Smokin

James... This is someone out there telling you that you should have kept the interface!

Want it back!?

greenjt

I started it again and it idled without any issues so i took it for a short drive around the neighborhood. On a couple occaisons the CEL flashed and the engine stuttered like it wanted to cut out and then resumed normal operation.

Indy -
1. The coil wires are indeed clipped together is this good or bad?
2. The only spark i see in the dark is a constant flicker from under one of the boots connecting a plug wire to the distributor - normal? potential problem?

Rick - If you wouldn't mind, i think i might be able to use that interface again - sorry. =(

LouZ

Looks like you found the gremlin! Is this also the dizzy that when unplugged produced a smooth idle? You are likely having the spark jumping to another wire and firing the incorrect plug and cylinder.

Try checking the wire for a break and if it looks OK, seating that wire better into the boot.

Indycam

"1"
Having two wires run side by side works ok if all are new .

"2"
Bad bad bad . No No No
Your job is to track down the cause of the spark getting out and kill it . Are you up to it ?

Why isn't the spark happy to run down to the spark plug ?
Thats your question . Is the wire messed up ? Is the plug broken ?

greenjt

I just reseated the boot and the wires appear fine to me... but that's not saying very much.

The coil leads are OE new as of about beginning of this year.

I'd like to think i am up to it but have no idea what that means. How do you check the wires and boots? Plug was new in January but from your earlier post i know this can't be ruled out. What do you suggest?

Indycam

What wire is it ? IE what cylinder and top or bottom ?
Do you have a multi meter ? If you do , ohm out the wire .
Can you pull that one spark plug .

Boots don't / are not holding in spark .
If they are clear and not torn they are ok .

greenjt

Looks like cylinder 5. I'll see if i can get to it tomorrow and report back. Thanks.

Indycam

Top or bottom ?

Indycam

I found that my bottom #6 wire had gone to h...
When I pulled it apart , the metal had turned into green slime .

greenjt

I just checked for spark again and it appears to be flickering between the boot and distributor cap on the wire for cylinder 5 AND between the boot on the coil lead and the distributor cap. I don't see spark anywhere else but can't be sure there isn't any as the flickers i am seeing are ever so slight.

THis is prolly a stupid question but, any chance the new distributor cap could be at fault?

greenjt

Bottom

colo964

Try some dielectric grease (around the boot not the metal). The AM radio test may help confirm if there are any other stray sparks to hunt for.

I've had a dist cap crack (courtesy of UPS and a crappy packing job) but it was obvious.

Indycam

Hows the new one look ?
Cracked , scratched , tracked etc etc ?
Unless you can see damage , its ok .

Indycam

You should look at all the bottom wires and spark plugs .

colo964

You might also hear a tick-tick that almost sounds like a bad valve adjustment. If so, it's probably a lower wire/plug that you can't see the blue spark.