Detailed Instructions To Install The Nology "Hot Wires" Spark Plug Wire Set And Beru "Silverstone" Spark Plugs On A 1993-1995 MR2 WARNING: before starting this work, please allow your engine to cool it is not a good idea to be doing this work on a hot engine. WARNING: Make sure you read all the way through these instructions at least once before proceeding with the work. TOOLS USED: 10mm 1/4 drive socket 12mm 3/8 drive socket (standard socket) 12mm 3/8 drive (deep socket) 5/8 3/8 drive spark plug socket (has internal rubber sleeve) 14 inch 1/4 drive extension 12 inch 3/8 drive (lock end) extension 6 inch 1/4 drive extension 18 inch 1/2 drive breaker bar (to break loose the spark plugs) 1/4->3/8 drive adaptor 3/8->1/4 drive adaptor 1/2->3/8 drive adaptor 0 to at least 25 ft/lb torque wrench 7/64 allen wrench (to install wire looms) small pair of wire cutters small pair of slip joint pliers small wire brush PARTS PURCHASED Nology Hot Wire Set Nology Hot Wire Separators Beru "Silverstone" S3F Spark Plugs OTHER PARTS PURCHASED: 2/0 Battery Cable 14 inches long Flat spark plug indexing washers OTHER PARTS AND PRODUCTS USED: Qtips Silicone grease Wesleys Black Magic Silicone Duct tape 320 grit (wet dry) sand paper Griot's Garage Antisieze paste several clean shop rags two or three large clean bath towels WHY A GOOD GROUND IS IMPORTANT: It is important to explain why a good ground is very important when installing the Nology Hot Wires. Nology Hot Wires pulse the spark at 4 nano seconds and 1000 amps. Because of this extremely high pulse current and high frequency, an excellent "frame ground" is necessary. Also the specific characteristic of the pulse, its frequency, must be taken into account. As the frequency of the current goes up what happens is that the current tends to flow towards the outside of the conductor, this is known in electronics as the "skin effect". To give you an idea of what frequency we are talking about, then consider the formula Freq = 1/Time. So if we use this formula we see that Freq = 1/4 nano seconds and that divides out to 250 megahertz. At that frequency the "skin effect" would be very much in effect. So, the ground wire must have a very large surface area so that the current will have a maximum amount of "skin" to move on. That is why a 2/0 sized welding cable conductor is chosen. It has thousands of smaller wires that add up to a very large surface or "skin" area for the high frequency current pulse to travel on. Also to take into account, since you will see in this installation, that the most logical place to ground the Nology Hot Wires is on the air intake connector, that is mounted on the throttle body. One must look at the ground path from the air intake connector to the real ground which is the negative terminal of the battery. If you take a good look at the ground path you will see that there are several gaskets in the path. Remember that we are talking about a high frequency pulse current, so maximum "skin" area is very important. A gasket will block that current. That is why running a heavy ground wire from frame ground to the air intake connector is very important. This will provide the shortest, most direct path to ground, and will allow a maximum amount of conductor area or "skin" for the current to travel. CONNECTING FRAME GROUND: First lay down at least two of the large bath towels on the top surface of the car around the engine, this is so you don't damage the paint, and you also have some where to lay your tools out without scratching the paint. Lay out the tools that you will be using, at least most that are practical, that way it provides easy access and makes the job go much smoother. Before proceeding with this first step, you may want to mark the position of the engine hood latch, this can be done by either marking with a scribe or a marker of some kind. Using a 12mm socket 3 inch extension and 3/8 drive ratchet, remove the two bolts that hold down the engine lid latch. Lay it face down on top of the intake manafold. Now using a small knife or scraper, scrape the paint off around the hole so as to provide a bare metal contact path. You should have the latch laying face down and scraping the paint off around the back side holes. Scrape the paint off around both holes on the back side of the latch. When this is done use a small piece of the 320 grit wet dry sand paper and get any remaining paint off so you have a clean surface. Now use the small wire brush and brush around the hole. Now you are going to do the same to the holes on the frame of the car where the latch mounts. Make sure that there is a good bare metal contact area. Now turn the latch over and on the (passengers side US) of the latch assuming that you are standing of the passengers side (US), of the car then scrape the paint off around the hole on the latch, this is where the 2/0 battery cable will be screwed down. After you finish scraping the paint off, and you have a good bare metal contact area, locate one of the latch bolts, and scrape the paint off the inside surface of the washer using a small knife and then wire brush it. Now for those that may be concerned with rust, then put a small dab of silicone grease on each of the areas where the paint was scraped off. This will provide a protection against water, but at