Is this a miss?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Lake Stevens WA
Is this a miss?
Ever since I had my Optispark, plugs, wires and water pump replaced I have trouble accelerating from a slow RPM, especially under load. I notice it most when commuting to work going up a hill. I used to be able to shift up to 6th by 50MPH then just mash it if I had room to boogie. Now it stumbles and won't hardly accelerate. It'll maintain the speed OK. Downshifting to 5th seems to work also.
I'm getting good mileage (around 20+ mpg). It cruises nicely in most any other situation.
Any thoughts? :confused:
- Glenn
I'm getting good mileage (around 20+ mpg). It cruises nicely in most any other situation.
Any thoughts? :confused:
- Glenn
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 5
From: Jacksonville Fl
Re: Is this a miss? (NW92Roadster)
Look at it at night with the hood open and engine compartment lights unhooked. What you are looking for is a slight glow around the spark plug wires/boots/plugs.
It sounds like you have a bad plug or wire. It's possible either one, and it's not unheard of to crack a plug when installing new ones.
Hopefully, it's something simple like this.
It sounds like you have a bad plug or wire. It's possible either one, and it's not unheard of to crack a plug when installing new ones.
Hopefully, it's something simple like this.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 835
Likes: 3
From: Water Winter Wonderland
Re: Is this a miss? (BBA)
The night-time trick is a good one, especially for us guys that don't have the benefit of an oscilliscope. Some glow at the plug where the ceramic meets the metal is normal, it's called coronal discharge I think. (Sorry, you cannot drink this corona, no matter how much lime you try, but it DOES have a heck of a kick!) What you might see, and this is bad (actually good because you've found your problem) is arcing, anywhere. I run headers, and they're hard on plug wires, with a tendancy to burn the plug boots. The night trick works every time to find the bad one.
Happy hunting!
Happy hunting!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,858
Likes: 2
Re: Is this a miss? (ELEVENS)
Some glow at the plug where the ceramic meets the metal is normal, it's called coronal discharge I think.
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Corona Effect
The Corona Effect is what causes neon signs to work. By inducing high voltage in the tube, the gas is ionized and thereby lights up. In the case of plug wires glowing, the Corona effect can happen when atmospheric conditions are right. High humidity and low barometric pressure combined with the high voltage of the ignition system will create an electrostatic field around the plug wires and will in effect, ionize the ~air~ around the plug wires. Thereby causing the glow. Since this is a breakdown of the surrounding air (not the wires) it will not affect ignition performance. That is of course assuming your plug wires have not been ahem, chewed on by mice ;-)
Also, since wide plug gaps require a higher voltage to fire them, this will increase the chances of the Corona Effect. Usually more visible around the plug wires rather than the plugs. Note: not to be confused with the Corona "after effect" of excessive consumption of Coronas with limes.
[ Thanks to Greg Rollin for this information. ]
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source: http://my.inil.com/~dlbrown/ofign.htm
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 700
Likes: 20
From: Derby Kansas
Re: Is this a miss? (NW92Roadster)
It may sound stupid, but doublecheck to make sure your plug wires are routed to the correct cylinders. You may have 2 crossed that fire one after another. Not enough to make the car run "too" rough at idle or start up, but just enough to make it feel sluggish during medium to heavy acceleration.
I uh....had this happen to a friend of mine....yeah, that's it...a friend of mine........I would NEVER do something that stupid :blueangel:
[Modified by Ron78Z&85Vette, 3:38 PM 10/15/2002]
[Modified by Ron78Z&85Vette, 3:39 PM 10/15/2002]
I uh....had this happen to a friend of mine....yeah, that's it...a friend of mine........I would NEVER do something that stupid :blueangel:
[Modified by Ron78Z&85Vette, 3:38 PM 10/15/2002]
[Modified by Ron78Z&85Vette, 3:39 PM 10/15/2002]
