Car running rough after spark plug boot removal

Dauphin · 27-09-2011, 01:06 PM

Hi everyone,

My Fairlane (VCT) is running very roughly like never before after I did something on the weekend. It makes me think one cylinder is not running. The car now has quite a pronounced shake when it idles, from the shaking of the engine.

In prep to put in new spark plugs, I pulled the boot off one of the plugs to see how difficult it is and to make sure my socket reached the plug. I made sure to pull on the boot only and not the lead and haven't tried to undo a plug yet.

I put the plug back on yesterday and today started it to find it like this. I've twisted all the plugs to make sure they're on well, although I can feel some tiny movement in each (I assume it's normal) but they are stuck on well. As per manual instructions, I crimped the metal socket inside the boot to try and get it tighter around the plug's terminal but it made no difference.

Do you think the fiddling around may have damaged the old lead? It's probably about 60k kms old and due for replacement. I believe they are Top Gun leads from one of JMM's DEV packages.

Is it okay to drive it in this state, even to see a mechanic?

Thanks,

Andrew.

FGII-XR6 · 27-09-2011, 01:11 PM

I've had a bad experiences with top gun , once you disturb them they are hard to get back on with a decent connection. I have tried a few leads and forun for gas ( which is more demanding) the ford factory leads have been the best

Mr Hardware · 27-09-2011, 01:17 PM

Yeah you can drive falcons that are running rough - that's a feature not a fault!

Dauphin · 27-09-2011, 05:09 PM

After a loud trip with a few backfires to Bursons, I came home with new NGK leads. The problem was the ignition lead #2, not #3 which I had pulled out. I must have bent something in #2 when leaning on it or something.

Phew.

Now I will put in new NKG plugs some time this week. The new leads are a little longer and have a much bigger boot and grip.

T3man · 27-09-2011, 06:35 PM

Top Gun leads - there's ya problem! They are very fragile and cannot be trusted at all after the first use. I bought them once ... and that was twice!

mik · 28-09-2011, 01:42 AM

i also had top gun leads and found them a bit fragile, the ford leads are pretty good, excellent boots on them and long life.

red_hotxr6 · 30-08-2013, 02:12 PM

Thank goodness for this thread, just changed the spark plugs in my EL GHIA and the same exact thing has happened, Top gun leads, had to go and get another set..and they are only 3 months old...hmmmm.

Bushbasher · 30-08-2013, 02:38 PM

Top gun leads need to be burned , they are rubbish. for my money you can't go past a set of Eagle spiral core leads for the money. I did a back to back test against the factory leads a while back in my Fairlane and the Eagles were so much better it was like the car grew an extra cylinder.

Bushbasher

red_hotxr6 · 30-08-2013, 03:59 PM

Took me about 45 mins, taking my time to change them, its rather a s....ty spot for them in the ghia, but i used one of those old window winder spring clip removal tools and a bent piece of wire to feed it through, and done..runs a lot better now, thank god..

SirHenry · 30-08-2013, 05:58 PM

I managed to get 120k out out of a set of Top Gun's and performance wise never let me down. The Eagles I replaced them with seem to be really good no issues.

Coilpack brands is where I seem to have found issues put an ACA brand in it was the most disgusting thing I have ever used went after 3 months replaced it with a Bosch hasn't missed a beat since.