Lurching, stalling

[Tim]

This morning the Festiva drove weird. Normally, when cold, it lurches a few times when I start off, but now the thing lurches in every gear up to about 2500 RPMs. I'll stall out unless I punch the gas and let up the clutch slow. The engine will bog down, I'll push in the clutch, and repeat the whole process until the car will move without stalling. When it's moving the thing lurches back and forth, even squealing the tires once or twice. It seems to lack power. After driving for a few minutes the lurching died down but didn't completely go away. I had a similar problem last time it rained; the ignition coil was shorting out on the tachometer terminal. But it drove normal the next day, and I replaced the wire.

Today it doesn't appear to be shorting out and it hasn't rained, yet the lurching is present.

Any ideas??????



Regards,

Tim

[Tim]

It still lurches. No change since this morning.

[darkdan]

That's how mine feels when I need new spark plugs....every 9k to 10k miles.

[Tim]

Oh...

It's been about 10k since I replaced mine. I'll do that and see what happens.


Thanks!

[Tim]

Wow! I noticed an immediate change when I replaced the plugs. The hestiation/lurching was gone completely and the car felt like it had more power!

The old plugs had whitish-grey deposits on their electrodes; I believe those are carbon deposits. I suppose driving with the ignition timing off would explain that.


Regards,

Tim

[mattswabb]

Here is a link to spark plug troubleshooting http://www.triplesonline.com/techtips/sparkplugs.asp

pics and descriptions of plugs

[batstiva]

That's exactly what mine was doing last fall, Tim. Same result, bought new plugs, and wires, changed 'em in the Autozone parking lot, and the Batstiva has run like a scalded cat ever since. :wink:

[darkdan]

I don't know why my car goes through plugs every 9k miles, but it does.

White deposits are normal on most cars. This is because they all run a little lean from factory. I think my vic was the only car I've ever removed plugs from that were nice and golden brown.

[Tim]

My Festiva has a history of eating spark plugs and wires. The previous owners said they had to replace them yearly. I wonder why that is.


Regards,

Tim

[darkdan]

I even tried going a heat range colder and they still went bad.

[Tim]

Well, it's less than $10 for a new set of plugs so I'm not going to sweat it.


Regards,

Tim

[kidcurry73]

I wonder if new plugs would help my idle... :?

[mechanicaldj]

one QUESTION for ALL: we are using NGK V-power spark plugs, aren't we??????????


:cam:


anything else would be stupid
:violent2:

[darkdan]

Are the V-notch the factory plugs?

I don't put much faith into V-notchs, double electrodes, quadruple electrodes, splitfires, etc etc etc.

[Tim]

I put Bosch Platinums in my car. The old ones were Motorcraft.


Regards,

Tim