JETHROIROC

I put a set of these in the ROC last summer, and I've got this slightly rough idle and a tachometer that kinda ratchets through the RPM range as I rev the engine. I did so much to the car in a short period of time that I'm not sure what caused this or even when the problem surfaced because it's intermittent. Someone said it could be those Accel wires. Anyone had problems with the 300+ 8.8 wires?

Dan87IROC-Z

I would look places other than the wires, unless they appear to be in poor condition. Check your O2 sensor, timing, plugs, cap, rotor, TPS, IAC, all that good stuff!

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 Hot Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

7.5" 10 Bolt with 3.42s soon to come!

JETHROIROC

That's the thing, I've already done all that. And none of those things could cause the tach signal to be funny like that. The wires look fine, but maybe they're producing too much of a magnetic field or something. Thanks for the help, though.

Ray87Z

My 300+s started to crack from the heat of my headers, and cause just the slightest rough idling, and they were very new. Hairline cracks basically. They did it one wire at a time, over a month or two. I replaced them w/ Taylor 8s and have had not one single wire go bad. I'd inspect them thoroughly, especially if you have headers like I did.

I don't know if that will cause the tach jumping or not, mine didn't do it. Tell ya one thing after these wires and my Accel Blueprint HEI distrib that were trash, I'll never buy another accel product.

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited February 10, 2001).]

JETHROIROC

Thanks for the help, Ray. I'm beginning to feel the same way about Accel as you do.

JJ

My Accel wires did what Ray's did - I only use MSD now, so far so good.

JETHROIROC

Do the MSD's have better RFI suppression than the Accels? Again, thanks for all the advice guys.

age

umm... this is a shot in the dark. But I do remember the night I installed my "Monstertach" quite well. I had failed to find a proper ground for it, and the tach just went wild. MAYBE it's the ground? "HOPEFULLY" it's the ground (no cost on buying new parts).

Sorry, it's 500am right now and I'm lacking sleep and can't go back to sleep...

MikeDwhoROCZImports

iTrader: (1)

I've got the 300+ Race wires, and I put pro-sleeve's on them. They work great, and look awesome, too.

The ODB

Jethro,
Check out the condition of your alternator as a longshot. I HAVE seen a failing diode in an alternator cause tachometers to be jumpy.
It could be a number of things actually, but I'd probably check the alternator and inside the distributor cap first for signs of arching or spark scatter.

ODB

JETHROIROC

Come to think of it, the car halfway dies if I roll both windows down at the same time. Is that a sign of a bad alternator or do all thirdgens do that? Thanks ODB.

The ODB

heh, don't know, but mine doesn't do that. Better take a poll.

a battery cell going bad would act slightly similar by causing voltage fluctuation and giving low current under load.

Auto-zone checks alt's & bat's for free I think.

JETHROIROC

I figured something was wrong with the charging system but I gotta pry the wife to let me spend more money on it. Would a bad alternator cause driveability problems as well? Thanks a bunch man! Oh yeah, I just changed back to good 'ol Delco wires today and the tach quit jumping around, but I still have that electrical load problem where it wants to die whenever I operate accessories. Thanks for your time.