Sparkplugs & wires for supercharged '93

[NEOH1]

I'm starting the installation of a 9 psi Powerdyne supercharger and have a few questions. This is a new game for me but I'm up for the challenge. :rockon:

Sparkplugs: I've been reading positive comments on Autolite AR764 plugs, but I am not sure these were used with the 5.0 L Cobra. Please comment.

Cap and wires: I was going to purchase new Motorcraft. Wires ~$56. Please comment.

I don't have the extra $ for a new ignition system with boost retard this year. Maybe next year. :cryying:

 

[LEE93COBRA]

Sparkplugs-Autolite brand stock equivalent but 1 heat range colder. No exotic metal plugs.
Cap & rotor- one with brass contacts. I believe the motorcraft ones come that way

Wires- Get good wires, FRPP, Taylor, etc... Do not use stock plug wires.

If you don't use some type of boost retard or have a custom tune done, be very careful. Don't go WOT, you will kill some headgaskets. With base timing set at 10 degrees our EEC's go to 26 degrees at WOT which is to much in a any power adder combination (boost or nitrous)

 

[NEOH1]

Sparkplugs-Autolite brand stock equivalent but 1 heat range colder. No exotic metal plugs.
Cap & rotor- one with brass contacts. I believe the motorcraft ones come that way

Wires- Get good wires, FRPP, Taylor, etc... Do not use stock plug wires.

If you don't use some type of boost retard or have a custom tune done, be very careful. Don't go WOT, you will kill some headgaskets. With base timing set at 10 degrees our EEC's go to 26 degrees at WOT which is to much in a any power adder combination (boost or nitrous)

Thanks for the reply.
Plugs: I'ld like some specific part #s on the plugs, if possible. My local autoparts store doesn't carry Autolites.
Wires: Sorry for my ignorance, but what does FRPP stand for? Ford Racing..?
Timing: I'm have it set for 6*BTD with the spout out. This is what the Ford manual stated but I'm not sure if this was for 6 psi or 9 psi.

 

[93cobra#3326]

Sparkplugs-Autolite brand stock equivalent but 1 heat range colder. No exotic metal plugs.
Cap & rotor- one with brass contacts. I believe the motorcraft ones come that way

Wires- Get good wires, FRPP, Taylor, etc... Do not use stock plug wires.

If you don't use some type of boost retard or have a custom tune done, be very careful. Don't go WOT, you will kill some headgaskets. With base timing set at 10 degrees our EEC's go to 26 degrees at WOT which is to much in a any power adder combination (boost or nitrous)

i agree, except for the plug metal - iridium plugs are good IMHO. but regular coppers are just fine, just no platium
msd wires are better than frpp wires -they have less resistance -yes i measured them myself.
if you dont have a boost timing retard knob you need to lock the timing by keeping the spout out (and not putting it back in) (or get it tuned) and setting your timing to like 15*.
really though go get it tuned like LEE said.

 

[NEOH1]

Do you need the MSD ignition box in order to operate the boost retard?

 

['93blownCOBRA]

Do you need the MSD ignition box in order to operate the boost retard?

I would say for that if you value your prized Cobra at all then yes, get an MSD Boost Timing Master. I use the model (not sure if they are still in production anymore) that has the MSD with the Boost Timing Master integrated into it as one unit. It has a dial control for the cockpit to set the rate of timing retard in accordance with the amount of boost that your blower is producing up through the RPM range.

I do not believe that you NEED the MSD box. They do make them seperatly.

I use Motorcraft AWSF 32P's with a gap of around .45....alway have.

I also use the stock cap and wires, works great for me. Been going strong with this set up for over ten years running...no troubles what so ever. During that time I have made many a late night 1320 pass out in the boonies. That street racing is just awesome fun.

blown...

 

[NEOH1]

Yes, I do value it very highly. I've been with her longer than my wife and house. It looks like I may need to make a few alterations to the budget.

