When the coil wire comes into contact with the plastic intake elbow, a blue glow is emitted along the line of the wire about one inch long. Also the spark plugs glow, and where one wire touches the valve cover there is an occasionally spark - but the wire is not damaged at that point. And of course the coil glows.

Wires are Taylor 8mm. Stock coil, plugs, and opti, all new.

I am still burning super rich and cannot get all the spark to the plug. Help!

 

Almost sounds like a grounding issue. Be sure to check for a good connection at all of your engine grounds.

 

The glow is somewhat normal and doesn't effect the firing. The explanation gets scientific but if ya Google "corona" ya will come up with a good meaning.
Sounds like your plugs are too cold and I would gap them at .035 to help them fire easier.
If ya are that rich ya need to get a tune.

 

hmm, I have a tune, and mine still does this. It just seems to do it at idle. I have msd wires and coil. I am sure I dont have a grounding issue. Mine only does it at idle, as soon as I blip the throttle its gone, but when it idles back down it starts again. Mine is only at the plug though, like the metal hex part. I havent noticed any plug wire leaking spark, but it does glow off and on at the boot/plug. I want it to go away, cuz I have huge knock retard at idle and it runs like @ss. off idle it runs great though... we need to find a fix for this crap ASAP! I have always had this on my car, with 3 different motors now...

 

Well I checked my Jeep Libby last night and it too has this glow at the boot at idle. When I rev it up, the glow is gone.

I checked the Camaro again last night and I noticed more glow where the wire touched the valve cover. I could watch it move along the spark wire for a few inches. Anyway I'm going to try adding extra insulation around the wires to see if that helps.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Mine doesn't glow and arc to anything on the valve cover... you may have crappy wires as well as corona issues. I know I have corona issues, and mine idles like crap because of it. Lots of knock retard and crap. I am running MSD wires, and work great. I had terrible luck with the taylors I had before these new ones...
Let me know if you get it fixed! I have spent like 3 years fighting it!

 

Corona Effect

The Corona Effect is what causes neon signs to work. By inducing high voltage in the tube, the gas is ionized and thereby lights up. In the case of plug wires glowing, the Corona effect can happen when atmospheric conditions are right. High humidity and low barometric pressure combined with the high voltage of the ignition system will create an electrostatic field around the plug wires and will in effect, ionize the ~air~ around the plug wires. Thereby causing the glow. Since this is a breakdown of the surrounding air (not the wires) it will not affect ignition performance. That is of course assuming your plug wires have not been ahem, chewed on by mice ;-)

Also, since wide plug gaps require a higher voltage to fire them, this will increase the chances of the Corona Effect. Usually more visible around the plug wires rather than the plugs. Note: not to be confused with the Corona "after effect" of excessive consumption of Coronas with limes.

 

""Corona after effect" Priceless!!!

Rich

 

lol, the corona after effect is halarious!

Mine seems to have this glow right at the area that is not covered by the spark plug wire boot on the plug itself, But i dont know now. I will have to try to get in there somehow tonight to look at that bugger.

Thanks man, that helps out alot!

 

You know what? My car sat for a while, and we had a little mouse problem with the house, and put out some Decon. I found 2 dead mice under my car, and mouse **** on top of my intake manifold under my sweatshirt. I wonder if one of them ****ing rat-bastards ate my harness somewhere or chewed up a plug wire!