Radio clicking after new s.plugs installed? wtf?

[nacho]

I just put new NGK #5509 spark plugs in my SC 2000 4R. These plugs are 2 steps colder than what I had before. Before I was having knock under HG/LR. The new plugs cured the knock problem, but now the radio clicks with the engine running....wtf could cause this? Thanks for any help.

 

[Jordan Petry]

I highly doubt its your radio. I'd bet a million bucks its the temperature adjustment servo motor for you AC/Heat. Try adjusting the temperature and see if it goes away.

This applies only if you have the electronic HVAC system and not the mechanical one.

 

[nacho]

I just found out what the problem is. It's the cheesy NGK TE66 (blue)
spark plug wires I installed along with the new NGK spark plugs.

It says right on the wire box: "ultra low resistance" What a joke!

I install high resistance spark plugs to avoid the engine noise and the
f'd up 'blue' wires canceled out the resistance and allowed the engine
noise to happen with their ultra low resistance. This pisses me off.

I got this off another marine forum, but it still applies to us:

--------------------------------------------------------------
For spark plug wires, make sure to avoid ANY ignition wiring sets that
brag about low resistance since that is, like on the spark plugs, needed
to suppress AM radio noise. Due to how wiring and Ohm's law works, the
resistance needed in ignition wiring and spark plugs to eliminate
ignition noise in an AM radio does not significantly reduce the spark
intensity. There is so little current flowing through ignition wiring
that even the normal high-resistance in ignition wiring does not
significantly reduce the voltage. And don't worry, that extra
resistance is PURPOSELY added to the wiring... it costs more to make it
that way than it would with lower resistance wiring.

So go with standard carbon-impregnated ignition wiring sets and avoid at
all costs any so-called "performance" ignition wiring set that talks
about its lower resistance even if it also says it has some lame
"spiral-wrap" technology to reduce noise.

Now I have to take out those 'blue' wires a get some GOOD ones!!!

 

[Jordan Petry]

Interesting, never heard that before. I figured it was sheer coincidence that your temp adjustment motor went out. Same exact thing happened to me, did a little work on the car, got in, turned on the ac and get this click coming from under the dash around the radio. Sounded just like what you were describing.

Good luck, Jordan

 

[TheDurk]

I'm skeptical. I have TE-66 wires in my rig for 30K miles now and I listen to Yankee games all the time on AM 880 out of NYC. Frequently I will do that until the signal fades completely on my way to my son's house in MD or my brother's farm in PA. I have never heard an ignition click. I have never seen any criticism of these wires on any 4Runner board and LOTS of us have them.

NGK Resistor Spark Plug Wire Sets utilize a construction method known as "variable pitch" wire winding to create resistance to radio frequency interference. The variable pitch winding (loose/tight/loose) provides suppression throughout a very wide range by "scrambling" and breaking up the electrical waves radiated by the firing of the spark plugs.

NGK Wire Sets

I don't mean to imply that you might not have received a defective wire. But I completely disagree with your assertion that ALL TE-66 sets generate RFI due to their design. I also doubt the construction described above is 'cheaper' than just using basic carbon-fiber core used in cheapo cut-it-yourself Walmart cable sets.

GO YANKS!!

 

[Nelsonmd]

What the f is AM radio? :boink:

 

[TheDurk]

What the f is AM radio? :boink:

You live in Boston and never listen to the Red Sox on WEEI 850 AM? Your expulsion notice from Massachusetts is in the mail....but other than baseball, traffic and news, you have a point. Of course, traffic in Boston is bad everywhere, all the time...so who needs updates?

 

[Nelsonmd]

You live in Boston and never listen to the Red Sox on WEEI 850 AM? Your expulsion notice from Massachusetts is in the mail....but other than baseball, traffic and news, you have a point. Of course, traffic in Boston is bad everywhere, all the time...so who needs updates?

Big talk coming from a yankees fan living in dirty jersey...

I actually hate the sox, they won their championships on steroids, and their fans think that fate owes them championships. Yankees fans aren't any better (not saying this is you) as they can't accept that they buy championships. Money has spoiled baseball (as well as most other pro sports).

Anyway, I have the TE-66's as well, and I havn't noticed anything, though I don't listen to AM much.. Maybe i'll give it a try today and see if I hear anything.