Livewires

[blakshukvw]

Is anyone else using Livewires with factory manifolds? I keep burning #7 plug end, even with the sock on it. Just curious what others have done.

 

[celly]

Is anyone else using Livewires with factory manifolds? I keep burning #7 plug end, even with the sock on it. Just curious what others have done.

I'm not using Livewires (mine are from a small Canadian company called Aurora) and have Torque Monsters instead of the stockers. I'm using these "lava socks" I scored off eBay:

MUCH higher heat tolerance than the regular versions you see everywhere (I trashed a regular sock and a wire last summer, I think it was on #7 too but might've been #8). Very high quality and seem to work as advertised. They have crushed lava rock woven into them. Really funky looking and feeling fabric. Very pliable. I think they were almost twice the price of regular socks (about $80-$90 for the set, shipped to Canada), but worth it to me. They also sold them in smaller multiples if you didn't want to get all 8. The photo above is their stock photo so you should be able to find them easy enough on eBay if they're still around. I bought them last summer.

Also, don't feel you have to go with stock routing. My routing is far from stock and my wires have been safe for 8-10 months or so by being creative (using aftermarket wire looms and even good ol' zip ties). Keep in mind that headers cause way more grief with plug wires than stock manifolds.

EDIT: Seller is "perfplusconnection". The boots run $15/each + shipping. Cheaper in higher multiples.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I guess I'm going to have to have drive over there and show you how it's done

 

[blakshukvw]

I guess I'm going to have to have drive over there and show you how it's done

Yeah probably. I'm open to ideas for sure.

It's really aggrevating me now. Livewires has been really good about warrantying them but I know they wont forever.

 

[blakshukvw]

I'm not using Livewires (mine are from a small Canadian company called Aurora) and have Torque Monsters instead of the stockers. I'm using these "lava socks" I scored off eBay:

MUCH higher heat tolerance than the regular versions you see everywhere (I trashed a regular sock and a wire last summer, I think it was on #7 too but might've been #8). Very high quality and seem to work as advertised. They have crushed lava rock woven into them. Really funky looking and feeling fabric. Very pliable. I think they were almost twice the price of regular socks (about $80-$90 for the set, shipped to Canada), but worth it to me. They also sold them in smaller multiples if you didn't want to get all 8. The photo above is their stock photo so you should be able to find them easy enough on eBay if they're still around. I bought them last summer.

Also, don't feel you have to go with stock routing. My routing is far from stock and my wires have been safe for 8-10 months or so by being creative (using aftermarket wire looms and even good ol' zip ties). Keep in mind that headers cause way more grief with plug wires than stock manifolds.

EDIT: Seller is "perfplusconnection". The boots run $15/each + shipping. Cheaper in higher multiples.

I have rerouted them in a manner that works to keep the actual wires from touching anything hot. It's just the damn #7 spark plug boot that continues to melt. I don't know what brand they sell, but I bought my socks from Livewires. This last time the boot melted, which is actually the first time i had the socks installed, the sock was fine. I think the sock was actually touching the mani and it didn't burn through, however the rubber plug boot was melted.
I'm keenly aware of the placement of the boot when installed and it's not quite touching the mani, that I can see. It is REEEEEEEAAALLLLY close though which I believe is leading to the problem. The darn boots are just so much bigger than the Motorcraft boots.

I actually am thinking about grinding the high casting ridge off of the mani that runs right next to the plug wire boot. If the casting ridge was gone and maybe if I can grind it down even a little deeper, I may be able to provide a little breathing space for the boot. It doesn't need much as #8 has just a touch more space than #7 and it's been fine.

What do you guys think?

 

[blakshukvw]

Saw these today while looking for some answers to my problem.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TAY-2570/

I just wonder if they would be any help. If they are close enough or even touching the mani, they will just conduct the heat right into the wire end just the same. I almost think I need some kind of protection outside the sock. I'm even thinking about using header wrap around the sock.


