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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 02:56 PM
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Jeep is in the shop so I had to drive my '74 today and it rained, hit some pretty good puddles, ahhhhhh Little while later, driving home, starts to hesitate, sorta that V-twin type of hesitate, not smooth..

Years ago, was sorta drivin' like this, needed new plugs/wires, cleared it up, thoughts?

Kevin
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:00 PM
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Water in the distributer?
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:03 PM
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Check your plug wires - especially if you have headers. They like to occasionaly touch the exhaust and burn through when you least expect it.

Check your timing and fuel pressure as well - could be a slightly clogged fuel filter. Lots of things will cause a little hesitation.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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Out to the garage I go!
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:38 PM
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Distributor, wires, plugs all dry...

One of the wires is cracked as it turns out, can see the burn mark on the exhaust, start by replacing the wires?

Kevin "not a mechanic" O'Brien



Originally Posted by Kevins77
Check your plug wires - especially if you have headers. They like to occasionaly touch the exhaust and burn through when you least expect it.

Check your timing and fuel pressure as well - could be a slightly clogged fuel filter. Lots of things will cause a little hesitation.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:45 PM
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Just one of them cracked/burnt? How do the ends look (pull a boot of of a plug and off the distributor and look at it). You may be able to get away with only replacing that one wire.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 03:53 PM
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Just one was resting against the exhaust
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 05:25 PM
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When they run poorly in wet conditions, the first place I would look is wires then cap. It wouldn't hurt to throw a set on. I had been chasing a stumble in my 65 for a while. Changed the wires yesterday...problem fixed.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 05:31 PM
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A wire arcing on the exhaust is going to make it run like crap. Replace the wire and wait till everything dries out and try it again
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 05:45 PM
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Let her sit for an hour or so in the garage...it was pouring out earlier...

Sprayed WD40 under the dist cap just incase some moisture was there, made sure all wires were connected good, moved the wire that was touching the exhaust so it wasn't touching anymore, got in car to go to parts store to get new wire(s) and she's running like a champ again, gotta throw some electrical tape over the wire for now and make sure it's positioned away from exhaust in the future,

Thank everyone!

K.O.

Last edited by kmobrien76; Apr 9, 2010 at 05:46 PM. Reason: m,m,m
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 09:16 PM
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I don't drive mine in the rain, rarely at night and only from late Spring to early Fall. If my daily driver was down, I would find an alternate means of transportation.
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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 09:53 PM
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I have a motorcycle but it was raining, wife at work, ahhhhhhhhhhh, it's a driver though not a show car so if it gets wet once in a while, things happen...noticed you are in MA, head up to the south shore much for any cruise nights?

Kevin
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