This looks odd to me...need opinions

[88FestivaLX]

I figure while I can't drive the Festy b/c of the control arms etc, I'll look for whatever is making this thing jump and buck all the time. As I've said somewhere before, when taking off and accelerating normally, my stupid car jumps around and just acts stupid....but if i floor it, it goes away. I've lost my knowledge of spark plug diagnosing so I added some pics. #1 and #3 are very white, more than #2 and #4. Is it bad that they are white? I got the best pics I could. Also, what do you think about the dist rotor? What would cause it to be messed up on that one side. That is all for now. I'll probably keep adding to this thread when I come up on other stuff. Thanks!

[Damkid]

new cap/rotor and plugs and wires wouldn't hurt :lol:

[88FestivaLX]

Yea, def will be replaced. But does the wear on it look normal? Do the plugs look like its running lean? Or hot? I dunno, it just all doesn't look right to me.

[jglutz]

Plugs look good
The rotor...no so good. what's really bad is that the errossion is not spread across the entire wiper. What I suspect is the base timing is off. This would explain having to keep your foot on the pedal.

Causes....the distributor is loose or moved....or the timing belt skipped or has excessive play...or the pulse pick up inside the dist is loose or moved, least likely.

[FB71]

I agree with Joe ^^^

[freshtiva]

^ X Two

[CHills]

You must have a nice camera, those pictures are really nice!

[88FestivaLX]

Is there a particular or easy way to check/adjust the timing on these cars? And the camera is a Nikon Coolpix 4500 from like 2002, 4 megapixel, ha

[FestYboy]

^^ need a timing light to properly set timing

pic # 3 looks very good as far as timing is concerned, cant tell the other two plugs as i can't see the ground straps as well as that one. i'd go after your injectors and have them cleaned and balanced and replace the TPS.

[piratewilly]

^^ need a timing light to properly set timing

pic # 3 looks very good as far as timing is concerned, cant tell the other two plugs as i can't see the ground straps as well as that one. i'd go after your injectors and have them cleaned and balanced and replace the TPS.

if his name is any indication on what kinda car he is driving, im guessing its carb'ed, no injectors

[88FestivaLX]

Yea, car is carb'ed

[KingFish]

Has anyone ever craked open a TPS on one of these cars? It's just a double contact! One contact for under 7 degrees, one contact for over 70 I think? I sold my shop book. But regardless super simple, but still 300 bucks new.

[Burnrate]

Just a theory. Try running it with gas that does not have ethanol in it. Or maybe try adding a drying agent to the gas. I am postulating that we are getting wet gas because of the eth. and our carbs don't like it. Wish I had a zeolite cartridge to put in line.

Eric

[88FestivaLX]

I've thought about running a bottle of Heet ot whatever its called through it. The thing is, its been running like this since I bought it (March 2007). I replaced the plugs and everything after I got it. I was just trying to remember what it means when plugs are white. I was thinking it meant they were either hot or running lean.

[CharlieZ]

What the colors mean....

http://www.boschautoparts.com/NR/rdonlyres/B99EF8FC-D93F-45C6-BAF7-CEF31665E884/0/SparkPlugFaces.pdf