Making Plug wires for an M Farmall

Just wondering if the carbon fiber wire stock will work for building plug wires on a 6v system on an M

It might for a while, but the wound wire magnetic suppression wire from Sorenson or others is much better, and has basically zero resistance. Plain stranded copper will work very well, but has the TV radio interference issue. JimN

Just not durable, i'm guessing? I already built the set so will go with them for now($12.50 Napa). Wondered if electrically they would work as good as the old copper wound style. Will check out your Sorenson reference.

Thanks!

Copper core wires are by far the best. The automotive type wires made for cars are junk on tractors, old tractors need the copper core wires.

Doesn't Carol cable make solid core sparkplug wire anymore? Does anyone? I saw a part roll of Motorcraft solid core plug wire on e-pay about a year ago that finally went for over $40. Surely some outfit makes it yet.
Maybe we should notify the Chineese ---

I put a set on my M about 12 years ago. Probably the same set you got at NAPA. Still on there and still running. Now, I accidentally put the same set on my M with a mag before I caught it. Didnt last very long.

There isn"t a problem with carbon core wires, if there was the car you drive everyday wouldn"t have them.

I have been running MSD wires with "0" problem let alone they have less resistance.


My wires are on a 52 Super M. In drag racing all classes as well as Nascar they use carbon wires.

I even have them on my 55 Cub that is 6 volt and it runs like a champ.

Use the solid copper core wires. About $17 for the set. Send me an email.

Why did you have a problem with the carbon wires on your mag system

James, Youre right, theres not a thing wrong with carbon core suppressor (resistive) wires in todays modern cars whatsoever, they were designed for use of such wires especially to reduce radio frequency interference. Of course youre dealing there with much higher energy ignitions then our beloved old tractors.

The thing wrong with them in our old low energy ignition tractors is that they waste some of the limited and precious energy in the form of heat (I squared R losses) VERSUS that energy being discharged across the plugs gap (volts x amps x time) when it arcs current between its electrode and ground strap. Sure they may help eliminate radio interference in nearby radios, but the price you pay is discharging some of the coils energy in the wires versus the spark plug gap.

NOwwwwwww its not nearly so critical in a battery powered coil ignition then in a magneto ignition and sureeeeeeee youre also correct a tractor like yours or anybodys can perform fine with those resistive wires BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT the laws of physics and the conservation of energy cant be over ruled soooooooo although they can run fine THERES STILL MORE SPARK ENERGY DISCHARGED ACROSS A SPARK PLUG GAP IF THE WIRES ARE NOT (or less) RESISTIVE. The coil only stores x amount of energy when its conducting current and thats the energy thats available for dissipation when the coil fires, so its just a matter of choice if you want most of it discharged across the spark plugs gap or some of it wasted as heat energy in resisitve plug wires.....In my old tractors my choice (from an engineers perspective) would be across the plug gap, but to each their own and whatever floats ones boat is fine by me, YOUR TRACTOR YOUR CHOICE is my thinking. CAVEAT, some of the high energy electronic ignition systems may require some limited ballast either in wires or plugs and if so DO IT PER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS, but Im talkin about our old original lower energy standard ignition systems here remember

Fun discussion, hope this explanation helps others in deciding what wires to use

God Bless n yall take care now

John T

Resist
They call them resistor or resistive wires, but not because they have less resistance. The other bad thing about them is it doesnt take much of a tug to mess up the connection at terminal ends.
I have to correct myself, carbon fiber wires are just fine, but not for this application.
Bob S.

Not sure what the big difference is really, but after about 16 hours or so, one went bad. The ones I put on my dist. M still do the job just fine, and the solid core I have on the rest of my tractors are doing fine as well. Ive never knew why it HAD to have copper to start with. The rest of my tractor have a solid core wire thats NOT copper and again, Ive never had ANY problems with them.

I've got the solid copper core plug wire sets in stock. Both for the 4 cylinder and for the 6 cylinder engines. I have sold them to folks for use on the old farm tractors (what they are intended for) as well as for use on modern motorcycles. I even sold 2 sets recently to a fellow who is restoring an older MG car.