FR Plug Wires! 2 Bad Sets?!

[SadisticMystic]

Anyone else had issues with Ford Racing plug wires? Ordered a set to replace the stock ones on my 97 Cobra and car began misfiring on the initial drive after installing. Swapped them back to the original wires, issue is gone. Returned that set of wires for a new set of FR wires, same exact issue. Only this time the spark actually jumped through the boot on one wire. Car also has Autolite 764's in it.

 

[ZeroDCX]

I've had that issue with multiple duralast wiresets one after the other. My FRPP and stock motorcraft wire sets have never had that problem.

 

[Goindeafonmtx]

Never had an issue with FRPP. Unlikely your issue is the wires.

 

[SadisticMystic]

Never had an issue with FRPP. Unlikely your issue is the wires.

Also swapped out the coils for new motorcraft ones. Any ideas on what could be my underlying issue?

 

[ZeroDCX]

If you've swapped back to your original wires and the problem resolved, you've already isolated your issue. Try exchanging your FRPP wireset again. You just lucked out getting two bad sets in a row. It happened to me as well with the duralast wiresets (twice in a row with visible arcing).

 

[Goindeafonmtx]

Also swapped out the coils for new motorcraft ones. Any ideas on what could be my underlying issue?

I agree with you're method for checking them by swapping them for known good/working wires. I've always found FRPP to be very high quality. Not saying they aren't the issue, nothing is perfect.

You might check resistance of each FRPP wire and try to pinpoint a specific issue. If you can see them arcing, the wires are bad. Recheck the plugs. Check for black marks on the porcelain. If there is black marks, replace them. If you drop a plug, it's trash. Spark plugs are fragile. Good thing is that they are also cheap.

 

[Wingless Cobra]

I bought FRPP 9mm wires earlier this year and installed them in Feb, along with MSD coil packs and NGK plugs. No problems, up until a few weeks ago. Started hesitating/stumbling at low RPM, and you could hear faint misfires in exhaust. Wasn't sure the issue, until I cam across multiple threads on SVTPerformance, speaking specifically about FRPP wires, installed in 2017.

like here: https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/low-rpm-stumble-miss.1140461/page-2

and here: https://www.svtperformance.com/forums/threads/98-cobra-engine-runs-rough-when-under-load.1144857/

something has changed in 2017 for FRPP. I read somewhere that the assembly of the wire sets, is occurring in a plant in Mexico, most likely outsourced by FRPP. My assumption would be their Quality Control measures have gone down drastically.

I have ordered new Motorcraft wires (OEM) through Rock Auto for like $73, receive them next wednesday 10/04 and will install them then. Hopefully that will solve my issues.

 

[Wingless Cobra]

Update 10/04:

Changed out FRPP 9mm wires, to Motorcraft 8mm OEM wires. Hesitation and missing gone.

Something is wrong with the quality of the FRPP wires in 2017. Pisses me off that I spent the extra money on them 6 months ago, only for them to fail.

 

[99GTMichael]

That's disappointing to hear, I was planning to use them on my stroked '69 small block.

 

[Wingless Cobra]

It's even more disappointing after you spend the money lol...

If you can find some produced earlier than 2017, you may be alright, as all the negative reviews I have seen come from this year.

I looked over the wires after I pulled them out, and I could not see any visible signs of deterioration, rips, holes, etc.

But, i did check out their resistance with a voltmeter, compared to the new Motorcraft wires, and they were off/different.

Granted, the FRPP are 9mm, and the Motorcraft are 8mm, so there might be some difference in their resistance, but the difference i read was substantially different.

The long leads/wires of the Motorcraft, Ohmed out at like 12.6/ohms, and the shorter leads ohmed out at something like 7.5/ohms.

The FRPP, long leads ohmed out at like 5.6/ohms, and the short leads ohmed out at like 2.3/ohms.

So while a visible rip/tear in the insulation was not seen on FRPP wires/leads, they were obviously losing their spark/resistance somewhere along the line...

Seeing that you have a stroked '69 small block, I assume you have MSD ignition? I haven't read anything bad about MSD wires, so maybe give them a try.

 

[04DeadShort]

Glad I found this as I have a plug and wire change coming up. I change my plugs (tr6) once a year but have been on FRPP for about 5yrs. They have simply been a good set. I have just recently noticed some browning color in the insulation. That tells me between the engine heat and the voltage is finally taxing the insulation. The car had MSD wires on it when I bought it but it quickly developed a issue the wires arcing at the coil packs. I switched to FRPP and cured that issue. I'm currently on my second set of FRPP over a 10yr span. Sucks to hear the quality has gone downhill.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[Wingless Cobra]

Yeah it does suck. I had read so much good stuff about FRPP wires, that I was excited to get them earlier this year when doing plug and wire change.

I've gone back to the 8mm MotorCraft wires, and had no issues. Got them from RockAuto.com, for about 60% of what AM or LMR wanted for them.

Good luck!

 

[97snakebite]

The frpp wires have always been trash

 

[98 svt]

The frpp wires have always been trash

I have to disagree, 10 years ago they were very dependable.

 

[04DeadShort]

The frpp wires have always been trash

Which wires do you recommend?

 

[The Commander]

I have less then 1k miles on my frpp wires and I had the same problem until I put my stock wires back on if I have to replace them I will definitely go with some stock motorcrafts.

 

[2DXTRM]

Motorcraft, Denso or NGK wires for these 4.6 DOHC engines.

Some part numbers for quick reference.

Denso : 6718091
NGK: RC-FDZ051
Motorcraft: WR5875