spark plug wire question

[bluebombersfan]

I have noticed that when I take a screwdriver and wedge it in beside the spark plug boot and engine body that I sometimes can get sparks and am wondering if this is considered normal because these are fairly new champion wires.
When I take a grounding wire and run it along the wires its perfect with no sparks so I find it strange that I can only get sparks near the spark plug hole and boot.
Truck also runs fines so I'm not too worried but would like some advise on this

 

[James86]

So.... why did you decide to fish around in there with a screwdriver while it was running?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah I'm a little confused too... why did you do that if it works fine?

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

the spark is jumping out of the boot and grounding to the screw driver blade because youve made a new place to for the spark to ground and theres less resistance for the current that way. rather than travel through the spark plug electrode and jump the the air gap to the grounding strap its jumping out of the boot and grounding prematurely, does it misfire when you do this? i think the best remedy is to keep your screw driver away from the spark plugs while the engines running, you could avoid getting a nice 'poke' that way.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

try sticking your finger in there and see if it still happens

 

[modelageek]

why did you use Champion plugs. Motorcraft or Autolite only..remember don't be sticking your hand into the fan while it is running so you can check the fan clutch

 

[bluebombersfan]

wondering if I had a set of premuim top of the line wires if there better design/technology/insulation would prevent any possible arcing from happening even by inducing it with a screwdriver
Just wondering if there is anyone out there that knows there shit, from the the remarks I got I'm shaking my head. What happened to the cool know it all explain it all guys?

The reason this all started was because I had a bad plug wire, and I could see some arcing once in a while, once I put the screwdriver in there the arcing was obviosly consistant and I soon realized the crimp inside the boot was detatched. By putting the screwdriver blade beside some of the other boots I could sometimes get arcs once and a while and I'm trying to find out if this is common and if better quality wires insulate the voltage better and prevent this from happening.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

wondering if I had a set of premuim top of the line wires if there better design/technology/insulation would prevent any possible arcing from happening even by inducing it with a screwdriver which for me would prove that they would be getting more voltage to where you want it to go.
Just wondering if there is anyone out there that knows there shit, from the the remarks I got I'm shaking my head. What happened to the cool know it all explain it all guys?

Well I think most of us were wondering why you did it in the first place... now that we know your intentions were it will probably get more technical.

My opinion is that your screw driver test really doesn't prove anything... its introducing a conductor closer to the spark plug end and allows it to jump to the screwdriver to the block, and if it was doing that without the screwdriver you would either experience a miss every once in awhile and/or reduced fuel mileage. If it only does that when you introduce the screwdriver then I wouldn't worry about it. and the voltage will either go to the screwdriver or the spark plug its just going to find the path of least resistance.

The insulation on new wires is just fine, over time all insulation will eventually break down due to heat and rubbing and such, the only difference is that some will probably break down faster then others. then there is the wires too... pretty much every wire will carry the voltage required by a stock ignition system just fine too. Again with time and heat the wires will eventually break down and its all a matter of the quality.

Personally I haven't found much stuff that is better then good old motorcraft/autolite when it comes to prettymuch anything to do with regular maintainance like oil/air/fuel filters, plugs, wires, ect ect... But I think your champian wires will be just fine.

 

[bluebombersfan]

well said, it all makes sense now