Bottom line, I want to do it right and appreciate the advice! :burnout:

 

[NEOH1]

I did a little research on the Autolites.
Stock / OEM = Platinum AP764
One range colder = AP2543
Anyone running these?

 

[LEE93COBRA]

I did a little research on the Autolites.
Stock / OEM = Platinum AP764
One range colder = AP2543
Anyone running these?

I am pretty sure that is the # of the ones i used when running a nitrous a few years ago. So yeah, that should be right.

 

['93blownCOBRA]

I have tried to find some a step or so colder but in my area I was lucky to get what I got. Guess some googling around would gix that.

blown...

​

 

[LEE93COBRA]

[QUOTE='93blownCOBRA]I
I do not believe that you NEED the MSD box. They do make them seperatly.

I use Motorcraft AWSF 32P's with a gap of around .45....alway have.


blown...[/QUOTE]

that's a lot of gap. Are you running low boost? At 9-10 psi mine would blow spark out at .38 gap with a MSD box and scremon demon coil. Had to lower mine down to .32 to keep the ignition firing from 9 psi -14 psi of boost

 

[BADBOYSPACK]

I am pretty sure Motorcraft is not brass, but Accel does have a brass cap and rotor kit.

I got to give it to LEE93COBRA fellas, this guy know alot of sh!t on the aftermarket side of what will and wont work. Hats off to you LEE.

I know most of all dealer type questions here and give alot of advise on the aftermarket side, but you my friend know alot of details. I know most of alot of details on the aftermarket world. You seem to finish my thoughts alot.

Well done LEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :beer:

 

[9T3SVT]

I bought a Kenne Bell, threw it on and never tuned my car, 2 months later I blew a head gasket (no tune) It was a good time to replace the heads with AFR's and get a Vortech ;-)

I bought my Vortech from www.superchargers4less.com it was the best price I could find for the 1993 Cobra specific kit. I wanted that kit since our cars came with underdrive pulleys from the factory.

Right after I finished my install I drove straight to my tuner to get my A/F readings and make sure it wasn't lean (lesson learned) The car came in running pig rich with the supplied FMU disc from Vortech. We swapped the disc, adjusted the timing, and cleaned the MAF wires. I gained 115HP between my first dyno pull and my last (again lesson learned) The only issue I had was spark blow out at full boost. My plugs were gapped to .035 so I closed the gap to .032 got Taylor wires and an MSD coil, problem solved. I run the Autolite 3923 plugs. They are inexpensive copper core plugs but the do the job. I see no need to spend 8-9 bucks per plug for iridium plus they're harder to read than a copper plug. Don't cut corners with a blower, it will cost a lot more later on, TRUST ME.

Plan on a tune right away, I cannot stress that enough. Most of the blower horror stories you hear are from guys who never got a tune. They are also the guys who have a lot more horsepower that they don't know about. Good luck with the install, you're gonna love it :burnout:

 

[martyo]

Get the MSD BTM unit. If it saves a motor, it is worth the $$$.

Summit usually has them in stock for decent prices.

I am about to put a Vortech S trim on my '93 LX and the BTM will be a part of the install for sure.

 

['93blownCOBRA]

that's a lot of gap. Are you running low boost? At 9-10 psi mine would blow spark out at .38 gap with a MSD box and scremon demon coil. Had to lower mine down to .32 to keep the ignition firing from 9 psi -14 psi of boost

I know that most people seem to need a smaller gap but I wanted a longer spark for a bit cleaner burn. When I put the MSD box on there I never had a problem. With 8lbs of boost the car runs great. The Paxton gives me good controlable upper RPM power that comes on pretty smooth. You can ask the two guys hanging bumper to bumper in the Camaro SS and the Pontiac Firehawk that strolled up next to me tonite on the ole I-55. LOL...I guess they thought I was some "ordinary" Mustang GT. It always warms my heart to see the look on their faces when you let off and they eventually "ease" on by. Most of those Chevy guys don't know the difference...that's good for me I guess.

blown...

