MSD or Blue Streak wires?

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Scat Adams

Scat Adams

Really doing it Harry
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Are the MSD wires worth the extra $100? Blue Streak seems to be well built as well but not as low resistance as the MSD's.

These would be going in a '72 318.

Thanks!
 
Could you at least post some part numbers so we could compare?
 
Is this a race engine? If not, I'd run the blue streak in a second.
 
.Depends on the rest of the ignition system. Some systems require spiral core wires like MSD.
 
For a performance engine, what is important is to use spiral/helical wound wires. Resistance is NOT critical. Many years back, Circle Track tested about a dozen wires on a 400 hp SBC engine. There was a few hp difference, but the highest hp was NOT with the lowest resistance wires!
Helical wires create an inductor. So now you have resistance, inductance & capacitance in the mix.
 
The best wires I ever used on a factory 340 were Packard wires. They fit perfect and were burn proof. Also Mallory wires were good on BB mopars

For use with Performance high energy ignition I like MSD wires. Blue streak can't take the engine compartment heat very long. On damp mornings in the dark Blue streak wires look like a 3 ring circus of sparks jumping under the hood. Just my experience with them on several applications over the years. I can remember using Belden wires years back. Cheap and lasted about 1 year.

If using a standard coil this information is not applicable. I was always using Accel or some type of High energy coil years ago. Both my big block 440 R/T's came with Mallory dual point ignitions, wires and coils from the factory when bought new.
 
Thanks for the responses.

The 318 that the wires would be going in is pretty much stock- 4 barrel, intake & exhaust. Mainly just looking to make it run the best possible, I don't drive it hard.
 
A stock 318. With $150 wires? Lemmie tell you. I bought a GM style big cap HEI distributor for my Ford truck with a 400 about 8 years ago. The cheap ready made Accel wires came with it. They are EIGHT YEARS OLD and still going strong. I paid 74.99 delivered for the distributor AND wires. There's no way in HECK I'd spend that much on wires unless I was racing. You need stock replacement spark plug wires. That's all you need man. Make sure to put some dielectric grease in both end boots to seal um up good and to make them come off easier when you put plugs in.
 
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I want to come back to this and say after looking, Taylor makes some decent spiral wound wires for under 50 bucks. I found some for my Ford truck for like 46 and some change. I may go ahead and get them, as mine are getting older and I even have noticed a split or two in the outer layer of insulation. They still work fine though, but I may take a preemptive strike and replace them.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Is this a race engine? If not, I'd run the blue streak in a second.
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I agree , and pretty much.. anything under 600 ohms resistance is a decent wire when it comes to function. The jacket n boot are a whole 'nother' story -'spelled how it's said'.

I like the Taylor Spiro pros for affordable performance.. and the msd 'not cheap ones' for track n all out. Thr diff in measurable power is Probably next to .05 diff.
 
BTW the Accel wires are around $100 a set now.:wtf: I've had good luck with mine but my car isn't driven very much either. A mostly stock 318 won't need anything special or see any improvement with expensive wires IMO.
 
I have used FireCore, MSd, Moroso, Taylor, Magnacore Blue Streak (same product line as the link) and Accel with good good results.

The most I ever made on n20 using Blue Streak was 576whp. I think you will be fine with the more economical of the two.
 
Right on makes sense and that was generally what I was thinking. Just didnt want to miss out if there was some performance left on the table for an extra $75-100.
 
I wanted to come back to this and say I got the Taylor spiral wound wires for my truck. I just put them on today. They seem like really good quality for the money (a tic over 50 bucks delivered from Summit). I had found and ordered them on Amazon. After 10 days of nothing, I cancelled that order and ordered them from Summit night before last and they were here yesterday. lol
 
I realized I had told yall about the Taylor wires but had not posted pictures. Here they are. lol
FOE HUNNET PLUG WIRES.JPG


FOE HUNNET PLUG WIRES1.JPG
 
I like the taylor wires a lot for budget builds. For my more expensive builds I run the low resistance MSD wires that you cut to fit. I like the fact that I can make them fit perfectly. They come with a cheap crimper but I have the nice msd crimper that produces factory quality crimps.
Back in the day those yellow accell wires were pretty good. The boots seemed to burn easy but the wires kept ticking away. I have a set I bought back in 92 and they are still good.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
I like the taylor wires a lot for budget builds. For my more expensive builds I run the low resistance MSD wires that you cut to fit. I like the fact that I can make them fit perfectly. They come with a cheap crimper but I have the nice msd crimper that produces factory quality crimps.
Back in the day those yellow accell wires were pretty good. The boots seemed to burn easy but the wires kept ticking away. I have a set I bought back in 92 and they are still good.
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I have to admit, I am impressed with how well the Taylor ready made wires fit. They went on quite neat.
 
The best I have ever used for racing were from Scott Wires. They custom build to your specs.

For 90% of our cars a $30 set of wires is all you need...they are just another shiney object to waste our money on like roller rockers, cheap chrome crap and gear drives.

Yes I'm a crabby old b@stard.
 
Check EVERYTHING. I recently finished an engine build where the owner bought the MSD plug wire kit, where you cut to length to suit your engine. They come with spark plug end already terminated. One wire had high resistance because the wire & the terminal were not making contact.
 
33IMP said:
I'm gonna try the summit bbm specific 8mm wires on my 11 sec 440. I think the small block set would work for your 318.
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You won't be disappointed, a very good wire.
 
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