Non resistor plug caps?

[KA1J]

Seeing as I have Dynacoils and a wide plug gap to match ( 50 ), today I put in 8mm plug wire. I'm using Iridium plugs but they come with resistors built in. I measured the resistance in the caps and they ranged from the expected 5K ohms to one that was 20K ohms. I can make the long caps 0 ohms by cleaning the guts and inserting a brass rod in place of the resistor but the short caps, I can't get to the guts inside.

I remember hearing there are aftermarket caps like the stock ones but have no resistor and that's what I need. As it is, I have the caps attached that came with the wire and they're straight & sticking up. I like that they're delivering the max spark but I don't like the bright Accel red caps with bright yellow wire.

Anyone know a source & numbers for NGK or similar caps that match the stock dimensions & look but have no resistor inside?

Thanks

[James England]

On NGK caps, you just put a slot screwdriver into the brass innard and unscrew it. Out pops the resistor, with a small spring and you replace it with a bit of metalm using the original spring to keep it all tight...

[KA1J]

I did that on my Maxim-X because all the caps are the long shank type and you can unscrew from inside the spark plug end but with the XJ11, cylinders 1 & 4 use short shank plugs and they don't have removable innards and there's no slot to unscrew. I Don't know about the XS11 plug caps. Do the XS11 short shank caps have a different cap where you can remove that resistor?

[CatatonicBug]

I got a set of almost-new Hardly plug caps to put on my accel wires. They have no resistor, and are also bent correctly (45º and 90º) so they fit exactly like OEM. They were REALLY snug on the wires, but I think that's a good thing, so they won't try to come off by themselves.

[crazy steve]

...I Don't know about the XS11 plug caps. Do the XS11 short shank caps have a different cap where you can remove that resistor?

Nope, they're the same caps as the XJ. Personally, for what new caps cost (about $20 for all four) I just replace 'em if they're suspect at all...

[KA1J]

I wonder if I have non standard caps on this? All of mine are 90 degree caps, the inner two have a 3" or so shank and a 1" top leg. the outer two are about 1" x 2" or so. So I don't have a 45º cap on this. I could perhaps use two of the long inner type to go on the outside, it wouldn't look as bad as these Accell red straight caps look.

The reason I want to replace them is I want non resistor caps and the stock ones all have resistors in them.

[MPittma100]

Caps

You can get 1K NGK caps. And all of the prices that I have seen are less than $2 each. Don't pay more than that. Look at Summit Racing Equipment. They have them.

MP

[CatatonicBug]

Remember that if you're using Irridium plugs, they come with a resistor in them already. No need for a resistor in the caps.

[MPittma100]

Unscrew the Resistor

James, on the brass where you stick a flat blade screw driver into, is there a slot that accepts a flat blade?

I ask because the ones that I have do not have a slot for a screw driver. There is only a round hole in the brass.

MP

[James England]

James, on the brass where you stick a flat blade screw driver into, is there a slot that accepts a flat blade?

I ask because the ones that I have do not have a slot for a screw driver. There is only a round hole in the brass.

MP

Yes, there was on mine. I've removed them too from non-slotted innards by using long-nose pliers to suncrew it

[jwhughes3]

Remember that if you're using Irridium plugs, they come with a resistor in them already. No need for a resistor in the caps.

ALL Iridium Plugs or certain ones?

I ordered some NGK Iridium to try out but didn't think I'd have to change the wires. I need to look back at what I ordered and see which one they are.

John

[CatatonicBug]

ALL Iridium Plugs or certain ones?

I ordered some NGK Iridium to try out but didn't think I'd have to change the wires. I need to look back at what I ordered and see which one they are.

John

I have not seen ANY irridium plugs that did not have the resistor in them. I read that in another thread here when I was thinking of switching, and went looking myself. They all seem to come that way.

[KA1J]

There's an out but it's not as easy as I'd hoped. I tried unscrewing the tip on the 1 & 4 plugs using needlenose but I couldn't get it to budge. I suspect on mine, the resistor is in the long horizontal part.

I found the NGK LZFH caps are about the same size and look as the 1 & 4 caps on our bikes but have no resistor. I just bought two on Ebay. Caps for the inner two cylinders are available in different angles but they all seem to come with resistors.

If you want to upgrade your existing ones & save the $, you can remove the guts, do a thorough cleaning and insert a brass slug in place of the resistor (cut that from brass rod from a hobby shop). You'll have the original shell but a zero ohm interior. You'll find the spring inside will be corroded as all get out and so will the little metal wafer that goes between the resistor & screw. If you consider the reduced conductivity of those parts you'll want to clean yours or replace them.

You also need to clean the deepest interior where the spring meets the tiny screw that goes into the plug wire. To clean that you need to re-insert the spring, have some baking soda & put that into the plug to act as an abrasive. Take a drill & the brass rod you used to cut the slug from & put that in the drill & use it to spin the spring inside the cap. That'll polish up the inside end and that will allow an excellent connection. Then use water to remove the baking soda & then Let it dry.

To reassemble, use electric connector grease inside to maintain good connectivity, insert the spring, plug and screw back in tight. You can discard the tiny brass wafer. Make the slug a tiny bit longer than the resistor so when you tighten it, you get a solid connection.

I got most of this info from Hap on the Maxim-X site, he's found many work-arounds for the Maxim-X and I have used most of them on my X. I just wanted to find a new non-resistor set for the XJ11.

[MPittma100]

Just to be clear

As far as all of this text about resistor and non resistor spark plug caps and plug wires is concerned, we do know that the only reason for the resistance is for EFI interference, right? The performance difference would be minute.

Resistor plug wires are used to keep EFI to a minimum in all of the automotive world so as to keep the "noise" out of the on-board computers, radios, etc. Firing of the spark plugs is not compromised by this suppression. An engine or wheel dyno would show you no amount of difference in either type of wire/cap.

Suppression wires are even used in all forms of racing. My 2C.

MP

[natemoen]

As far as all of this text about resistor and non resistor spark plug caps and plug wires is concerned, we do know that the only reason for the resistance is for EFI interference, right? The performance difference would be minute.

Resistor plug wires are used to keep EFI to a minimum in all of the automotive world so as to keep the "noise" out of the on-board computers, radios, etc. Firing of the spark plugs is not compromised by this suppression. An engine or wheel dyno would show you no amount of difference in either type of wire/cap.

Suppression wires are even used in all forms of racing. My 2C.

MP

All of that is true, but try those fancy carbon core suppression wire on your XS and see how long they last flopping and vibrating around in the wind...