Quote:
Originally Posted by TRADERMIKE 2012
We will pull each spark plug to see if when pulled from the Distributor cap with a plier with tape on the handle, so as not to get a shock.
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NO!
"Pulling a plug wire" with the engine running will cause an open-circuit in the secondary ignition system. This drives the voltage sky-high which causes unneeded stress on the insulation of "everything" including the internal windings of the ignition coil.
Get eight small finishing nails. Blunt the sharp points on a grinder or whetstone. Wipe a little Silicone dielectric grease on the blunted "points" of the nails, and slip them BETWEEN the distributor boots and the plug wires. DO NOT PUNCTURE THE INSULATION.
When you slide the nails under the boots, you'll feel when the nails contact the metal terminals of the plug wires.
Then, connect a jumper wire or a 12-volt
incandescent (NOT LED) test light to ground. Touch each nail in turn to short out the spark instead of creating an open circuit. Voltage to that spark plug drops to zero, causing no stress to the insulation. Don't forget to remove the nails when you're done.
Photo attached, shows the nails on a Chevy TBI distributor, but the concept is the same regardless of make or model.