the same time will allow electrical contact. Now locate the 2/0 battery cable and using the wire brush, brush around the end connector contact area, this will remove any small amount of surface oxidation that might exist. Now locate the latch bolt that you scraped the paint off the inside of the washer, and position the latch, the 2/0 cable and the bolt, and screw it down in place but not very tight yet. Now locate the other latch bolt and screw it down in place, but not very tight yet. Now position the latch to match your scribe marks, or just "eye ball" it, and then tighten down the bolts using a torque wrench, 12mm socket, 3 inch extension. Make sure that the 2/0 battery cable is positioned horizontal to the lid surface, (see picture for details). The torque spec is 12 ft. lbs. Now we are ready to anchor the other end of the 2/0 battery cable on the top (passengers side US), bolt that holds on the air intake connector. Using either a 12 mm openend box end wrench or a 12mm socket and drive, loosen the bolt on the air intake connector. If this is the first time you have done this, it will be a little hard to break loose because of the corrosion. After removing the bolt, then using the small wire brush, brush the bolt, and remove any corrosion that might be built up on it. Also brush around the bolt hole on the air intake connector, this will remove any surface corrosion or oxidation. Now using a Qtip, and a small dab of silicone grease, dab a little grease on the threads of the bolt, this will keep it from getting even more corroded. Now using the small wire brush, brush both sides of the battery cable connector. Now position the 2/0 battery cable, and position the bolt back through the cable hole and then into the air intake connector, and tighten down to 14 ft. lbs. using a 12mm socket 3 inch extension and torque wrench. At this point check your work and make sure that all bolts are tight. That completes the installation of the ground wire. INSTALLING THE BERU SPARK PLUGS AND NOLOGY HOT WIRES: First note on a piece of paper, how the spark plug wires are connected to the distributor cap, this will give you a reference later when you are ready to hook them back up. After doing this then remove your stock wires and looms and set them aside. At this point blow out the spark plug wells, and the general area around the valve cover so that there is no chance of dirt getting down into the engine. If you have an air compressor this is fairly easy, if not, you could use the reverse flow of a vacuum cleaner or a shop vac of you have one. Now using a 10mm socket 1/4 drive, 6 inch extension 1/4 drive, and 1/4 drive ratchet, remove the No. 1 air intake connector tube. Loosen the 3 inch hose clamp up next to the air intake connector, and then the 2 inch hose clamp back on the intercooler output. Now pull the 3 inch hose off the air intake connector, and then pull the No. 1 air intake tube off the hose on the intercooler. Then stuff a clean shop rag into the intake air connector so you won't get any dirt in it. Now assemble your 5/8, 3/8 drive spark plug socket, 12 inch 3/8 drive extension, NOTE: use a locking end extension, if you don't have one then you can use a piece of duct tape and tape the 5/8 drive socket to the end of your extension, or it could pull off and be fun to fish out of the spark plug well. Use a breaker bar to break the plugs loose. If you don't have to then use a 3/8 drive ratchet and break loose the plugs and remove them. On most cars, after changing the plugs out a few times, there tends to build up some level of anti sieze compound at the bottom of the spark plug well where the spark plug seats. Use compressed air to blow out any dirt that might be in the spark plug well. Now you are ready to install the Beru Silverstone spark plugs. Since they come from the factory gapped at .031 or 0.8 mm then if you have a turbo charged car, or even an NA car I would recommend NOT regaping the plugs, the Nology Hot Wire instructions recommends that you not gap them wider than .035 NOTE: If you are going to follow the indexing proceedure, then you may have to cut off the washer that comes on the Beru spark plugs, you may not need to do this, check the washer that comes with the plug, and it may index up OK, with out having to change it. This can easily be done by using a small pair of wire cutters and grabing the edge of the washer and squeeze and at the same time twist and break it in two. Then it is easy to pull off. If you are not going to index your plugs then skip the indexing step, and proceed to install your plugs with the stock washer provided and torque them down. WARNING: the Beru spark plugs use silver for the center electrode. This makes the electrode very soft, and easy to bend. It is not recommend to use a spark plug gapping tool that puts pressure on the center electrode. The plier like "fancy" gapping tools, rely on putting pressure on the center electrode to bend the ground electrode into shape. This WILL NOT WORK with the Beru plugs, all you will succeed in doing is smashing the center electrode down. If you must regap the Beru plugs, then use a gapping tool that only moves or puts pressure on the ground electrode. INDEXING THE PLUGS: First assemble your 5/8, 3/8 drive spark plug socket, and either locking end