Test: Is plug wire connected to spark plug?

[TenSeven]

My engine has a slight miss somewhere during idle. Could be allot of things ofcoarse but, one of the things I would like to make sure of is that the plug wires are actually connected to the sparks plugs. Some of the boots do not ‘click’ onto the plug but ‘seem’ to be connected/jammed on as far as possible.

With a spark plug wire attached to the spark plug, is there a way to test to see if it is actually connected? I’m not trying to check for spark by removing and grounding the plug, but rather, I’m just wanting to test whether the plug wire is properly connected to the spark plug, with the plug and wire in place.

Perhaps, without the engine running, I could disconnect a plug wire from the distributor (which, unlike the plug boot, is much easier to check the connection) and connect an ohm meter or test light to it and to the engine block to check for continuity? Thanks

 

[Guilty.king]

Cab problems

Hey so I want to swap either 84 to 88 cab and bed on to my 97 ranger does anybody have any info on how to do so. I've never swapped a cab before and I could use some help understanding the wiring too. It's a 97 xlt rwd 5 speed manual trans.

 

[RonD]

My engine has a slight miss somewhere during idle. Could be allot of things ofcoarse but, one of the things I would like to make sure of is that the plug wires are actually connected to the sparks plugs. Some of the boots do not ‘click’ onto the plug but ‘seem’ to be connected/jammed on as far as possible.

With a spark plug wire attached to the spark plug, is there a way to test to see if it is actually connected? I’m not trying to check for spark by removing and grounding the plug, but rather, I’m just wanting to test whether the plug wire is properly connected to the spark plug, with the plug and wire in place.

Perhaps, without the engine running, I could disconnect a plug wire from the distributor (which, unlike the plug boot, is much easier to check the connection) and connect an ohm meter or test light to it and to the engine block to check for continuity? Thanks

Misfire at idle is usually just dirty few injectors, run a can of Seafoam or similar injector cleaner in the gas tank.
I do this once a year on all my fuel injected vehicles and they all idle better after 1/2 a tank or so, then get slowly worse over the next 12 months

Spark plug wire has no connection to the engine/block thru the spark plug, so no way to test via OHMs
You could put an old spark plug in the suspect boot and use ohm meter to test from coil end to center electrode on spark plug, not sure what reading you would get, lol, but a connection is a connection.

Generally if a boot is not on all the way or connection is loose, you will hear a "tick" noise from the high voltage "arc" as voltage jumps the gap in the poor connection.

 

[TenSeven]

Thank you Ron. You’ve helped me allot in the past, glad to see your still around

 

[rangerenthiusiast]

It sounds like you don’t want to do diagnostics with the truck running, but you could always use an insulated plug wire puller to remove each wire individually from the distributor or coil pack. If one has a bad connection on the plug end, the idle will fail to drop when it’s pulled, since that corresponding cylinder isn’t firing. Probably not telling you anything you don’t already know.

 

[faststang90]

Something like this

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dirtman]

Take the wires off and tighten the metal "clip" that connects the wire to the spark plug end slightly with a pair of pliers, put some dielectric grease on the lip of the boot and anywhere else it needs to press into (some need it on the top where the plug wire meets the valve cover) then try installing it again. Ive had questionable wires that never felt like they "clicked" in properly and doing this usually fixed the issue. Tightened and lubed they click on perfect.

 

[rangerenthiusiast]

What Dirtman said. lol

 

[TenSeven]

Thank you guys, I appreciate it.