This too. Looks like some sort of shrink tube heat protection.
http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/121/3412/10002/-1?parentProductId=752085

.

 

[celly]

The beauty of dealing with Aurora is they make their wires to order if needed. I actually had a similar issue with two of their wires (7 and 8 probably) where it was a bit too close for my liking so they put tighter "right angle" boots on to give even better clearance. Combined with the boots, it worked like a charm.

 

[blakshukvw]

Are you saying they installed a boot with a tighter angle than 90 degrees? I will keep that in mind if this next attempt doesn't work. With a 90 installed, is the boot behind the manifold or header in your case as opposed to right next to it?
I have 135's now but they are really fat. I spoke to the manager or owner today and he is going to build me a wire with a straight boot instead. He compared the two side by side and said the straight one was substantially thinner than the 135 degree ends. I figure this may allow the boot to be further away from the manifold. I may get the MSD heat shrink guard stuff and run a sock too.

 

[celly]

Are you saying they installed a boot with a tighter angle than 90 degrees? I will keep that in mind if this next attempt doesn't work. With a 90 installed, is the boot behind the manifold or header in your case as opposed to right next to it?
I have 135's now but they are really fat. I spoke to the manager or owner today and he is going to build me a wire with a straight boot instead. He compared the two side by side and said the straight one was substantially thinner than the 135 degree ends. I figure this may allow the boot to be further away from the manifold. I may get the MSD heat shrink guard stuff and run a sock too.

These are the standard boots that come with their sets (6 of 8 of my wires have these):

2 of 8 of mine have these:

 

[The Captain]

I'm having the same problem. Wire 7 you can rout it close to the valve cover with wraping but wire 8 is a toughy. I use JBA wires which are awesome but wire 8's gets way to close to the header piping. The wires are kinda fat.

Even with three layers of heat socks they can still get burn't. I will have to conider those Aurora wires though.

 

[blakshukvw]

Celly, mine are like the first one you pictured. Like I said, he's now going to install a straight boot that is smaller in diameter. With a sock installed, there should be no way it gets burned again. I want to try that MSD stuff but it's $45 for 6 feet. Wow.

The guy at Livewires said there are ceramic boots made but he was unsure who makes them and where to get them.

 

[blakshukvw]

Okay, dudes. I found these online the other day. They're boots that are triple layered with stainless steel, ceramic,and stainless steel again. They can withstand 1800 degrees continuous heat and contact to headers. I ordered one so as to test on my new #7 wire. A little pricey at $42 each but it's worth it if I never have to replace this wire again. Hopefully this does the trick. I'll post my reviews as sson as I get it installed and run it for a while. You guys with headers may look into them as well.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

As thick as those are I don't think they will fit with headers.

 

[blakshukvw]

As thick as those are I don't think they will fit with headers.

If what they say is true and they can contact the header or mani, then a tight fit may not matter. I'll let ya check it out when I get the one I ordered.

 

[blakshukvw]

So I installed this thing today. So far so good. I should know in a few days if it will work. In the past it hasn't taken but a couple days driving to burn through one of the boots.

http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/hp_boot.php

 

[The Captain]

Hey how have those wire boots been working? I'm really curious:

 

[blakshukvw]

So far they're great. it's been 6 days now and still going strong and no misfiring. It's been hot as hell here as you may know too the past week so a real good test for the product. I was planning on removing the wire from the plug tomorrow just to inspect the boot and see how it's fairing. So far I would say that little heat shield was worth the $45 bucks I paid for it. I would definitely recommend them to people having the same or similar problems.

 

[The Captain]

I bought a HP boot protector but be warned they only fit stock wires (motorcrafts). They don't fit my JBA wires and from the look of it maybe not Livewires.

 

[blakshukvw]

The one's I have are Heatshield Products. Livewires made me a new #7 wire with a straight boot and the HP boot protector fits it just fine. So it's been at least a couple weeks and still no problem.