My car has been running great for a while now, but today was the end of that streak. I don't think it's the plugs. They are AC Delco plugs and they are maybe 7000 miles old. Here are the symptoms: the speedo and tach needles both jump around like crazy; at idle the tach jumps up and down about 300 RPM and it used to be solid and dead on; power loss under acceleration; it felt like the engine just cut out and stopped working 3 times then it caught again but was still running rough; feels like there is a HUGE cam in the car and I know it's a peanut; under the hood it smelled funny, almost like a burnt smell; and a click sound coming from near the ignition components by the distributor. The burnt smell immediately made me think "wires". They are very close to the manifold on the driver's side (actually, it's close to the silver colored metal piece that is around the manifold that is used to channel warm air up into the snorkel) but I don't know how to tell if the wires are burnt. They don't look it but then again I'm not sure of what I'm looking for. They look like stock wires also. I changed the rotor about the same time I did the plugs. The cap was in good condition so I didn't change it. I also had the ignition coil tested around the time I changed the plugs and it was good. All help and suggestions will be very much appreciated. Thanks

 

It does sound like wires, I would have a look under the hood with the car running in a very dark place to see if you can see a spark arc. A loose wire will do the same thing.


Brian

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1989 Camaro RS

305 .030 over Hydro Pistons
Vortech heads milled to 58cc...Performer RPM intake....LT4 cam..Crane Gold rockers...FastChip custom chip...ALum. Driveshaft...3.73 gears with Posi...underdrive pullys...Rebuilt 700R4 with Vette Servo and B&M shift Kit...MSD ignition...A/C Delete No SMOG junk....1997 SS leather interior...B&M Shifter... Ultimate TBI mods...14X3 K&N open Element Non-Drop...Hooker headers....3" exhaust with Flowmaster Cross flow 16X8 Wheels from 97 RS Spohn LCA's Spohn Panhard Bar..LETS PLAY FORD!!

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"Huge click..." = something is arcing. Either the coil is bad, or the cap, or the coil wire, or one of the plug wires. The spark is going someplace besides to the plug(s).

Replace the cap, that should be part of a tuneup anyway. If it still does it, borrow a coil from somebody whose car runs right and see if it fixes it.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
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