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This myFordFocus.com Screamin' Demon Coil and LiveWires how-to project is sponsored by Performance Distributors

(Click Images to Enlarge!)

Tools required: Spark Plug Gap Tool, 5/32" Allen tool, #25 Torx Tool, 5/8" Spark Plug Socket, 6" socket set extension , Anti Seize, Dielectric.

Time to complete: 1/2 to 1 hour.

Cost: Approx. $145 (cost of the Coil and Wires) Available at myFordPerformance.com

As always, take your time and be patient!

Preliminary Discussion:
It should be noted that many people has asked why they can't use their FocusSport, or Ford Motorsport spark plug wires with the Screamin' Demon Coil, forcing you to buy the LiveWires. There are several reasons.

First, you have to look at the design of the stock coil compared to the Screamin' Demon coil. Both the "socket" and the "terminals/posts" are different. On your stock coil, the coil side of the spark plug wire fits over the "outside" of the coil socket, whereas the Screamin' Demon coil is designed for the wires to fit "inside" the coil socket. Also, the stock coil terminals are a "post" design, whereas the Screamin' Demon coil terminals are a "socket" design. So your stock wires, or the aftermarket wires designed to work the stock coil, will not seat into the Sceamin' Demon coil properly.

Secondly, as you can see from the Q&A session with the Performance Distributors representative below, the Screamin' Demon coil produces a much hotter spark than the stock coil, which allows you to open your spark plug up to a much wider gap of .065" versus the stock .050" gap. That hotter spark requires a better wire, the LiveWires are 10mm versus the 8mm Ford Motorsport and FocusSport wires, and the LiveWires protect up to 1400 degrees F.

Spark Plug and Wire Preparation:

1. Gap your spark plugs to .065.
2. Apply a thin coat of Anti Sieze compound to the threads on the spark plug.
3. Apply a thin coat of Dielectric Grease "boot protector" to the ceramic section of the spark plug.
4. Apply a thin coat of Dielectric Grease "boot protector" to "coil side" of the new LiveWires.
   NOTE: You can get little packets of Antisieze and dielectric at the counter of most auto parts stores. Only a small pack is needed and shouldn't cost more the 99 cents.

Stock Wires, Plugs, and Coil Removal:

1. Remove your stock spark plug wires.
   • NOTE: It's a good idea to write down the wire order. From left to right on the top of the engine the wiring order is 1, 2, 3, 4. On the coil itself, and your stock coil is marked, the order is Top Left=1, Top Right=3, Bottom Left=4, Bottom Right=2
2. Remove your stock spark plugs using the 5/8" spark plug socket.
3. Gap your existing plugs, or new ones, to .065 using the spark plug gapper tool.
   • NOTE: You should use a "flat" gapper, using a combination of different gauges to open the gap only a couple degrees at a time. It will take several different combinations of gap gauges to get to the .065. DO Not try to gap all the way to .065" in one gap...
4. With your plug gapped, the theads with a thin coat of anti-sieze, and the ceramic area with a thin coat of dielectric, go ahead and install each plug.
   • NOTE: DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN! Put your spark plug into the 5/8" socket, with the extension on it, place the spark plug down the hole and gently turn it by hand. You should be able to feel it thread, if there is any resistance, back it off and try again. DO NOT tighten with the socket wrench until you have "hand tightened" the plug. Once you have it hand tight, give it no more than 1/4 turn using the socket wrench.
   
5. Using the #25 Torx bit tool, remove the 4 screws that hold the stock coil in place. See image 1, click to enlarge.
   
6. Disconnect the electrical connector on the fron to the stock coil.
   • NOTE: The connector is held in place from the under side, simply squeeze it to release it. Image 1a shows the clip after the connector is removed. Image 3a shows how to squeeze...
   
   
7. Your stock coil is now ready to remove. Simply lift it out.
8. Save the stock screws and store your stock parts. Always keep your stock parts, you never know when you might need them!

Screamin' Demon Coil and LiveWires Installation:

1. Place the Screamin' Demon Coil in the same position as the stock coil was.
2. Secure the new coil using the supplied screw, they are longer than the stock screws to make up for the size/thickness diffence of the new coil. The new screws have an Allen type head, use a 5/32" Allen wrench to tighten them down.
   
