WTF did I do...? Help Please

[_-Ax-_]

Ok, so my buddy calls me up and asks me to check out his 95 GSX. Says that there is a little miss every once in awhile, amongst other things irrelivant to this topic. So, being a tech, I always start with spark. Took out and checked all the plugs. Then checked spark on all 4 wires with a test lead to the battery. They all had a strong spark. So we threw the plugs back in, popped on the wires and went for a drive. Idle and easy acceleration were both smooth as butter. Then he evens out the boost at 0 for a bit then stands on it. But the exact moment it went into boost, it bogged horribly, lost all power and started backfiring like a bloody machine gun. Note that it has never done this before. It's not a boost leak either. Holds 16lbs just fine.

So, we pull it back in and I once again check the plugs. #1 was gapped a bit too small so I set it back to .032. Nothing. Checked spark again and one time that I pulled the lead out of one wire to move it to the next, I caught a glimpse of a flash/spark coming from the coil area. So we shut off some lights and tried again. Sure as shit, it did it again. Somehow it was jumping from the coil to the head. We figured there must be a crack in the coil... So he ordered two yesterday and put em on. Still nothing... Now he's pissed as hell at me for supposedly ####ing up his car... WTF what could we have done to cause this? I mean, I'm a service tech and i'm lost.....

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Check the timing and that the coilpack is securely bolted down. Wires might be arcing too.

 

[_-Ax-_]

See, I thought timing as well. Because, don't these advance spark timing depending on RPM and Throttle Position?

 

[kenamond]

You can't adjust timing on a stock 2g. Where did you see arcing when you killed the lights? I'd zero in on that. New plug wires? Any oil or water in the plug wells?

By the way, 0.032" gaps seem a tad large. What plugs? DSMers swear by NGK BPR6ES for up to ~17psi boost, then 7ES, etc.

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Yeah that gap is huge for a turbo car, I just set mine all at .025.

 

[blackrosenova40]

Check the tips of the plugs where they meet with the wires. They are screwed in and sometimes come loose.

 

[greentsiawd13]

What Plugs R U Using What Wires Cause Dsms Are Very Picky With The Plugs That R In