Repairing/Replacing the spark plug wires on a C10

[MetrickMetal]

I was removing the spark plugs on my C10 that I'm bringing back to life, and the #2 boot was very hard to remove, even after squirting around the outside of the boot with silicone spray, and in the process of trying to remove it, the plug wire pulled out of the boot.

I removed the brass slotted screw and the little round connector from the plug side of the boot, but I cannot find any procedure in the factory service manual on how to properly connect the plus wire back to the boot, plus the wires are very stiff, so I want to replace all of the plugs wires. The end of the plug wire that connected to the boot also did not look like it had nearly enough wire exposed to make good contact with the boot.

So if you have any goods tips on how to properly prep the ends of the spark plugs wires and re-assemble them back into the boots that you could share with me, that would be great. 

[redzgrider]

Your first best shot is to go to murphskits.com and order his replacement kit. It inculdes the correct NGK SD05F spark plug caps and new 7mm copper core wires with silicone jackets. The silicone jackets make for much greater flexibility and long life.
As far as how the caps attach to the wires, it's the same for OE and NGK -- there is more-or-less a screw in the wire end of the cap, and you thread the cap onto the wire. If you pulled the OE off, and want to ride while you wait for the new caps, cut about 1/2 to 1 inch off the wire, and screw the cap on. The screw bites into the wire core and the cap grips the wire jacket.
At the coil end, you undo the knurled caps, and the wires pull off the spikes inside. There is a tapered washer on the jacket that seals against the coil and wire when the knurled cap is snugged. The washers can seriously deteriorate over time. I have had good luck using an appropriatly sized O-ring, but that may just be me.
Another alternative is the NGK racing wire with similar cap. Bikebandit has them for about $21 each (ouch!) but the wires are factory installed. You still have to atach them to the coils, same as with Gary's kit.

[m hanlen]

It's been awhile but I think you have to use steel plug wires, not carbon. There should be a screw inside the boot that the new wire will screw onto. I have been told that the original boots were prone to fail due to loose connections on the plug. Take one to your local auto parts and ask a good parts man for a little assistance. The boots must seal the pkug well to keep water out. Use dielectric grease on all electrical connections.

[CARider49]

Or hit up T Cro for a set of his snazzy stick coils. They look good and function extremely well.

[Nosmo]

+1 on the stick coils.  Do it and be done with it. You won't ever have to worry about ignition wires again.  No more high tension leads to cause problems. 

pic below

[turbojoe78]

+1 on the stick coils.  Do it and be done with it. You won't ever have to worry about ignition wires again.  No more high tension leads to cause problems. 

pic below

+2 on the stick coils

[MetrickMetal]

Thanks everyone.

I don't want to dump anymore money into than I have to until I at least get it running and make sure that the engien is going to be ok, so I'm just going to go with new plug wires from Murphs.

The guy I got the bike from had started doing a whole bunch of things to the bike that I keep asking myself what was he doing, and now when I went to pull the rest of the plug wires off of the coils, one wire was already disconnected and is missing the plastic coil nut and rubber seal, and another wire is missing the rubber seal.

The guy is stil looking for and finding the parts he took off of the bike, but if he doesn't find the rubber wire seals and the plastic nut, I'm going to have to find them somewhere, and I don't see them listed on Ron Ayers. So does anyone know where I can get these from. 

[m hanlen]

You don't need it to just get it running. Anything will just about do as long as it doesn't short out.
+3 on the stick coils
If I ever have a problem, that's what I'll put on.

[redzgrider]

I haven't checked the threads, but NGK makes a plug wire to plug wire connector that looks like it uses a similar nut. The normal use is for tie-ing in new wires to older coils with non-removable wires. $7 plus shipping at:
http://www.bikebandit.com/ngk-spark-plug-wire-connector
You can buy individual plug caps from bikebandit for $4, but you still need wires -- that original Hypalon gets awfully stiff over time. You know, looking at the Murphskits site, I remember that I didn't buy his kit, but instead bought the plug caps elsewhere and used Accell copper core silicone wire, obtained from a local speed shop as a single long plug wire that I chopped to appropriate length. Check with Gary to see if his wire is silicone or Hypalon -- if it's silicone just buy his kit and be happy.

[MetrickMetal]

You don't need it to just get it running. Anything will just about do as long as it doesn't short out.
+3 on the stick coils
If I ever have a problem, that's what I'll put on.

Thanks.

I just fixed the one wire that pulled out of the boot, and they all check out with about 5.2 ohm resistance from end to end, and the wires are a pretty tight fit into the coils, so I shouldn't need the missing nut and rubber sleeves in order to at least get the engine running after I rebuild the carbs. Then when I get the engine started up and everything sounds ok, I'll spring for the stick coils, which are a much better setup, and are what I have on my 07 Bandit 1250S.