NITROUS OXIDE ( nos / n2o ) advice forum

This is just an FYI really.

For many years now I have been using Mallory plug leads and other high end plug leads from the USA in my MSD powered ign systems on the MGB. I use a blower and nitrous so I need to be happy that my plug leads are up to the job.

Back in 2011 I got into discussions with Simon at Powerspark.

Mainly because I could not believe how cheap his plug leads were. Simon told me that he had absolute confidence in his products. So I bought a set to try.

My last set of leads mallory leads were damaged. Two of them got crushed in an engine removal incident.
Bottom line is:
Around £80 for the USA leads and around £35 for Powerspark leads.

I only got 4 passes in last July on the Powerspark stuff before I blew the engine. And then I forgot to do a write up. Recently I bought another set for Jays Escort. Stock 4.6 with nitrous and a set of Simons leads fitted.

Absolutely spot on with the nitrous and jays car made good numbers on track. So I'm now happy to pass on my experience to you guys. Save some money on your ign stuff and talk to powerspark. They do all sorts of leads and ign modules and dissy's.

Perry

Looks to me like they sell Bosch leads - maybe I'm missing some other brand.

Many years ago I was using and selling NGK leads, which were SUPERB quality in all respects but they stopped marketing them in the UK for some reason, so I had to look for an alternative and Bosch were the only ones worth trying.

I bought a set and was far from impressed by the quality but I decided to give them a try none the less. I removed a set of used and dirty NGK leads and to my ASTONISHMENT the Bosch leads produced a substantially quicker 1/4 mile time.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE that was possible (as the Bosch leads had NO technical merit over the NGK leads), so I decided to clean up and refit the NGK leads to repeat the test.

I was very pleased to discover that when the NGK leads were clean, they produced a SLIGHTLY quicker time than the Bosch leads.

I've since proved a number of times that the condition of the leads (even how clean the EXTERNAL surface is), plays a big part in how well the leads perform.

Since I've never found anyone else who is aware of this FACT or who has ever taken it in to account when comparing HT leads, I'll NEVER accept the outcome of any comparrison test without personally being involved, to ensure the results are a true reflection of the quality.

While I accept that Bosch leads were surprisingly capable, compared to NGK leads on my quite heavily dosed nitrous'd Rover SD1, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT that they'd perform as well as HIGH END US brand leads when pushed harder than I was doing at that time.

Therefore if you aren't pushing to the limits Bosch may well be adequate but I wouldn't use them myself even in those circumstances, as I wasn't impressed with other aspects of the leads quality.

Such a shame that NGK stopped selling their leads and that they didn't make a thicker one, as they were VASTLY SUPERIOR to ANY other lead I've ever seen in ALL respects.

I'm not making any claims about better performance. Just that the leads are good value for money and perform just as well as the more expensive leads I've been using. I only posted here as an FYI. Most of the info about these products has been for my non nitrous car chums on other forums as the difference in price between these and the posh sets is worth looking into

Hi Trev

I used to run those Blue see through NGK leads as well and they were brilliant....

I could never understand either why they stopped selling them in the UK

I am told you can still buy them in the USA though...

All the best Brett

Its becoming widespread knowledge in TVR circles that there is definately an element of the kings clothes when it comes to fitting expensive leads such as Magnecors to what is essentially an old Rover V8 running a modest ignition system.

Bosch are recommended unless you want fancy colours to match your engine bay.

I have nice blue ones btw

No wonder you cant make the numbers Del!!!

You need RED leads mate

i just make my own, copper core from a motorbike shop, remove the ends form some old leads and clean and recrimp them onto the cap end, then screw in some ngk caps, whichever resistance you favour

whole set around £15, and always worked great, only thing i need to do occasionally is the the caps havent unscrewed slightly

made a huge difference over the old leads, but and its a big but, i upgraded the plugs at the same time, so cant say wether it was the plugs and or leads that made any differnce, but the car certainly ran far smoother, and seemed to pull more cleanly

In the absense of NGK leads MAGNACOR are without doubt the best overall plug lead on the market.

I would never use Bosch leads myself and I wouldn't advise anyone else to do so, unless they couldn't afford Magnecor.

Copper cored leads are what we used to use on ign systems for old oil burners in heating boilers. They work ok for a long time in that sort of application but no way would I want those on any of my race engines where I need reliability.

If it works for you then go for it.

But the copper leads tend to be quite hard on the insulation and are constantly suffering with loose joints due to the soft copper compressing around the hard steel screws of the end fittings. Vibration is also another thing that makes these leads fail constantly on cars.

Why fit an old set of copper leads on an engine you are wanting to use with nitrous??

Your choice in the end mate..

I guess the saving grace is that if you get a failure the plug wont spark under load. But then you have a fresh mix of fuel and nitrous in the exhaust system just waiting for an ignition source like the flame from another exhaust port !!

How much nitrous do you use on the Capri??

i was using a direct 75 horse hit

they have lasted ok for the past fifteen years, however the leads were on before the nitrous, so it wasnt that i chose to use them with gas, i just added gas to the engine

magnecors are 100 quid a set, id hope for very good results and longevity with those!!

i wont use the horrid fibreglass core leads, is that what magnecors are? or do the have a different material?

I was recommended the copper by the guy who tuned the car on the rr originally, 15/18 whatever it was years ago, and as i say they have done very well, certainly against th cost, as for resistance, my car doesnt (didnt) use anything remotely sophisticated electronically! the dizzy was the nearest, followed by the flasher relay lol I was under the impression that a low amount of resistance prevented the spark being extinguished in practice, i believe that was gleaned from vizards book on minis