My mechanic is unavailable today & I'm ordering parts. Can anyone tell me the difference between wire sets with rubber ends versus those with metal ends? I want the best for my '85 that I'm slowly restoring. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
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'85 240 auto 128K; '86 240 auto 144K; '85 240 manual 118K

The newer style Volvo wires, with the big blue molded silicone ends, work great on my '86. I think they were originally intended for the turbo 240s, but sure work fine on a non-turbo engine.

Over the years I've nad a modest amount of trouble with the metal end style plug wires. The wires can literally unscrew from the fittings.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

Don,

Don't the metal ends have, like, 5k resistors in them? I have always built my own wires. What might be kinda trick is to use MB spark plug caps as they only have about 1k. Might get an extra volt or two to the plugs...

Justin B.

They might, but I thought it was resistance wire.

If you delete the resistance, you may get a slightly stronger spark, but you WILL get more radio interference.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

I've never tore apart a set of "stock" Volvo wires but those on Mercedes vehicles are a resistor sparkplug cap with solid wires. I'd have to "ohm" out one but now that I think about it they may be 5k ohm. The spark plug caps on my BMW R100RT are 1K ohm.

Justin

Could be. The times I've had to repair the old style wires (reinstall the end), it appeared that the wire center core was a carbon impregnated cord, not copper.

But maybe it just looked black because of all the arcing.....

I only use the new, molded style now and love 'em. In fact, these are the ones I wash every year.

Heh, I forgot about you putting stuff like this in the dishwasher. Does your ol' lady give you as much grief as mine does when I "cure" hi-temp paint in the oven? ;-)