 

[LEE93COBRA]

I bought a Kenne Bell, threw it on and never tuned my car, 2 months later I blew a head gasket (no tune) It was a good time to replace the heads with AFR's and get a Vortech ;-)

I bought my Vortech from www.superchargers4less.com it was the best price I could find for the 1993 Cobra specific kit. I wanted that kit since our cars came with underdrive pulleys from the factory.

Right after I finished my install I drove straight to my tuner to get my A/F readings and make sure it wasn't lean (lesson learned) The car came in running pig rich with the supplied FMU disc from Vortech. We swapped the disc, adjusted the timing, and cleaned the MAF wires. I gained 115HP between my first dyno pull and my last (again lesson learned) The only issue I had was spark blow out at full boost. My plugs were gapped to .035 so I closed the gap to .032 got Taylor wires and an MSD coil, problem solved. I run the Autolite 3923 plugs. They are inexpensive copper core plugs but the do the job. I see no need to spend 8-9 bucks per plug for iridium plus they're harder to read than a copper plug. Don't cut corners with a blower, it will cost a lot more later on, TRUST ME.

Plan on a tune right away, I cannot stress that enough. Most of the blower horror stories you hear are from guys who never got a tune. They are also the guys who have a lot more horsepower that they don't know about. Good luck with the install, you're gonna love it :burnout:

Exactly.

Note to the guy with the original question. The autolite 3923's are for aftermarket heads and will not work with the GT40 irons. The 2543's will work on your OEM heads.

 

[LEE93COBRA]

I am pretty sure Motorcraft is not brass, but Accel does have a brass cap and rotor kit.

I got to give it to LEE93COBRA fellas, this guy know alot of sh!t on the aftermarket side of what will and wont work. Hats off to you LEE.

I know most of all dealer type questions here and give alot of advise on the aftermarket side, but you my friend know alot of details. I know most of alot of details on the aftermarket world. You seem to finish my thoughts alot.

Well done LEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :beer:

nah man, I don't know near as much as I wished I did. Just passing on what info i do know or what I have experienced with.

 

[mustangcobra93]

I'm running regular autolites in the trickflow head. I think the part number is 3923 or some such thing. As for wires, I'm using Taylor Spiro Pro wires. I couldn't afford Taylor's "race" 409 wires.

 

[LEE93COBRA]

I'm running regular autolites in the trickflow head. I think the part number is 3923 or some such thing. As for wires, I'm using Taylor Spiro Pro wires. I couldn't afford Taylor's "race" 409 wires.

yes you probably are. 3923's are one range colder than stock for pretty much all aftermarket aluminum heads. I usually bounce around between those and 3922's (2 ranges cooler) with my AFR's

 

[93cobra#3326]

[QUOTE='93blownCOBRA]I know that most people seem to need a smaller gap but I wanted a longer spark for a bit cleaner burn. When I put the MSD box on there I never had a problem. With 8lbs of boost the car runs great. The Paxton gives me good controlable upper RPM power that comes on pretty smooth.

not picking just wanna say you then my friend are out of the ordinary but hay if its not blowing out the spark than more power to ya. most of us can only run with smaller gaps. my car with 12+ psi and stock ignition i had to gap them at .028. with the crane fireball ignition. .035 + NGK iridiums 2 ranges colder.

-im not a big fan of the msd timing retard boxes. ive heard, seen many of them fail or not work, or only partially work. i had to replace my retard box and went through two knobs while the SC was in warrenty -so yea they were free. finally i just said screw it and went crane fireball ignition and never looked back. its a all around better quality piece. im not trying to start another msd discussion. (theres already plenty of them- do a search) but i wanted to share my experinces. i will not buy another msd product. they may have been good at one time but im not impressed these days -IMHO.