Spark plug boots for sale (maybe!)
 

Our plug boots are failing - it's a matter of time.

I found a source that will make high-dielectric, elastomeric boots for the SVX.

$1,000 produces about 20 sets, including tooling. That's $50 per set, plus postage.

Obviously I'm looking for a group buy. Anyone interested?

I am. This is a set of 6 right. Do you want to know how many sets we want yet, or are you just finding out if there is interest? :)

Yes - that's for a set of 6. Maybe 7 (spare) if I can negotiate a little with the shop making them.

Finding out if 20 sets will sell - that's the minimum. If I get an affirmative response, I'll order next week.

Subaru sells the boots for $100 each, with the coil!

Stock size (diameter), or can they make them larger? Stock color, or ?
At $50 for 6/7, count me in.
-Bill

I thought though since we had coils we didnt really have just one plug wire but 3 ( i believe) little wire encased in a black sleeve that go to the coil pack???I am just curious as to what part of the wire you are replacing i am definitely intersted as i am planning on ordering plugs very soon...HOw quickly will these be available???Thanks for any help and info

At the rear of each bank of cylinders there are three connectors. Each goes to its cylinder via a heat-shielded common wire (nothing special, as far as I can tell).

Each of those wires terminates in the coil, of which there is one per cylinder. The coil is attached to the cylinder head via a 12mm bolt. The wire is molded into the coil and is not replaceable.

Each wire carries a LOW VOLTAGE signal to the cylinder. The "coil" is really at transformer. Low voltage IN, high voltage OUT. The out is just an internal connection that looks like the end of any spark plug cable. The spark plug enters the coil pack and mates with that connector.

The boot sheaths the nipple of the coil pack, sealing it to the ceramic of the plug and making the entire assembly dirt and water tight.

The boot is a high-dielectric elastomer capable of withstanding very high temperatures. It's molded very carefully, with an internal relief for a corresponding ring on the coil pack.

When the boot deteriorates, it allows moisture and dirt to enter that short path to the plug, and carbon tracks and dielectric failure cause high voltage leakage to the engine ground. This produces stumbling at idle, and a potentially violent result when the throttle is depressed in 4th.

I think most "coil failures" are really failures of the boot.

Just for the record...

Those low-voltage signals can be used in another way.

Mount a Buick Grand National 6-coil assembly at the rear of the engine (where?), connect the low-V inputs and the high-V outputs, and it should run just fine. You will lose the advantage of the one-inch high-voltage path to the plug.

I hereby promise that if my previous solution does not solve the boot supply problem, I will NOT pay Subaru $600 but will find/install a Buick coil assembly and report on the results.

sorry for all the questions, but i'm still a little lost as to what exactly you all are planning on replacing if its not the wires to the coil???SOrry for my ignorance,also i really apppreciate the explanation of the coils and everything...

Forgive me if I'm wrong here, it's a part of the engine that I have yet to look at.

Years ago on the yahoo site, somebody said that you could use the rubber ends from certain HT leads in place of the boots. If that's true then surely it's the cheapest way.

What do you think?

If there is a cheaper way that works, Please tell me what parts to buy!

The problem is that the two diameters (nipple of the coil and the plug) are odd - about 5/8" and 3/8", and the spacing is very close. The only boots that look like they'd fit are distributor-end boots intended for certain old cars. I spent a lot of time at Pep Boys and Auto Zone. - no one sells the boots alone, and the cheapest wire set I could find that came close was about $30.

It seems a shame to spend that for a wire set and then throw away everything but one boot!

Well, it doesn't look like enough people will want these boots, so I'm shifting to Plan B. Take two pieces of high-dielectric, high-temperature tubing of the right dimensions, and bond them.

Look here:
 

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...highlight=boot

Mr Pockets - what did you ever wind up doing for a boot?

Maybe Plan C.

Today I found some 1" high-temp, high-dielectric shrink tubing, and as a form inserted a 3/8" rod into a 5/8"OD 3/8"ID hose. I shrunk four layers of the heat-shrink onto the form, and razored it to the right length. Looks great. Under the heat gun it softens somewhat, but I don't think that will cause problems in the car.

I'll wait a day or two and if no one cries "Disaster!" I'll install a couple and see what happens.

Well, I'm sure my interest wouldn't be "enough" to cause the group buy, but, I'd be interested.

If I recall correctly, someone on the Yahoo board, many moons ago, described a set of spark plug wires with boots that would work. The funny thing about it was, the boots that worked were on the distributor end instead of the plug end. You might want to do a search on "spark plug boots" in the "Message Archive" (up top, under the link to "Personal Lockers") Or, if I have time (gah! which I rarely do, any more), I'll check.