Randolph

87 5KCSTQ

Lately it's been very humid and rainy here and like clock work I'm getting the symptoms of needing new wires. When I first drive the car for the day I get bucking and hesitation if I accelerate too fast. Once the car has been running for 15 or so minutes and it gets warm and dry under the hood the problem completely subsides. If it's dry outside the problem never happens even at my first startup.

Here's what's been done. About 18 or so month ago I replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor and that little plug that goes from the coil to the cap. (This was done because I was getting the damp weather symptoms and until now haven't had a problem) The plugs are the correct Bosch and the cap and rotor are Bosch. The wires are not Bosch. They are Beru (sp?) which I thought were a decent brand. Before I condem these to hell what else can I check?

R

Kneale Brownson

If you want to test for spark leakage, spritz some water over the wiring with the engine running after dark (or in the garage with the lights off). If the wires are bad, you'll see sparking.

RallyCV

Could be cracked insulation on the coil pack itself.

Calbha

i couldn't resist, try peeing on the wires with the car running! :P

ColoQuattro

Try using a good quality dialectric grease on the caps at the head. Thois is commonly where you will get arcing and the resulting miss. Also check the gap on your plugs.

Randolph

Ok, I'll do the water/peeing/spraying thing and see if that makes it act up. Good suggestion on the coil pack, I've already priced new one's if that's the case. I think mine is original.

Colo, what do you mean about using "grease on the caps at the head"? Do you mean at each plug wire where they plug into the dist cap? Just want to claify before I do anything. Thanks.

R

ColoQuattro

You can get the dialectric grease ar any radio shack. Use the grease at the cap only sparingly on the boots to keep it easy to remove the plug wires without damage as they tend to bond to the cap after long periods of time. At the cylinder head be generous with the grease on both the outside of the cap/boot and the inside as it will help by both preventing tough removal after a period of time but will also help prevent any arcing to the metal head (and grounding causing a miss). The plug wires are not the most tough parts on the car so they are subject to cracking and tearing if not gently removed and replaced during maintenance. The electric voltage is such that it will leak through cracks and cuts which may not be visible. Always use dialectric grease on plug wire connections. They should last more than 18 mos. Grease them up good at the cylinder head. Hope that this helps

Randolph

ok thanks. I did use dialectric grease at the head when installing them but I did not use any on the cap. Worth mentioning: the directions on the wires said not to use too much grease at the head. It said this is a case where more is not better. Maybe I used to little?

I'll go ahead and regrease the plug connections plus the cap. I still have yet to do the "spray water in the dark method"

R

ColoQuattro

BTW --- Are you sure that your coil(s) is puttijng upt the current that it should and that the voltage is consistent?