 
chafed thru somewhere. The ends need to be checked periodically.

> * adjust valves, change oil, replace points, condenser, cap.  I did not replace the rotor
> because the new rotor I bought had an impedance of infinite ohms and the one I was going
> to replace was about 200.  I couldn't figure that out, anyway...  

Infinite is definitely too high, 200 is strangely low. BTW, I've never had a 
failed Bosch condensor, rotor or cap. I never replace them. I DO replace off 
brand caps and rotors with good used Bosch parts.  

-
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************

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