273 V8 spark wire routing, looms and grommets

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mike240

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I am hoping someone has a picture of how the spark plug wire were separated and routed from the factory and where to locate those pieces. I have searched over the web. Lots of stuff for big blocks…

i have the valve covers with the spot welded tabs. Thank you.

89E171E1-A7AE-4E9A-93D8-6ADA9421F2DE.jpeg
 
Don't know how much you can tell from this pic, but this was my 65 Barracuda engine compartment back in 1969, still pretty much unmolested except for the oil breather cap, the battery and a few decals.

65 Barracuda motor 1.jpg
 
Or here's a scan of the engine compartment as shown in the February 1965 Hot Rod Magazine road test of a 65 Barracuda Formula S.

65 barracuda motor hrm.JPG
 
As I recall, other than the spot welded tabs on the valve covers, the only wire separators were one 4-wire circular type free-floating black plastic separator on each side between the valve cover tabs and the distributor. You can barely make one out in my old pic, just above the oil breather cap. I've still got a pair or more somewhere in my stash, but was unable to find them when I looked just now. Pretty much, you just run the wires however looks the neatest, and without too much length (like so many aftermarket wire sets).
 
My 67 dart 273 one family car.


The drivers side in the valve cover wire holders were the single split round (white/off white no engine paint)

upload_2022-3-10_13-15-38.png


and the pass side were the dual clip in type (white, painted with engine red paint)

upload_2022-3-10_13-16-15.png


if there were plastic fiber intermediate clips I don't recall. but I did find a long 4 way and a square 4 way (image was obviously poorly doctored to resemble the square 4 way I found)

upload_2022-3-10_13-22-55.png
upload_2022-3-10_13-25-40.png
 
FYI - I tried to drill the factory inserts out on my 66’273 commando wire holders to accept larger wires…. That was a mess. Had to buy a new set of those white inserts from Classic industries. Not expensive but free ship over $100. If you pay for their shipping… big $
 
67 are different than 65.
Dana67Dart said:
My 67 dart 273 one family car.


The drivers side in the valve cover wire holders were the single split round (white/off white no engine paint)

View attachment 1715885798

and the pass side were the dual clip in type (white, painted with engine red paint)

View attachment 1715885799

if there were plastic fiber intermediate clips I don't recall. but I did find a long 4 way and a square 4 way (image was obviously poorly doctored to resemble the square 4 way I found)

View attachment 1715885803View attachment 1715885804
Click to expand...
 
Keep the wires away from metal as much as possible. And make sure they do not interfere with the accellerator or kickdown linkage through full travel.
 
Dana67Dart said:
My 67 dart 273 one family car.

The drivers side in the valve cover wire holders were the single split round (white/off white no engine paint)

View attachment 1715885798

and the pass side were the dual clip in type (white, painted with engine red paint)

View attachment 1715885799
Click to expand...

Interesting. I would have thought that a 67 motor would have had the dual clip type on both sides. That's what's on the pair of 67 Commando valve covers I own. Maybe different clips from side to side on two-barrel motors?
 
65 Cuda 340 said:
Interesting. I would have thought that a 67 motor would have had the dual clip type on both sides. That's what's on the pair of 67 Commando valve covers I own. Maybe different clips from side to side on two-barrel motors?
Click to expand...
I have always seen that as odd, but in 85 when I got my car (a 67) there were still enough of these cars in wrecking yards to verify that.


Alan
 
Dana67Dart said:
My 67 dart 273 one family car.


The drivers side in the valve cover wire holders were the single split round (white/off white no engine paint)

View attachment 1715885798

and the pass side were the dual clip in type (white, painted with engine red paint)

View attachment 1715885799

if there were plastic fiber intermediate clips I don't recall. but I did find a long 4 way and a square 4 way (image was obviously poorly doctored to resemble the square 4 way I found)

View attachment 1715885803View attachment 1715885804
Click to expand...
 
Dana67Dart said:
My 67 dart 273 one family car.


The drivers side in the valve cover wire holders were the single split round (white/off white no engine paint)

View attachment 1715885798

and the pass side were the dual clip in type (white, painted with engine red paint)

View attachment 1715885799

if there were plastic fiber intermediate clips I don't recall. but I did find a long 4 way and a square 4 way (image was obviously poorly doctored to resemble the square 4 way I found)

View attachment 1715885803View attachment 1715885804
Click to expand...

do the one piece two wire ones snap in? And are correct? There is a slot between the two saddles on the valve cover tabs.

so use the little snap on grommets or two wire single piece? The shop manual doesn't show it? Yea I know….damn purists !
 
mike240 said:
do the one piece two wire ones snap in? And are correct? There is a slot between the two saddles on the valve cover tabs.

so use the little snap on grommets or two wire single piece? The shop manual doesn't show it? Yea I know….damn purists !
Click to expand...
The double one piece ones are for 67 and newer. The 64-66 takes the individual ones. Now, in 55 years a valve cover could have been switched out. like Dana in post #7 mentioned above.
 
67 commando 1 piece 2 wire snap in. Better pic of your tabs would help.
mike240 said:
do the one piece two wire ones snap in? And are correct? There is a slot between the two saddles on the valve cover tabs.

so use the little snap on grommets or two wire single piece? The shop manual doesn't show it? Yea I know….damn purists !
Click to expand...
 
mike240 said:
do the one piece two wire ones snap in? And are correct? There is a slot between the two saddles on the valve cover tabs.

so use the little snap on grommets or two wire single piece? The shop manual doesn't show it? Yea I know….damn purists !
Click to expand...

If there's a slot on the tabs, the valve covers are for the dual type wire retainers.

One advantage of the dual retainer is that you can snap 8mm wires into them. Can't do that with the single wire clips, as Syleng1 found out.

DSCF0085.jpg
 
Last edited:
The 67 covers have a hole for the banana clip to snap into
In 67 there were two different floating clips, the square on the right side of the engine. I do not know if this was done in other years, early or late.

2018-08-02_001.jpg


2018-08-02_004.jpg


Alan
 
65 Cuda 340 said:
If there's a slot on the tabs, the valve covers are for the dual type wire retainers.

One advantage of the dual retainer is that you can snap 8mm wires into them. Can't do that with the singe wire clips, as Syleng1 found out.

View attachment 1715885861
Click to expand...

Waiting at the barber. But zoomed in on prior pick. This is how I got the cat but it needed new wires. You can see the slit between the saddles. What threw me off was the YearOne site said four of the single grommets for 66-67 cars not eight. The chrome looms on the top valve cover bolts are obviously aftermarket. Thanks all.

F1C29F80-25BF-4D1A-A9FE-EC3C9817E631.png
 
mike240 said:
Waiting at the barber. But zoomed in on prior pick. This is how I got the cat but it needed new wires. You can see the slit between the saddles. What threw me off was the YearOne site said four of the single grommets for 66-67 cars not eight. The chrome looms on the top valve cover bolts are obviously aftermarket. Thanks all.

View attachment 1715885864
Click to expand...
 
Motor may not be correct for 66…is this Dec of 1964 stamp?

8A96FA9C-3638-4633-A526-D9EE0E8EB801.png
 
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