complete mare of a day

[maxp]

Broke down on the m25 whilst it pissed it down this morn. found out lead 2 was arcing massively at the cap. 1x new lead later, car starts juddering a bit, had a look under thwe bonnet and there are now a small blueish spark at the plug end of lead 3 and the battery led on the dash is flickering real dimmley when the car idles. Any ideas?

[Horney]

You need a full set of new leads and check the alternator belt is tensioned correctly.

nick

[AudiA8Quattro]

Also a new cap and rotor arm.

[maxp]

Can anyone offer insight into whats creating the constant blue spark (at the very bottom of the lead / where the rubber end meets the head)

[Horney]

It'll be the rubber perished on the lead and the lead arcing out onto the block.

Nick

[maxp]

That is pathetic, they are only about 10 months / 8,000 miles old!

[Horney]

I've had this happen with a brand new set of cheap leads from GSF and have found the cheaper leads to be generally rubbish on 8v's. I now only buy pukka OEM quality leads and they last much better.

nick

[maxp]

I think these may have come from GSF (look abit like oem with the metal jacket round the rubber at the plug end, but cheapy rubber at the cap end).

Ordered a set (beru) from vwspares this morn on recommendation of this forum. Worth a punt at £20 for 4.

Do you remember how much you paid for the OEM?

[Horney]

The beru ones are OEM quality and they're the ones I run on my track car (and on the Rado when I had it).

nick

[Jay]

The battery light flickering @ idle could be the voltage regulator in the alternator, mine does this and I should sort it out really...