How to Check to See If a Spark Plug Wire Is Working
For a vehicle's engine to be running well it requires that a large number of parts all be in good working order. While many do-it-yourself mechanics are aware of some of the likely culprits of a poorly running engine, such as failing spark plugs or dirty filters, many don't stop to think that the spark plug wires may be the cause. There are methods you can use to check to see if your spark plug wires are working properly.
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Instructions
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Start the engine at night or in a dark garage, lift the hood and look at the spark plug wires. If you can see small electrical arcs (or flashes) at either end or along the length of the wires, they probably need to be replaced.
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Attach a jumper wire between the metal shank of a large flat head screwdriver and a heavy exposed piece of metal on the engine block. With the engine running, touch the tip of the screwdriver to the plug wires and rub it all along their length, around the coil and plug boots. A bad plug wire will cause an arc to form between the wire and the screwdriver.
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Inspect the wires for cuts, abrasions, burns and cracks. Any of these conditions is often enough to cause the wire to not work properly.
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Perform a resistance check by connecting a multimeter to both ends of the plug wire. Set the meter to read "Ohms." If the reading is higher than 15,000 Ohms per foot of length of the wire, then it should probably be replaced. If the meter shows infinity as the resistance, then there is a complete break in the plug wire.
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