# Uh, glowie plug wires on motorcycles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037 "2003-04-30T00:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/1 "2003-04-30T00:09:17Z")
I Saw this on a spot for Jesse James’ show on the tube. His motorcycle had what looked like neon plug wires. At least they were where the wires should be. What are they? They looked kinda, well, they looked yuppie! This is a question about **motorcycles** , _not_ tv shows. Manny. 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/2 "2003-04-30T00:19:02Z")
Ooooo…[Neon Spark Plug Wires](http://glojob.com/neonspkit1a1.htm). Pretty colors. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/3 "2003-04-30T00:41:49Z")
I’m gonna have to think about this one for a while. I need a joint. Thanks, **Q.E.D.** ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/4 "2003-04-30T00:49:27Z")
I do have to wonder about their claim that: [quote] Our glowjobs are 100% efficient with NO power loss what so ever![/quoute]. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/5 "2003-04-30T04:38:06Z")
Not sure I’ve ever seen an efficiency standard for light-up spark plug wires. However, neon does conduct pretty well once it’s ionized and glowing. Spark plugs don’t exactly consume large amounts of current, so it all would seem to work just fine. I just wonder what happens if the neon portion breaks. I’m assuming they’re just using itty-bitty segments of regular sign-type neon, which is glass. Are you stranded? Or are you prudent and carry a regular plug wire as a backup? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/6 "2003-04-30T04:56:16Z")
If you use these, you are not prudent nor do you carry spare pasts and tools. You have your cell phone and AAA card/ ::::::: Sheesh :::::: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/7 "2003-04-30T12:11:28Z")
> [@](#): > > You have your cell phone and AAA card/ I called AAA when my chain broke on the freeway. (Boy, was _that_ an expensive repair!) They told me they didn’t have the equipment to tow a motorcycle. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/8 "2003-04-30T12:47:36Z")
They didn’t have a flat-bed tow truck? (Or even a pick-up) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/9 "2003-04-30T19:38:27Z")
I think that the neon is in a plastic tube located in line with the existing spark plug wire. Looking at the pictures I would expect to be fairly reliable (no glass, looks like it is mounted securely etc) I don’t know what amount of voltage it takes to ionize a neon tube, but if that voltage is less than what it takes to fire the plug then the statement about no power loss is correct (More or less) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/10 "2003-04-30T20:36:59Z")
**ski** : Come to think of it, I think I asked them about a flatbed and they said something to the effect of “Sorry, we don’t do bikes.” ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/11 "2003-04-30T23:22:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GusNSpot \* > \*\*If you use these, you are not prudent nor do you carry spare pasts and tools. You have your cell phone and AAA card/ > > ::::::: Sheesh :::::: \*\* **Jesse James** has _TRIPLE A_? He _might_ have a spare past, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/12 "2003-05-01T05:04:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rick \* > \*\*I don’t know what amount of voltage it takes to ionize a neon tube, but if that voltage is less than what it takes to fire the plug then the statement about no power loss is correct (More or less) \*\* There will be less current at the gap. If the plugs are OK and the mixture is OK, the bike should run OK. Maybe that’s what they mean by 100% effecient. I also suspect that the voltage at the ignition coil will be higher, which may, or may not, cause premature aging of the coil or controller. It doesn’t matter, anyone who has these on the bike isn’t concerned about performance anyway…to each, his own… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/13 "2003-05-01T13:59:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rick \* > \*\*I think that the neon is in a plastic tube located in line with the existing spark plug wire. Looking at the pictures I would expect to be fairly reliable (no glass, looks like it is mounted securely etc) > I don’t know what amount of voltage it takes to ionize a neon tube, but if that voltage is less than what it takes to fire the plug then the statement about no power loss is correct (More or less) \*\* It’s glass. Read the FAQ on the site I linked to. You’ll need to explain your third statement. If I’m reading to mean what it looks like it means, it’s utter nonsense. The neon tube is in series with the high-voltage line, and there will be no spark until the gas mixture in the tube has been ionized to conduction. The ionization process necessarily consumes energy, which is released later in the form of light and some heat. It may not be a great deal of energy, after all the tubes are fairly small, but it is definitely nonzero. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uh-glowie-plug-wires-on-motorcycles/172037/14 "2003-05-01T20:04:50Z")
**QED** I probably misspoke there, let me try to explain. Let’s look at a standard spark ignition system. Coil, rotor, cap, wire, and plug. Let’s say the the coil is capable is producing 35kV. assume 0kV loss in the coil wire. Assume 6kV to ionize the gap between rotor and cap. Assume a problem with one plug wire requiring 4kV to ionize the wire to the plug. Assume 10kV to ionize the plug gap. If you put this ignition system on a scope, What will the firing voltage be? A) 35kV B) 10kV C) 20kV D) 16kV The correct answer is 10kV. 10kV is the dominate gap in the sytem. If the coil puts out enough energy to bridge that **gap** the it will have the energy to bridge the 6kV rotor gap and the bad wire’s 4kV. This is why when using a automotive scope you have to other tests other than just looking a patern at idle. Now if you were to sub in the glow wires for the bad wire mentioned above, my statement will start to make sense. (I hope) Of course the production of light will consume some energy, but since the coil puts out well in excess of what the engine needs to fire the plug there will be no performance loss to the bike. (this is why I wrote more or less. Sure there is some energy consumed, but you will never notice it.)