How do I test spark plug wires w/ ohm meter?

[The Darkside]

Could someone give me a quick "testing spark plug wires for dummies" course? Today I went & bought a digital multi-tester(I've never used one) & wanted to check my plug wires to see if they're all good. Not sure how what I'm looking for.. I changed plugs recently & noticed a couple were not snapping on the plugs as the boot had slid down the plug wire making it impossible to snap it on the plug. I got some needle nose pliers & reached into the boot & pulled it back towards the end of the boot so that it would snap on, but just want to be 100% sure all the wires are working properly. Wires are factory GM wires.
Just need to have a step by step walk through on this...


Thanks, The Darkside

 

[turbojoe]

Hook up the two leads from meter to each end of wire and set meter to ohms scale (1k-2k range). Each wire should be within 10% of each other when measuring Ohm's per foot of wire. Say for instance one wire is 1 & 1/2 feet long and you measure 750 ohms, then you got a 500 ohm per foot wire. Hope this helps. You may have to adjust the range lower or higher depending on if your wires are really low or high in resistance. JOE

 

[salvageV6]

Put the digital on the OHMS scale, looks like an upside down horsehoe on most meters.

Touch the two probes together and the reading should hit all zeros or be a very low number say .1 or .3, that indicates a short and you are reading properly.

Next take a plug wire off the car completely, put the meter probe into each boot and make sure the probes touch the metal down in the boot at each end.

Read the number on the scale should be 400-4000 depending on the wire type, these are approximate numbers just report back what you see.

If you cannot get the probe end down in the boot far enough you may have to use a clip lead to the probe end and a piece of wire down into the boot to make contact.

If you have to rig up something here's the proper test to make sure it works, put the end of the wires together from each probe hookup you fabricate and the reading should be under 1 ohm or so when you short them.

This indicates you haven't made any improper or bad connections with your test setup.

 

[The Darkside]

Ok, I tested the wires as instructed & here's what #'s I got..

I set the meter (which is a Actron CP7672, digital meter)) to the upside horseshoe looking symbol. The settings I could choose from were 200, 2000, 20k, 200k & 2000k. I tried the 200 & 2000 settings first, but got no reading, just the # 1 displayed, so went to the 20k setting & got these #'s...
They all tested between 4.30 & 6.80...is good or bad....


Thanks, The Darkside

 

[GNSCOTT]

That's 4300 to 6800 ohms on that scale.

I might be able to test a few old stockers when I get home if I can find them.

salvageV6 at Scotts house.

 

[The Darkside]

Thanks salvagev6, I'm just not sure if these wires are good or need replacing....anyone else???

 

[copo]

To be safe, I thought we're suppose to change them after 60k miles.