3. Before re-installing the coil electrical connector, inside the new Screamin' Demon Coil there might be a rubber "boot". Since the stock electrical connector comes with it's own rubber boot, you can remove the one that is inside the new coil. See the botton arrow in Image 2 (Click to Enlarge), pointing inside the new coil. Also see Image 2a, showing the rubber boot removed...
   • NOTE: DO NOT discard the rubber boot you remove. Make sure everything is secure. Save the boot just in case...
   
   
4. Re-install the coil electrical connector into the new coil. Your new coil is secure and should look like Image 3. (Click to Enlarge)
   • NOTE: I have labeled the new coil with the spark plug firing order, just as the stock coil has. Your Screamin' Demon Coil will not have these labels.
   
   
5. Install your new LiveWires. Be sure you have a thin coat of dielectric on the coil side of the new wires, as described in the preperation section above. See Image 4 and 5 for the firing order. (Click to enlarge).
   
6. That's all. You are ready to turn your car on and go!
   

My first fuel mileage comparison run was about a week after I had the coil and wires installed. On a round trip from the my home in Newburyport, MA to Chicopee, MA. A 243.2 mile trip, on 8.266 gallons of 87 octane gas, resulting in 29.42 mpg. Which compares to approx 26mpg on previous exact trips I have made. Those are all highway miles, averaging approx. 75mph and reaching speeds of 90mph when passing. I drive my 2001 ZX3, automatic, very hard, shifting it manually. So your results will most certainly vary!

I did have the opportunity to take some 1/4 runs at the dragway, with the new coil and wires being the only "new" modification to my car after a previous set of runs at the track. There was no significant changes in my times, though I wouldn't really expect anything noticable in track times, weather and my driving skills probably account for any changes, positive or negative...

In terms of general "feel" and drivability. The car does feel like it accelerates more "smoothly" through the powerband, with less hesitation.

So, do I recommend you run out and buy the new Screamin' Demon coil and LiveWires? Well, in and of itself, it's not going to give you that "WOW" factor as some other mods you might do to your car, but as an overall enhancement to a complete project car, I would say it's a good thing to do.

Both the Sceamin' Demon Coil and the LiveWires are very good quality and easy to install. The LiveWires are very impressive and will look tight under any hood! I give them both an A+.

Q. Can I use my existing performance wires from Ford Racing, FocusSport, or other vendors, with the Screamin' Demon Coil?
A. No. The Screamin' Demon Coil and the LiveWire spark plugs wires must be used together due to the coil terminal and plug wire boot design. Also because the coil is "too hot" for stock wires.

Q. Is the coil a direct "bolt-on", no mofications to the stock setup?
A. Yes. The Screamin' Demon coil mounts in the original factory location with no modifications. Remove your stock coil, and mount the Screamin' Demon in the same place.

Q. Do I need to change the gap on my spark plugs to take advantage of the coil?
A. Yes. The Screamin Demon Coil Pack allows spark plug gaps to be opened up to a .065". This larger plug gap exposes more spark in the combustion chamber for a more complete burn of the fuel mixture which increases horsepower, gas mileage and keeps spark plugs cleaner.

Q. What size are the LiveWire wires?
A. 10mm.

Q. What's temperature rating of the wires?
A. The LiveWires are a high quality, low resistance spark plug wire built with a protective heat sleeve. The glass braided sleeving is designed to protect the wires up to 1400 degrees F. This promotes longer wire life due to the heat protection! The spiral wound core will prevent electronic interference with the radio.

Q. What sort of increased performance expectations should I have.
A. In our test track results on a stock 2001 Focus with an automatic transmission, we shaved .29 seconds off the 0-60mph test.

Q. What spark plugs were you using during the test runs?
A. Autolite Platinum

Q. What colors do the wires come in?
A. Black, Blue, Purple, Red, and Yellow.

Q. Are there any implications with using my Diablosport or Superchips performance chip, do I need to have it custom tuned for the new coil and spark plug gap?
A. No.

Q. When installing the wires, should I use a dialectric gel as I would use on normal wires?
A. Yes.

Q. Any other special installation considerations?
A. Yes. As you install your "Live Wire" plug wires on the Screamin' Demon Coil, insert the bottom part of the boot(with the brass terminal first) until you hear and feel it snap into place. Then, push down on the top part of the boot cover until the clip snaps on securely.