spark plugs/wires

Topic: spark plugs/wires (Read 742 times) previous topic - next topic

spark plugs/wires

March 24, 2012, 09:31:17 PM

So I bought Motorcraft spark plugs and a cheaper brand spark plug wire (I bet I made a mistake here) for my 87 TC. I put it all on and the car ran, but it would miss frequently. I tore it all apart to put on spark plug wires that I knew worked, but then I realized that the spark plugs were gapped to 0.04 so I brought them to 0.033 appx. I used a gapper that my dad gave me and I put on the working spark plug wires, now the car runs AWFULLY. The exhaust sounds incredibly different and it has troubles idling at 1k rpms. When I rev it, it won't rev up very high and sluggishly goes up to about 3000rpms and would require a lot of work for the car to rev much higher. I have no idea what to do and my car is incredibly screwed up.

spark plugs/wires

Reply #1 – March 24, 2012, 10:25:20 PM

Just a hunch. did the car run OK before the tune up?? If so you simply may have just mixed up 2 wires. Check the firing order. just a suggestion. I would set up a cylinder balance test to check it. I have this capability on my cylinder scope. But you can duplicate it quite simply. Just remove the plug wires at the cap and install a small piece of vacuum hose in series with the plug wires. Start the engine and use a test lead that is approximately 2 feet long with alligator clips on both ends. Ground one clip to a good engine ground and connect the other end to a long skinny screw driver. Start the engine and systematically touch the side of the Vacuum hose you installed at the cap. If your engine does not change in sound and RPM that cylinder has issues. If the engine looses RPM and starts missing that cylinder is OK. This is how it is dun on Waste spark systems and works perfectly on Dizzy ignition as well. Good luck

spark plugs/wires

Reply #2 – March 24, 2012, 11:37:03 PM

Okay, I let my dad put on the plug wires (hes worked on cars for many years so hes trusted) but he kept putting the wires on in reverse the whole day b/c he got the diagram backwards or something? Anyways, put it in the right firing order and she runs better than new. New problem is when I try to use the turbo it starts to surge but I think that is just because I didn't put the intercooler on well...if you have advice on putting the intercooler back on let me know, I want my car running normal! Thank you very much for the ideas!

spark plugs/wires

Reply #3 – March 24, 2012, 11:56:12 PM

Make sure your intercooler clamps are tight. Boost leaks will make the car run like .

spark plugs/wires

Reply #4 – March 25, 2012, 09:26:51 AM

Not to be critical but why not put the wires on one at a time. And just for the record the cap has a number one stamped next to the number one tower!!!!. The inter cooler is very easy to install just take you time and check for ripped boots. They fail on a regular bases on those cars. Check for tightness and properly installed boots.

spark plugs/wires

Reply #5 – March 27, 2012, 12:30:21 AM

I just let my dad do what he did because sometimes things have to be done his way otherwise he'll get mad hehe...and that I did not know! But I know the order is right just because when my dad was experimenting with where he put #1 it only started and ran one way. I had little troubles installing the intercooler, I worry I ruined one of the boots when I took it on/off the 50x to make sure things were okay when the car was acting up (referring back to my dad doing the wrong order and just letting him do it) I'm going to test for leaks...where can I find a boot for the IC? Oh, and yes I made sure the clamps were on tight and right