Plug Wires Fried

[RH77]

I've been out of town for a few days and rented a vehicle to volunteer for a Rally Racing event. So I came back to Teggy at the local rental parking area, and it started right up, but...

It was acting like one cylinder wasn't firing right. Then the check-engine light started blinking. I popped the hood to take a look.

The plug wires were arcing like mad. One wire was missing an entire link and the second was arcing in a burned hole into the third wire. Mass hysteria!

I caught a ride home and plan to go back tomorrow to replace the fairly new wires.

How could this happen? Temps were slightly up in the engine compartment due to the grille block, but typical summer temps. were experienced. It was weird how a complete section of the wire was gone, and the other deteriorated. The car drove perfectly fine to the destination, which was about 50 miles.

Has anyone had this happen before? I suppose I'll replace the cheap-O wires right there in the lot, which more cheap-O wires. I guess this time, I'll isolate them from one another so if friction wear was the culprit it can be prevented -- like with electrical tape or something.

It's been a crummy week with car luck, let me tell ya...

-Rick

[Daox]

Got any pics of the wires? Melting or wear should be pretty obvious. Maybe it was just age and the plastic cracked?

[Ryland]

Mice? I have seen mice eat the plastic and copper of wires before.

[cfg83]

RH77 -

Oh yeah, mice or rats! Look for signs of nesting and chewed wires. That's how my wife's car's electrical system was destroyed.

CarloSW2

[trikkonceptz]

Here in Florida racoons get under the hood and chew wires, of new cars none the less. Our dealership is constantly dealing with dead racoons and such under the hoods of cars/trucks. I can't wait until they get their teeth sunk into a new Fusion Hybrid battery pack wire. They'll look something like the cat in Christmas vacation ... LOL

[RH77]

I haven't had a chance to take pictures yet, but it looked like the wires got stuck in the cooling fan -- but there are no moving parts close to the distro and wires over there. Plus the parking area was near the end of Terminal-C at Kansas City Airport. The noise generally keeps varmints away.

I'll take some pics soon. It looks like the high voltage just blasted the daylights out of both wires.

On the plus side, it started after a cold soak (~25F), and stayed running on 2 cylinders.

RH77

EDIT: Clark, I'd like to try to fumigate this here chair. If you don't mind my askin', how much did she set you back?