Re: Erratic idle speed

["jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

Besides going over the most recent work (assuming that you did 
something wrong) you could have knocked loose a vacuum hose or a wire 
at the front of the motor between the motor and the firewall. It is 
very tight in there and is easy to knock something off and not see it 
or realize it. Very carefully and meticulously follow every wire and 
hose and make sure everything is connected. It is also possible that 
you streched and damaged an ignition wire. The ignition wires CANNOT 
be pulled even a little bit and not get broken. The inner core is very 
easily broken and you won't even feel it. The wires can be checked 
with a DMM looking for a high resistance but not an open which would 
indicate a broken core.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757



--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "basfe25" <drrub46@xxxx> wrote:
> Loads of things can cause this but here are a few to check since you 
> replaced the leads. 
> 1. Make sure that they are in the proper firing order. Check the 
> service manual for the firing order; I don't remember it off hand.
> 2. Make sure they are all seated properly, what I mean by this is 
> that the lead may look connected but it's not making any contact. 
> Pull off the leads one by one carefully by the boots and put them 
> back on. As you are putting them on do it gently and listen/feel for 
> a "click", that will be the metal contact snapping around the spark 
> plug. Check at the rotor too...make sure they are seated properly 
> also. A quick and dirty way (but safe) to check if you are getting a 
> spark to each plug is to connect a timing light to each lead and 
> triggering it. If the timing light flashes then you have a spark. 
> You are not checking the timing with the light by doing this...only 
> checking for a spark going through the leads when the light flashes.
> 3. make sure that whoever replaced the plugs didn't accidentally 
> knock into any other connectors around the area and made them come 
> loose.
> 4. Recheck your timing, if it's off you may have a wire misplaced.
> 
> 
> --- In dmcnews@xxxx, Richard Johnstone <webmaster@xxxx> wrote:
> > Hi
> > 
> > Got a problem trying to get my car going, starts ok but the idle 
> speed
> > is all over the place. When idling it either sits as normal about 
> 900
> > rpm or runs well high at about 2000, and randomly switches between
> > them. When any throttle is applied it splutters lots and attempts 
> to
> > stall. Initially it has trouble ontaining an idle at all with the 
> air
> > flow sensor vibrating, and the engine miss firing.
> > 
> > We just replaced all the HT leads today, it was running fine 
before
> > that.
> > 
> > Anybody got ideas of what could be up and where to start looking 
> as our
> > mechanic bloke is off on holiday and we're trying to get it 
> running in
> > time for a show next week?
> > 
> > Richard (using Martin's email to confuse people)
> > #2727