extension, or tape the socket to the end of the extension. Now locate one of the Beru spark plugs and insert it into the 5/8 drive socket. Now cut a thin strip of duct tape and align it on the shaft of the extension so that it lines up with the open gap of the plug. Choose one of the indexing washers, NOTE: DO NOT stack the indexing washers, use only ONE at a time. slide the washer over the end of the spark plug, now using a small pair of slip joint pliers, gently squeeze the ends of the washer so that it won't slide off the spark plug and you have to fish it out, which is real fun. Locate your antiseize compound and apply a good amount to the threads of the spark plug. NOTE: for the sake of knowing which spark plug I am talking about, they are numbered from drivers side (US), to passengers side (US), or if you are standing directly in the rear of the car, from left to right, #1, #2, #3, and #4. NOTE: the #3 spark plug, the one just below the air intake connector is a bit of a problem. Use a long 1/4 drive extension to insert and remove this plug, that way you do not have to remove the air intake connector. Along with this, also use two adaptors, a 1/4 -> 3/8 adaptor, and a 3/8 -> 1/4 adaptor so you can use a larger 3/8 drive ratchet with the extension. Do NOT try to use a 3/8 extension to insert or remove the spark plug from #3 hole, as you will cause the plug to bind against the threads and could damage the threads. Now screw this plug down into #1 spark plug hole, and using your torque wrench set to 10 ft. lbs. tighten it down. Now observe where the piece of duct tape is on the extension shaft. If it is in a perfect position then it would be pointing directly towards the rear of the car. Or if you drew a line directly down the center of your car from front to back this would be a center line. The ideal position would be if the tape on the extension were pointing exactly south, north being the front of the car. It would still be OK even if the position were within a 30 degree arc either side of the center line. The idea being that you want the open gap of the spark plug exposed to the intake charge. On the MR2 1993-> that is from about 30 degrees either side of a center line dividing the cylinder in half from north to south south being the side where the two intake valves are, ie.(rear of the car). If the indexing washer did not allow the plug to position correctly then remove the plug, squeeze the opposite sides of the indexing washer so you can easily remove it from the spark plug, and choose one of the other indexing washers, either thicker or thinner. NOTE: you may want to read any instructions that might have come with your washer set, they usually tell you how many degrees each of the washers will shift the position of the plug. This may or may not help you decide which one to use next. Keep doing this process of trial and error until you find one of the three sizes that will position the spark plug at or very near the optimum position. If none of the washers will position the spark plug at or near the optimum position then you may have to sand one of the washers down using some wet dry sand paper and a little elbow grease. Keep going at this proceedure for each of the four plugs until they are all seated. BLOW BY AND HOW IT CAN BE SOLVED: Now before you do a final torque on the spark plugs, there is possibility of blow by. At higher boost levels, above stock, you may run into a problem where the spark plug, torqued down to the stock torque of 13 ft. lbs. will not be sufficient to hold in all of the combustion pressure, and some of the pressure will blow by the spark plug. Some have reported sufficient blow by to cause the spark plug wire boot to be blown off the plug and completely out of the spark plug well. Torque the plugs down to 20 to 22 ft. lbs of torque to prevent blow by. After having seated all of the spark plugs, and indexed all of them you want to do a final torque of the plugs. Set your torque wrench to the setting you want to use and torque them down. INSTALLING THE NOLOGY WIRES: Now you are ready to install the Nology spark plug wires. Hold all four wires in your hands with the large boots at top, even them up so you can tell length, and locate the shortest wire first. Using a Q-tip and a small dab of silicone grease, insert the grease into the spark plug end of the boot. Spread it around inside. This will keep the boots from heat welding themselves to the spark plug porcelain insulator. Now press the shortest wire spark plug boot into the #1 spark plug well, and make sure it seats OK, you should hear a slight click as it sets onto the center electrode top of the plug. Now you will want to use a Q-tip and a little Wesleys Black Magic Silicone and put it on the distributor end of the connector TOP, as you hold the distributor plug in your hand, you will see that there is an outer hard plastic connector clip mechanism, which is used to hold the plug wire down on the distributor cap. Slide this up as far as possible, and observe the top black silicone rubber part of the plug boot. You will see that this part when in place, will be pushed up through the hard plastic outer clip. This fit can be extremely tight, so you may need to put a little of the Wesleys Black Magic Silicone on the top part of the black