need help fast, not firing on 2 and 3 cylinder

[LowNismo17]

my friend has a 97 gst with a 6 bolt swap.. and the car just quit running one day and he had it towed to the local dealership and they found a wire that was grounding out and blew a fuse..and then they called and said the car cranks but runs like crap and he said ok i can handle it from here and he got it back and checked everything out and discovered that it isn't firing on #2 and #3 cylinder and he said he can drive it down the road and sometimes it will start firing and run fine and then next thing ya know it goes back to running like crap..can anyone help him with this problem.. he really needs it fixed before he leaves for japan for the navy.. any info is appreciated and sorry about the lack of info, i am just going by how he descibes it..

 

[SpoolnTsi]

Sounds like an ignition problem. Check the ignition coil first. Should be pulling a CEL if its bad. 10-1 thats your problem

 

[luv2rallye]

Suspect in order:
1) bad wiring/connectors on the 2-3 coil or power transistor
2) Bad 2-3 coil (the other coil is for 1-4)
3) Bad power transistor unit (unit drives both coils)
4) bad ECU (hope it not this one - $)

 

[LowNismo17]

does the coil ever start going bad and then slowly die out or does it just die out all at one time and never work again.. also do you think that bad wire that was arching might have fried the ECU? i am supposed to be buying the car in a few days for $4,800 so i hope i find the problem thanks alot guys..anymore info would help thanks

 

[SpoolnTsi]

Yea they can gradually go bad. What yours is doing now happened to me. It will cut in an out like that. Wont take long for it to completely quit. I doubt its the ECU but it could be