FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

[Elk Chaser]

As a follow up to a previous thread I finally received a straight answer from a manufacturer and I just thought I would share this information on the use of "automotive spark plug wires"<br /><br />-------------------------------------------<br /><br />Thank you for the e-mail regarding compliance of Autolite ignition wire<br />product with SAE J557 standard for use on commercial vehicle and marine<br />engines.<br /><br />According to our data, SAE J557 was a wire manufacturing standard prior to<br />1996 and it was replaced by SAE 2031. The wire used in the production of<br />Autolite ignition wire sets is in compliance with this current manufacturing<br />standard. Further, Autolite wire sets are in compliance with standard SAE<br />2032 for use on land operated vehicles only.<br /><br />Thank you for your interest in Autolite products.<br /><br />Cordially,<br /><br />Scott Jacobs<br />Catalog/Technical Service Representative<br />Catalog/Technical Service Department

 

[KaGee]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Surely someone is thumbing through the "regulations" book as we speak...(snick)

 

[johnkc]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

well here is an interesting subject, the other day we had a visit from our area merc tech rep ,t.s.m or technical account manager,or what ever he is refered to this month.we had a 5.0 with 2 bad cyl.from detonation.he actually told us that we can use a good quality set of automotive spark plug wires on any carb merc engine.but not on a fuel injected engine because of the r.f.i. that an auto set would put out. and the r.f.i. would disturb the ecm.on this particular engine we suspect that the spark plugs themselves are causing the detonation,but merc says no .and the rep was saying that he has seen that the plug wire boots on mercs wires are less than desirable and will cause arcing of spark from the coil tower to one of the primary terminals on the coil.and replace the coil wire with the automotive.i am not suggesting using auto wires as his new info is so far from what i have been taught over the past 24 years that i have a hard time believing what he said.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Elk Chaser,<br /><br />The Code of Federal Regulations that mentioned plug wires and SAE J557 was updated in 1999 with no mention of another standard. <br /><br />Checking things out I came across this about SAE J2031 that was interesting:<br /><br />The current SAE standard for high tension ignition cable is titled J2031. In order to claim that a product meets the J2031 standard, the product must pass a series of analysis tests. <br /><br />Ignition cable is mainly tested for its ability to consistently deliver high voltage while maintaining its physical integrity. During testing a wire sample will be baked (48 hours at 220oC, 428oF), frozen (4 hours at -40oC, 40oF), set on fire, dunked in hot oil (48 hours at 90oC, 194oF) fuel or salt water, then subjected to acute physical stress by tight winding around a mandrel or by suspending a 50 pound weight. Cable jacketing is inspected for swelling, streatching, cracking or splitting while resistance or capacitance values are checked at intervals. High voltages ranging from 15,000 to 35,000 volts are applied to the cable, in some cases for as long as eight hours (Corona Resistance Test), in order to check for dielectric breakdown. <br /> <br /> One test, the Accelerated Life Cycle, compresses virtually all other tests into one sequential battery of abuse. It shows specifically how durable a cable must be to claim it meets SAE Standard J2031. In the Accelerated Life Cycle test a wire sample is wound around a mandrel in a specified manner and subjected to five tests, beginning with the salt water resistance test and ending with the low temperature resistance test. In each test one or more stressors are applied to try and "break down" the cable. <br /><br />To pass the Accelerated Life Cycle test, a test sample must withstand 60 hours of extreme temperature fluctuation, .32 1/2 hours of fluid immersion and 2 1/2 hours of applied high voltage (15,000 to 20,000 volts depending upon cable diameter). <br /><br />This represents almost 95 continuous hours of stress (nearly four straight days) in just one test. In total, there are 13 tests that make up the entire SAE J2031 standard.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Remember when boating was meant to be fun? Where's those damn oars.......

 

[Elk Chaser]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

JohnKC, <br /><br />Funny that you brought that up, when I bought my used boat with the 7.4L merc I did a bunch of work and tests on it and found that the new merc plug wire for the coil was in fact leaking (sparking) to the primary terminal exactly as you indicated. I replaced my wires with some made by Accel (automotive) and used new boots for the coil wires by MSD. Works great now.<br /><br />Seahorse<br /><br />Thanks for finding that information. That is one heck of a battery of tests, interesting thing to note is the use of salt water, sounds like marine to me.<br /><br />John

 

[KaGee]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Originally posted by seahorse:<br /> Elk Chaser,<br /><br />The Code of Federal Regulations that mentioned plug wires and SAE J557 was updated in 1999 with no mention of another standard. <br /><br />Checking things out I came across this about SAE J2031 that was interesting:...<br />

See, I told ya someone would be lookin it up! LOL

 

[KaGee]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Originally posted by johnkc:<br /> ...he actually told us that we can use a good quality set of automotive spark plug wires on any carb merc engine.but not on a fuel injected engine because of the r.f.i. that an auto set would put out. and the r.f.i. would disturb the ecm.on this particular engine...

The only question I have here, ECM's in automobiles have the same opportunities for EMI/RFI as any boat, and more. So, I fail to see his logic as it pertains to this topic.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: FYI - SAE J557 standard for Plug Wires

Originally posted by Elk Chaser:<br /><br /><br />Seahorse<br /><br />Thanks for finding that information. That is one heck of a battery of tests, interesting thing to note is the use of salt water, sounds like marine to me.

I agree that that is quite a set of conditions the wires must meet, and they should work fine in a marine application. The next time I talk with ABYC folks, I'll ask if there were any changes to the J557 recommendation.<br /><br />Years back when I was more involved with those things, some of the the J557 tests were about how secure the wire connectors attached to the distributor towers and the spark plugs so they would not come loose and spark. There was also a spec about the sealing properties of the plug and coil boots so moisture could not accumulate under them and cause an arc to ground, especially if gasoline fumes were present in the motor compartment.