plug boot. This will allow it to slide through the top of the hard plastic outer clip and down to lock in place on the distributor cap. Follow this same proceedure for the remaining three plug wires. Using the notes that you made previously to ensure that the wires are being hooked up correctly and going to the proper position on the distributor cap. Make sure that the hard plastic outer shell actually clicks down in place on the distributor cap. Check this and make sure they are locked in place. HOOKING UP THE NOLOGY GROUND WIRES: The #1 and #2 spark plug grounding wires are going to go on the drivers side (US), of the air intake connector. #1 going to the bottom bolt, and #2 plug ground wire going to the top bolt. NOTE: ONLY remove ONE BOLT OR NUT at a time from the air intake connector. Starting with #1 spark plug grounding wire. Using a 12mm deep socket 3 inch extension and 3/8 drive ratchet, or if you choose, a 12mm box end wrench break loose the bottom nut from the air intake connector. Locate your small wire brush and brush the stud around the area where the nut was, and brush the nut also. Brush the face area around the stud on the air intake connector. Now using a Q-tip and a small dab of silicone grease spread a little around the threads of the stud. Now brush the ground wire connector on both sides. Slide the ground wire connector onto the air intake connector bottom stud and screw the nut down, then using a 12mm deep socket 3 inch extension, and torque wrench set to 14 ft. lbs. torque the nut down to spec. Proceed to do the #2 Nology ground wire in the same manner on the top stud (drivers side US), of the air intake connector. Now you are ready to connect the #3 and #4 Nology ground wires. These will be going to ground on the accelerator cable bracket. NOTE: again only remove one bolt from the accelerator cable bracket at a time. #3 Nology ground wire will be going to the right side bolt and #4 to the left side bolt. Using either a 12mm box end wrench, or a 12mm socket and drive, loosen the right accelerator cable bracket bolt. Using a small wire brush, clean the corrosion off the bolt, and also brush the face of the bolt hole. Apply a little dab of silicone grease to the threads of the bolt, and also brush the connector end of the ground wire. Position the #3 ground wire connector in place and put the bolt through and screw the bolt in place, and using either a 12mm box end wrench or a 12mm socket and drive, tighten down the bolt. Now follow the same proceedure for #4 Nology ground wire and bolt it down in place. Go back over your work at this point, making sure that all of the connections to the distributor cap are correct, and that all bolts and nuts are torqued down to spec. Check for anything out of place or missing. Check pictures for details. If you also purchased the Nology wire looms you will want to place them on the wires at this time. You will need a small allen wrench to do this. Now do a little clean up, put away all of your tools, and make sure that your not missing any, or that any tools did not fall down into the engine compartment. Try starting up your engine now, and be prepaired to enjoy your new Nology "Hot Wires." OBSERVATIONS BY MARC SUMMNERS: "I have a Jacobs Omni Pak, and with that had Jacobs energy core wires rated at 200 ohms per foot. For spark plugs, I had Autolite 3934's these are the NON-resistor plugs". OBSERVATIONS OF THE CARS PREVIOUS PERFORMANCE: "With the Jacobs wires and Autolite plugs, at 15 psi. of boost, I was not able to get the ignition to fire reliably when the spark plugs were gapped at .030 and just able to get it to fire reliably when the spark plugs were gapped at .028 Also when at idle after driving 16 miles from work, I let the car idle for a few minutes before shuting it off. After doing this for some time one tends to listen to the engine, and knows the sounds. The idle with the Jacobs wires and Autolite plugs was jerky. It would constantly miss or skip a beat. Of course the engine would jerk when this would happen." OBSERVATIONS OF THE CARS CURRENT PERFORMANCE WITH THE NOLOGY HOT WIRES: "I still have the Jacobs Omni Pak ignition system." "The first thing I noticed was the idle, it is now smooth, not even one beat missed, and rock solid. This was very easy to notice since I was so used to hearing it before." "The next thing I noticed was the full boost performance. The Beru plugs as I received them from, were re-gapped to .030. Never before now had I been able to get the previous setup with the Jacobs energy core wires to fire consistently at 15 psi of boost with the plugs gapped at greater than .028 NOW with the Nology wires and the Beru spark plugs gapped at .030 the engine doesn't miss a beat, NOT EVEN ONE at full boost 15 psi, in 3rd 4th or even 5th gear!" "I have since used plugs gapped at .031 with the same excellent results." "Another very important issue is as had been reported with earlier versions of the Nology wires, that they were causing problems with the ECU. I can report that now, such is NOT the case. I noticed no additional static or RF noise from the Nology wires and no weird behavior from my ECU at all." "In all, I am very impressed with my current performance with the Nology wires and Autolite 3934 spark plugs. Significant, observable, results."