Technical information

AUTOTRONIC CONTROLS CORPORATION • 1490 HENRY BRENNAN, EL PASO, TEXAS 79936 • [phone] • FAX [phone]
www.msdignition.com email: [e-mail]
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choke, EMI. Helically wound, sometimes called spiral
core, must be used with an MSD Ignition Control. Solid
core wires do not suppress EMI so there could be in-
terference with the ignition or other electronics on the
vehicle.
The Super Conductor Wire has less than 50 ohms
per foot, the lowest available in a helically wound wire.
A special copper-alloy conductor is wrapped very tightly
around a ferro-magnetic impregnated center core which
gives the wire extremely high EMI suppression. This
design ensures that optimum spark energy will reach
the spark plugs while EMI noise is held at a minimum.
Note: Solid Core spark plug wires cannot be used
with any MSD Ignition controls or Pro Mags.
Just like tires, oil or spark plugs, the spark plug wires
are a maintenance item. Service of the wires hinges on
your application and ignition control. If you have a 6AL
Ignition and use the car as a daily driver, the wires will
last for thousands of miles. Conversely, if you are rac-
ing a high compression engine with nitrous and an MSD
10, the wires should be inspected and even replaced
during the race season. When checking wires, closely
inspect for signs of burning or arc-through. Look at the
boots for signs of cracking or burning and using an ohm
meter to check resistance of each wire is a good idea.
Also, keep in mind that the coil wire is delivering eight
times the spark so it should be checked closely. When
checking resistance of the wires note that the longer
wires will have more total resistance, but their values
should average out. If one wire stands out among the
others, it should be replaced.
Spark Plug Wires
Spark plug wires have two main objectives; transfer
the spark energy to the plugs and suppress the Electro
Magnetic Interference (EMI) that the spark voltage
projects. Too high of resistance decreases the spark
energy, yet too low of resistance may generate too much
EMI noise which will interfere with the operation of other
electronics on the vehicle. A good quality wire, proper
routing and routine inspection are all important in get-
ting the most performance out of your ignition system.
MSD offers two great spark plug wires; Heli-Core
Wire and the 8.5mm Super Conductor Wire. The Heli-
Core Wires are a premium performance wire upgrade
for any car or truck. For serious performance, the 8.5mm
Super Conductor Wire is the wire of choice. Both sets of
wires feature a conductor that is helically wound around
a special center core that is designed to suppress, or
SPARK PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS