Pertronix Spark Plug Wires

[calvinator]

I have had a Pertronix II ignitor and Flame Thrower coil installed in my 77 FJ40 for ten years or so - no problems. I figured it was time to rejuvenate the ol' 2F and bought plugs, cap and rotor. I was about to buy the NGK plug wire set for the FJ (Stock #8136/Part #RC-TE92), when I was told that I had to make sure that whatever plug wires I bought for the Pertronix HAD to be 'carbon core' due to EMI adversely affecting the ignitor. Sure enough, when I went to their website, it states: "With all PerTronix ignitions, we recommend that a suppression style spark plug wire (also called carbon core) be used. The suppression wires do an excellent job of controlling EMI with no degradation to the ignition performance." Elsewhere, I read: "PerTronix is particularly susceptible to misfires when RFI is introduced -- mostly at high RPM's, but also at low RPM's once the misfires start to degrade the electronics." My question is: Do you think it's necessary to purchase 'carbon core' wires? Or can I safely use the NGK's? I tried to reach Pertronix by phone but no success yet -- they put me on terminal 'hold' so I sent them an email with no response as of yet. Tried NGK with similar response. Any opinions/insight/ advice would be very much welcomed!

 

[brian]

dont know, but i run oems just fine

 

[Green Bean]

I don't know the answer to the question that you raise. But I've been running Petronix with OEM wires and have not had any known issues. I look forward to reading what other have to say as I know that there are a lot of folks on the Forum running Petronix who are all a lot smarter than I am.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I bought some 7mm good wires (Blue)for my 72 back in the 90's for my Delco dizzy. I run the NAPA Echlin cap because it has brass contacts not aluminum. They are still good. Go out on a no moon night, open the hood and crank it up - look for dancing lightening.

 

[brian]

I bought some 7mm good wires (Blue)for my 72 back in the 90's for my Delco dizzy. I run the NAPA Echlin cap because it has brass contacts not aluminum. They are still good. Go out on a no moon night, open the hood and crank it up - look for dancing lightening.

i had an 87 vw fox that ran like crap on damp/rainy days.....one day in the pouring rain, i popped the hood with it running....and could hear a spark jumping on to a hard fuel line the one wire was laying on, and then see when i raised the wire a tad.....a fresh set of wires later and voila problem solved.

 

[JohnnyC]

Pertronix is used to make point systems electronic … a lot of those are pre 60/70’s that use solid core wires (period correct wires)

Those are the wires you don’t want to use with the Pertronix

People like to be period correct to a fault

Modern wires will work … any IMHO they are either the carbon core or wire wound

Btw disclaimer… I do not use Pertronix only my ol Allison electronic conversion

An authority would be Mark A… he has sold MANY Pertronix

 

[calvinator]

Thanks for your input, much appreciated! I just found the Instruction Sheet that came with the 'PerTronix II Electronic Ignitor'. It starts by saying: "CAUTION!!! Please read the following important information....Point 1. DO NOT USE SOLID CORE SPARK PLUG WIRES. Use carbon or suppression type spark plug wires." (Bold and italics theirs) Since I have little or no knowledge of the dark art of electronics, these kind of scary warnings tend to make me sit up and take notice. But now I'm guessing that JohnnyC is right - perhaps all modern plug wires are either 'carbon or suppression type' wires. If that's the case, it would appear that the NGK RC-TE92's I was about to buy should meet the PerTronix requirements?? (Still awaiting replies from PerTronix and NGK.)

 

[charliemeyer007]

Always good to read instruction. Customer support leaves a lot to be desired in a cut back economy these days. Perhaps they will shed some light within the week. I think the chips in new cars don't respond well RF generated in real wires.

 

[RevISK]

This is interesting and seems to describe an issue that I have been having at higher/pre shift rpm.

Have a Pertronix and honestly don’t know what type of plug wires (they are blue ).

 

[calvinator]

Yah - I wish I had paid more attention when I bought the Pertronix years ago - the parts guy gave me what I needed, (ignitor, plugs, coil, wires), I installed it all and life was good. Don't recall reading the part about 'carbon core wires', though I'm guessing that's what he gave me at the time.

 

[calvinator]

In case anyone is interested, I just received a reply from PerTronix to my query about whether I could use the above-mentioned NGK spark plug cables with my PerTronix II ignitor. Their response was to the point : "We do not carry any information outside of our product range. If those are a carbon core base set of wires, then yes you can use them." No info from NGK(Niterra) yet as to whether their wires in question are 'carbon core.'

 

[B y r o n]

To the best of my knowledge, only NGK racing wires have a solid copper core. All others are carbon core.

 

[trainbufftony]

If they told you the truth,or educated you on the facts involved Then they might lose a sale.
Seems to be the way of things lately.
Any standard garden variety spark plug wire from any auto parts store or the dealership will work perfectly. They're all carbon core, if you want something else you'll need to search for it, order it, and probably assemble the individual wires yourself.
Rather than simply telling you this, they scrub any mention of this and offer to sell you a branded set for 3 to 5 times retail.
That's the nature of hobby car businesses.
Ignorant customers buy more parts.
Educating them on how to not destroy things isn't going to make you more money. 90% of the time the customer isn't going to listen anyway.

Pertronix makes a good product but I buy the ignition pickups only, I can source my own generic ignition components and put any sticker I want on them myself for way less dough.
Someone should develop a lower priced Pertronix pickup, they are very expensive for what they actually contain.

 

[JohnnyC]

you can buy an electronic distributor for the 40 from PRC... cheap... longevity