WOT Issues

[manticore33]

Saturday night I was driving around the outerbelt around Columbus and laid into the gas taking it to WOT in 5th gear to speed up around some traffic. I do this, the car starts to almost studder, but still kept reving and at points it would seem as though it would get power and lose it making it feel like it was bucking.
I started playing around with it, I can accelerate hard and there is no issues. As soon as I got WOT in any gear and any RPM above 3000 it acts up. I can hear the exhaust go pop-pop-pop-pop really rapidly when it happens, but the RPMs will still climb.
I am currently running a mix of 89/93 octane (I was experimenting to see how it ran on 89.. I hate living on a budget, but after this started I put 93 in it to see if possibly it was the knock sensor. I know the manual says 91 oct, and well the two average to 91. ) It has ran before without any issues on 89 oct.
The car does have 100k miles so I am not sure if it is possibly Wires (Looking for NGK 8mm, but found no one yet in Cols who sells them), Fuel Filter, and Knock Sensor. I guess it could be a boost leak, but my boost guage doesn't go down (do not know how many PSI since I have stock gauges) and I can accelerate hard and boost with no issues, just not at WOT.
I did change my plugs recently to KGR BP6ES and not the KNs? (Dual prongs) that were in it before. That has been a week or two ago before this issue came up. The car is stock.
I do not hear any knocking, nor do I have aggressive lifter tick. I use Mobile Drive Clean Synthblend 10w-30. (previous owner always used dino oil, plus it has always worked great for my Mazda 626 i4 which those cars are prone to get lash adjuster noise).
I wish I had a pocketlogger as I think it would help greately. If anyone in the Central Ohio area would be willing to let me borrow thier pocket logger I would be much appreciated. I can provide my own Palm Vx.
Sorry for the long post, any ideas?

 

[buRn-AWD]

i have a similar problem, my 90 GSX does the same thing, (kinda feels like fuel cut) i did the boost solenoid restrictor thing, but am not too sure about the effects that had, (installing boost guage soon) but i have read that something similar could be caused by the fuel pump or somethin like that, i do have a question thoiugh, do you have an air/fuel guage? if so is it running lean>? i'm also installing an A/F guage and am curoius how yours is reading. maybe thats it i'll let ya know if i find anything

 

[rick]

my car was doing that but it was the alternator at first. it did it again but it supposedly it was the ground wire i forgot to connect to the power steering pump nipple. i havent been able to test the car and see if it happens again. i will let you guys know ifi am able to test it soon.

 

[manticore33]

The car is bone stock. I have no gauges other then what comes factory. I *was* in the process of looking for gauges, but depending on the nature of this problem and how much it costs to fix it, the guages might be a way off.
As for the alternator, I believe it was replaced at some point. I am lead to this by the fact it is branded beck arnley, unless that was who manufactured the OEM DSM alternator. I am not sure the specs on it if it is an aftermarket replacement, nor does it rule out it being good or bad.

 

[Defiant]

How old are the ignition wires?

 

[manticore33]

I am not sure. I purchased the car used. I inspected them and the rubber feels pretty rigid and there are no cracks. The plugs are maybe 2 or so weeks old. I pulled the plugs last night and regapped them to make sure they were at .028. If I go with new wires what is a good brand that is an alternate to NGK? I do not want to go with Maganacore as they seem to have issues. Or do you think I should get OEM wires from a Mistu parts place?

 

[manticore33]

Well, I appreciate the help people posted. I think I found my solution so here it goes.

I switched back to 93 octane after running out the mixture of 89/93. That improved things a bit and I could open the car up with out any problems sometimes. The idle had also gotten rough over the course of the last few days. The 93oct did not help this. Today, I skipped class and decided that I was to fix this. I found my local retailler that carries NGK wires, got a set. Put them on, idle is much, much, better and I no longer get the studdering and lack of power have vanished.
After inspecting the old set of wires (I believe now original), the boot for the #1 cylinder had a tiny hole that it looks like it was arching through.
Now, hopefully this is the fix that will last, and not be termporary.