Programbo

Hello. Quick question. Is a spark plug wire basically a spark plug wire? I mean I know they come different lengths and the boots on the ends are different angles but if you get wires from 2 different manufacturer vehicles and they are the same length and the boots on the ends are the same shouldn't the be interchangeable? Reason I ask was going to do a tune-up today and got all the plugs, wires, cap, etc and had everything ready to go when we noticed the box of new wires was missing a wire. Since we had gotten ready to go I said screw it and went with what we had and temporarily used an old wire and when we went back to the store the guy there wouldn't give us just one wire. He did offer to let us return the other set and give us a new one but since we had used the other 5 he said he couldn't do anything. I said what's the difference if we return the other set or you give us one? Either way you are going to have a box with 5 wires in it on your shelf. No dice.

So rather than buy a whole new set of wires just to get one I will snag a wire at the junk yard as there is always a bunch of vehicles there with new caps and wires as people often change them hoping to fix whatever led the car to the junk yard in the end.

cruiser54

I wouldn't want a used plug wire along with 5 new ones. Where did you get the wires? Lifetime warranty by chance?

Nick-B

Plug wires do differ in construction and can result different resistance measurements. However they all do basically the same function. Transfer a high energy electrical pulse while minimizing electrical interference with other systems.
While a matched set is preferred, an odd wire that is good condition will probably be fine in a 4.0.

Programbo

Got them at PepBoys. I'll check the warranty when I go back outside. If I can't find what looks like a close to new wire at the yard tomorrow I'll move on to plan B

cruiser54

Take the wireset minus the missing wire and get another set because yours are defective. Different parts guy.....

RTorrez1

Yeah, I would take the whole set back and get all matching wires. Make sure that you talk to a different guy. The guy that wouldn't give you the wire that was missing is a complete idiot! Just because the wire may look good on the outside you don't know what the condition of the wire on the inside. Plus they do make different size of core, Such as 7mm and 8mm.

SirLips

Tell the guy at the store that you are missing 1 wire, when he tells you to return all of them, say "fine". tell him you are buying a new box, to save a trip, and will return the "old box" unused. LEave, take one wire you need out. walk back in a say "heres your unused box with the one wire missing".

Its not like the boxes are any different or have serial numbers on them or the wires. How can he tell if this is the first box or the second. (which is why it was dumb for him not to do it in the first place, but not all screws come out of the box tightened, if you know what i mean)

Programbo

I know. That's what I said to the guy in the store. What's the difference if I go get the other set and bring it back and you give me credit and then a new box or if you just take a wire out of another box right now? Either way you are ending up with a box with 5 wires.

SirLips

Have you tried a hit of acid and a box of shotgun shells? That sometimes works well too.

....Just say'in.