I just put in a new MSD HEI, MSD 6AL Box, MSD Super Conductor Wires, and Accel U-Groove spark plugs. I seen at night that at the end of the spark plug boot it is arcing on the outside of the spark plug going stright to the ground on the plug. I called MSD and they said that the plugs are carbon tracked but there new plugs, and MSD said they don't think its the wires. I heard making the gap bigger may solve this problem? Does anyone know how to fix this problem? Thanks!

i'm not 100% sure on this but i would think that the increasing the gap would make it worse. electricity is just like water and looks for the easiest path with the least resistance. obviously you've got a lot of spark that is looking for the easiest way to ground. if you increase the gap you are increasing the resistance required to get to ground. does this sound right? Anybody else? Pls correct me if I'm wrong on this.

JB

I would have to agree, I just want to know why it is arcing from the wire boot to the outside gound on the plug if it has new wires and plugs? The gap is set at what the engine calls for stock. Which is .045.

Johnny Mopars right. It's a resistance problem. Is it just 1 wire doing this or all? If it's just 1 then I would take a meter and check the wire or just put a known good wire in it's place. I would not increase any plug gaps. Just back track yourself a little and check all electrical connections on the system. I'm sure you have it correct but you know sometimes how you can get excited putting on new goodies. Check your grounds real good.

all the plugs are arcing, some brighter then others.

Check your grounds and engine grounds. Keep this in mind also--------- I learned something about 12 years ago while working on a Grand National Regal. It had a slight miss and running a test light down along the wires would arch. I put it on a Scope and it showed ALL cylinders with high Kv voltage(High Resistance) I replaced the wires & plugs, and the problem still was there. After 2 days of pulling my hair out over this the problem was the engine was running lean. It was getting all spark form a DIS-50,000 volt ignition and was not getting enough fuel.
If you are running a carb fed engine you may try to richen the mixture, If it's fuel injected try a new fuel filter.
I was blaming a secondary ignition even though it was new for a fuel problem.

Have you went back to your old plugs as a
comparison test? Just to see if they do the same thing? Jerry

If you haven't already, be sure to put some dielectric grease around the inside of the plug boots where they meet the plugs.

judging from your post in the engine forum, i think your timing is off a bit, throw a light on it and see what happens.

[size=3]Doc here

Gap your plugs at 45 thousands, Make sure they are new.

Obtain and install silicone Boot grease around the Plug wire boots at the plugs.

Electricity Will follow the SHORTEST path to ground especially at several Thousands of volts..which may not be a spark plug.

Try running a 10 gauge ground wire from the MSD Box case to the block...

Did you make up the plug wires or were they pre~cut for your engine? you may have weak crimps if you had to cut and crimp them.

What size are the wires? 8 MM or larger? Should be...

Doc [/size]

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What brand of plugs did you use? Try the old ones and see what they do. Its not unusual to see a certain amount of external spark. Most people don't look at their engines in the dark. If you have done the above listed things it might be a normal issue.

Hi,
I tried everything you guys said to do, Messed with the gap size, tried my old spark plugs and wires, put dielection grease on the boots, and the problem is still happening, I don't know of anything else to do. The wires are new MSD 8.5mm Superconductor wires with new Accel U-Groove Plugs! Have any other ideas of what to do let me know.

Thanks!

If your headers aren't glowing anymore and the car is running ok...run it just be sure you dont have a gas leak in the engine compartment

[size=3]Doc here

Just a thought, (day~am...another self induced headache...)

You might try one of two things ... High temp epoxy/gyptar <-SP?(insulating) paint on the heads (around the plug wells)

OR:

Try to adapt something like a ceramic plug boot sleeve, like they use on Hemi's or other recessed Plug type heads...

Never Tried it...but what was that about the mother of invention?

Doc [/size]

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Doc, talking about glyptal? the red stuff guys paint the inside of their motors with?

as for the arcing, you have them shorty plugs? are the boots tight on the plug?