My car is running horrible, like I have water in the Distributer cap or it is cracked. I have removed the weatherstripping at the back of the hoood to let hot air escape. I run it through the car wash, then it begins to run like sh*t. pulll the dist. cap and it is dry, even replace it for good measure. Still no change.

Last night I take it to a buddies house to look it over and we find a bad plug, quick run to the parts store and change the plugs. Still no change. Start tracing plug wires and fin that it is cross-wiredd.

This car ran fine untill 3 days ago and I haven't messed with the wires on it. Don't understand how it could run good until one plug fouls.
Scoty

 

Scoty,

Removing the cowl seal isn't a great idea for several reaons. You've already discovered the first one. Maybe the wiring harness will be dried out by August.

Next, the base of the windshield is not a low pressure area, but a higher pressure area at any kind of road speed. This just about negates your primary reason for removing the seal, since engine heat will not escape that gap at any speed above 40-45 MPH. Just sitting motionless, it may drift out, but that shouldn't be a time when you are generating a lot of heat.

Finally, at lower road speed and while motionless, any underhood gasses, exhaust leaks, smoke from leaks or spilage, etcetera, will be drawn into the air intake dusts and blown into the passenger compartment. This might not be a big issue now, while you might have a window open, but could be a problem in rain or when November rolls around again.

For your immediate problem, start unplugging and checking all the electrical connectors at the firewall, including the relays, ESC, distributor, coil, EGR solenoid, injector harness, and whatever else you might find.

 

Thanks Vader. Yes removing the seal was not smart and it will go back in this evening. The car is now running right. Apparently it had been cross-wired. This is the firsdt time since I've owned the car, ( about 4 months) that I have messed with the ignition.

It baffles me how the car can run fine cross-wired then as soon as 1 plug fouls go all haywire. I have changed the plugs and got it rewired.

I got the info about th hood seal from another site... just goes to show that not everything is pluasible....