Engine misfiring ** Not anymore!!

[ogarcia_02]

I changed my spark plugs yesterday seeing how it was a nice day and didn't remember when the last time I had done so. The van ran fine and I even went with my roomate for a picnic. I drove to school today and noticed a slight bucking when I would press on the gas. Then coming back from school the same thing started happening. It only happens when I am accelerating but when I am cruising on the freeway everything is fine.

At first I thought I had gotten faulty plugs so I took them off and compared them to the ones previously installed. The gaps and everything else is the same. So I re-installed the old ones hoping the new plugs were faulty but same results. The engine shakes erradicaly and the shaking increases when I push on the throttle. I revved the engine a couple of times and then I heard a pop and the engine died.

The van is an 83 1.9. The plug wires are about a year old. I did put some vaseline on the plastic part of the wires so they wouldn't stick to the plugs but not excessively. Dunno if that has anything to do with anything but just in case. I'd appreciate any advice or tips because I dont want to ride my bike to college since I live in San Bernardino and its all hills The air filter and fuel filter have also been changed within the last 3-4 months

[ogarcia_02]

I was checking my van and finally decided to check the distributor cap and rotor. In the inside of the cap there are pits between each metal connector. They dont look chipped off so I think they are melted or something. Also when I took the plug wires off they were in bad shape. Hmm seems I am not the only one that got the generic bosch ones from reading a previous post.

So could a bad rotor and wasted cap along with bad wires account for the trouble I've been running into?

[Randy in Maine]

Absolutely.

[ogarcia_02]

I ordered the parts from Van Cafe and got everything today. Of course I ate my cookies before I did anything and then set off to the van. I changed all the spark plugs and wires as well as the rotor and cap. I tried to turn on the van but it died shortly after. I told myself that since it has been sitting for almost 2 weeks it just needed time, then I threatened my van to sell because I cant afford any more parts right now because collge is expensive and I just started the new quarter.

Anyways the second time it started right up, I revved the engine and when it was settling down it felt like it was going to die again but it didn't!! YAY! So I went off for a drive and the van actually drives really good. Actually, a little better than I remember hmm

Point of the story, me and my van are back on the road. For now...

[tencentlife]

I thought the cookies were supposed to be the reward you get after you fix it. Cheater.

Unless they gave motivation, and the reward turned out to be having a good-running van.

Works for me!