Reliable Pontiac Spark Plug Wire to Start your Pontiac Efficiently

Anthony Fontanelle
September 18, 2007

Probably one of the most important automobile systems, if not the most, the ignition system renders everything else inutile. If the ignition system does not do its main function of starting the vehicle running then it defeats the purpose of the automobile as a mode of transportation. The ignition system of your Pontiac has several components that work in harmony to be able to do its function. These components are the starter, spark plug, Pontiac Spark Plug Wire, cylinder heads and others. The ignition system has to work in concert with the rest of the engine to ignite the fuel at exactly the right time so that the gases can do the maximum amount of work. A wrong timing ignition fire can cause power to fall as well as increase gas consumption and fuel emission.

A spark plug is an electrical device located in the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines that ignites compressed gas or fuel by means of a spark to transform the fuel into working energy. The spark plug actually forces electricity to arc across a gap just like a bolt of lightning. In order to travel across the gap and create a spark, the electricity must be at very high voltage anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 volts. Spark plugs uses a ceramic insert to make sure that the high voltage is isolated at the electrode, which ensures that the spark happens at the tip of the electrode and not anywhere else on the plug. In order to do its function it has to rely on a system of wires, the spark plug wires. It connects the spark plug to the distributor. The Pontiac Spark Plug Wire is responsible for controlling tens of thousands of volts and delivering that energy to the spark plug every time the engine is started. Spark plug wires or ignition wires are connected to the spark plugs and distributor or ignition coils. The spark plug wires are built to have a lot of resistance compared to ordinary wires especially because they handle a huge electrical load. A standard plug wire has a resistance of about 10,000 to 15,000 ohms per foot of length. They are pretty durable especially because it is not a moving part so they do not wear out too often

However, the only thing that can go wrong is with the insulation or the rubber on the outside of the wire which keeps the electricity where it needs to be. Because as the spark plug wires age the insulation becomes brittle and the core develops cracks. Use of spark plug wires without regular maintenance can lead to damage to the spark plug wires such as cracks. These cracks can cause the electricity to go somewhere else which can result to engine misfiring, fouled spark plugs and rough running. This can also lead to a difficulty in starting a car and can lead to further damage such as fire. A damaged Pontiac spark plug wire will also affect the entire ignition system especially the spark plugs, in a kind of ripple effect. However, spark plugs wire defects and problems are difficult to detect since it’s practically hidden below the surface of the spark plug.

Source:  Amazines.com