Bad spark plug wires? Or maybe power transistor?

[Kayo Stanciu]

Hey once again fellas

Probably bugging because last week I been asking a lot of questions . I apologize but I’m a nob and trying to learn the most I can and don’t really have an other place to turn but to experienced people in this and other groups.

I have a 1998 gst(manual) I recently just fixed my starter. I had this car I have now almost two years ago and times got hard so I sold it to a friend and two weeks ago I recently purchased it back from him. He drove it down to me an hour drive the starter was bad so I changed it had to replace it twice Autozone gave me a bad new starter so I had to return it. But anyways my valve cover was leaking so I replaced the gasket and as I do with any new cars I buy I changed the spark plugs and changed the oil and filter. So I get the car together, idles fine, and starts fine. I put the car in first and it has a power surge and wants to just get up and go even if it doesn’t do it right when I take off it does it when I let off the throttle in first only. I can’t go past 3500-4000rpm the car hogs down really bad and hesitates and I can’t get it to go past 30 mph. Idk what to do. I threw the old spark plugs in thinking maybe the car didn’t like the iridium plugs I put in. The new plugs with a dry black at the tips like bad. Idk what to do, I ordered new wires just in case because these ones look old anyways and figured it might be the plugs. But idk what else to do please some help and input would be great

 

[Turbo2g]

This sounds like MAF or possibly throttle to me. Do you have a scanner to read data? If not the first thing I'd do is clean your throttle body. If you access and find it absolutely gummed up, it can cause a lot of drivability issues. A bad MAF will cause bogging down, as will a bad coil if it's misfiring when it acts up. But if it's more of a bog down without misfiring, it's likely going to be the MAF.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

This sounds like MAF or possibly throttle to me. Do you have a scanner to read data? If not the first thing I'd do is clean your throttle body. If you access and find it absolutely gummed up, it can cause a lot of drivability issues. A bad MAF will cause bogging down, as will a bad coil if it's misfiring when it acts up. But if it's more of a bog down without misfiring, it's likely going to be the MAF.

I was think maf too but on an old vehicle I had that the mad went on even on idle when I revved it bogged down, right now on idle and when I rev it’s normal. The car is hella low on fuel. I checked it and it’s like almost empty like past E empty do I got two gallons I’m bringing home today to try that cuz I was told might now be enough gas to do anything?

 

[techboy]

Was the car doing this when your buddy drive it dowb. Sounds very curious that you changed a valve cover gasket and this happened. Sounds like something became disconnected. I'd check the MAF first like others suggested. I'd also look at your vacuum likes carefully.

 

[jakk220]

Usually if a problem occurs after you were working on a car, its related to something you did while working on it. The first thing I would guess is your firing order. Since you changed the plugs, it is possible that you got them mixed up. Assuming you are on the stock ECU, your spark plug wires should be set up according to the left diagram.

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[Kayo Stanciu]

Was the car doing this when your buddy drive it dowb. Sounds very curious that you changed a valve cover gasket and this happened. Sounds like something became disconnected. I'd check the MAF first like others suggested. I'd also look at your vacuum likes carefully.

Nah it wasn’t because he drove it an hour away from me. I changed the starter, oil, plugs, and valve cover gasket. I double checked everything to see if anything got unplugged like four billion times idk if maybe I’m skipping over something. But I went to check the oil cap and I got zapped when I was like 2 inches away from the cap by one of the wires im guessing. And I’ll double check the maf. If I remember correctly I can’t use any cleaner on the sensor huh

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Usually if a problem occurs after you were working on a car, its related to something you did while working on it. The first thing I would guess is your firing order. Since you changed the plugs, it is possible that you got them mixed up. Assuming you are on the stock ECU, your spark plug wires should be set up according to the left diagram.

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My coils are on the right side instead of lining up front like that might be because I have a six bolt

 

[jakk220]

Yes your firing order will be different now. Let me ask you this, how is your firing order currently set up? Which ECU and cam angle sensor are you using?

 

[jakk220]

I went to check the oil cap and I got zapped when I was like 2 inches away from the cap by one of the wires im guessing.

Well if this happened, then you need to inspect the insulation / rubber coating on your spark plug wires and check for breaks in the wire or coating. You should not be getting zapped.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Yes your firing order will be different now. Let me ask you this, how is your firing order currently set up? Which ECU and cam angle sensor are you using?

Well I found a diagram a couple days ago, I set it too. I’ll post it in this comment. I went to check my oil cap earlier and I got a static shock from one of the wires I’m assuming like a good size shock too. The ecu I am not sure but I can find out andsame for the cam angle sensor.

 

[jakk220]

If you got shocked by a wire, then that is more than likely your issue. The wire would be arcing on the oil cap (or anything conductive, like your hand ) I would toss a new set of wires on it first, check your firing order, and give it a test.

 

[jakk220]

That spark plug order should be correct. I would still double check and make sure you didnt mess it up on accident, then I would replace the wires for sure.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

That spark plug order should be correct. I would still double check and make sure you didnt mess it up on accident, then I would replace the wires for sure.

Nice my new wires should be here tomorrow so I’m hoping it works, I also am getting shocked getting out the car but isn’t as strong as when I was by the oil cap. I’ll double check the order twice installing the new wires tomorrow. I got ngk plugs brp6egp that’s what the car originally had in it. I gapped them to .028 and pray that tomorrow the wires Fox my problem

 

[jakk220]

Those are good enough for your set up. I would get the BPR7es next time though.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Those are good enough for your set up. I would get the BPR7es next time though.

I was going to get those too I should have done it .

 

[jakk220]

A

I was going to get those too I should have done it .

At least they are cheap if you change your mind haha

 

[jakk220]

Also you never specified which CAS you have. If it's a 1g, with a 2g ECU, I'm pretty sure you have to use the firing order on the right that I posted earlier. Which could be causing all you problems. Try the firing order on the right and see what happens.

 

[pauleyman]

You found your problem. Fix the wire. Move along.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

A

At least they are cheap if you change your mind haha

Yea 9$ for 4 I think I’m going to just buy them

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Also you never specified which CAS you have. If it's a 1g, with a 2g ECU, I'm pretty sure you have to use the firing order on the right that I posted earlier. Which could be causing all you problems. Try the firing order on the right and see what happens.

I’m unsure to be honest but I can find out but I’ll try both firing orders and see what works. Best today when those plugs get here

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

You found your problem. Fix the wire. Move along.

I hope so wires should be here sometime today thank you amazon prime

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Okay put new wires in didn’t get shocked or anything anymore. But bogging is still happening. I checked my cel finally I got a obdii to read it and came up bad tps. Would that cause all the symptoms I had

 

[Turbo2g]

Yes, as I said. Try cleaning your throttle. I bet its absolutely filthy gummed up.

 

[Macgyver'sDSM]

If the tps is bad or out of adjustment that would definitely cause a problem. You press the gas pedal it opens the throttle body to let more air in the engine. If the tps doesn't know your letting air in it cant tell the ecu to put more fuel in and your car goes extremely lean and bogs down.

 

[Kayo Stanciu]

Yes, as I said. Try cleaning your throttle. I bet its absolutely filthy gummed up.

Thank you, tomorrow I’ll take a look at it and clean it real good and change the sensor out too