Read this forum all the time guys. Good stuff. I have a 94 Camaro Z28. Has 383 strocker, and all the performance mods u can do to it. I am a DIY garage mechanic but having some trouble. Been trying to figure out a few problems with the engine so i started it up at night and let it get to temp. I then looked for anything glowing or arcing. Finally noticed my coil wire arcing then noticed some of my driver side wires arcing then noticed all my passenger side wires arcing!! The engine runs pretty good with a rough idle, but i thought it was the cc306 cam i have in it, plus it vibrates at high rpm and alittle white smoke/vapor out the exhaust. Anyways, what can cause all wires to arc? (Has Taylor 8.5mm wires, ACDelco plugs, msd coil, and msd ignition box)

 

They could just be bad wires really. The heat may have gotten to them or burned them in spots and they arc in those areas. Replace the wires and go from there. Seems that a lot of people end up having complications with the MSD Ignition Box so that may be your problem. But I'm sure someone else will chime in with help.

 

Arching indicates that the voltage is higher than the insulation can handle, and the current is taking a short cut to ground.

 

^^^ agree. the msd blaster will eat the non vented stock opti the 93 and 94 have. best to use msd opti (vented) and wires with that coil.

 

Sounds logical. So since I have MSD coil & MSD ignition box ya'll saying it may be just too much for the wires? Since i have the MSD box, could I replace the coil with stock to see if that simmer things down alittle?

 

opti is the distributor, the non vented opti usually fails because of gases caused by spark over time ruins the electronics. if you increase the spark you increase the gases and shorten the life of the opti. ignition box is a add on that lets you adjust the settings. they can fail as well, some sooner than others.

 

I know what all that is, was just asking if i am putting out to much spark because of the box and coil and damaging the opti and making the plug wires arc, could i take the msd coil off and put a stock coil on to dail down the spark so the wires could handle it? When i rebuilt the engine some 5k miles ago, i replaced the cap & rotor of the opti spark so i figure it would still be in some what of good condition.

 

it may work. its the coil not the box. still have the stock one around? i wouldnt trust the wires now. may have weak spots where the spark damaged the insulation. hit a good puddle of water and it could die. what opti did you use?

 

the main housing is stock but the cap and rotor i just got from O'reilys(don't know the brand). i got a buddy that has some left over taylor wires so i will use some of those to replace the others and see if that helps. I don't have the stock coil anymore, but probably can get one for cheap somewhere.

 

I got the lowest msd coil they make, no problems.