Rough idle and acceleration, rusted spark plugs.

[Spike]

1993 EFI manual. I've only had him about a month, driven maybe 650 miles total. Problem started 2 weeks ago, but I've been out of town for work since it started.

I had it up to full temp and ran about half a can if SeaFoam through the PCV. Changed plug wires and PCV at this exact time. Ran it high RPMs to get the Seafoam through, brought it back to the apartment. Next time I ran it, it bogged pretty hard and was hard to start. Changed fuel filter figuring that was the problem. No dice, but it starts easier.

Let the spark plugs soak in PB Blaster since 2 weeks ago, fully warmed engine and tried to remove plugs.. rusted solid, want to round off.

I have not changed dist cap as it's also rusted on and I haven't had a chance to remedy this yet.
No CEL codes. Full tank of fresh gas, fresh air filter. Can't find any vacuum leaks.

Ideas, please?

Thank you - Joe

[Movin]

Try chasing the PB blaster with acetone. Try tightening and loosening to get movement started. Rev it a little then kill it by drowning with PB through the PCV. Repeat all .

[drddan]

Try loosening while engine is warm, to.

[WmWatt]

Put a little solvent around the plugs each day, more often if possible, and try gently removing plugs
until they break free. For impact tap on handle of socket wrench with a hammer to break rust.
Try tapping forward and backward. Go easy and don't break a plug. Patience required.

[350freak]

sorry maybe I missed it but have you checked the timing? but plugs need to be fixed most definitely also full tune up prob not done in years

[Spike]

I'm out of town for work tonight, but when I get back I'll check timing and start running PB through the PCV, and try out the acetone on the plugs. I've been applying some impact every time I get the chance, and have got the engine nice and warm before trying to remove them.

Thanks, everyone. I'll report back when I get back!

[Movin]

Acetone will suck the PB in further, Kill the warm engine on PB through the PCV so that it will soak into the plug threads from inside the head. Then soak the outside of the plugs with PB and chase that with some acetone, it penetrates better than any other easy to get chemical with the ability to work with lubricants.

Thermal cycling is your friend. When it cools down to warm if it does not loosen then warm the engine back up and do the whole thing again. Sorry I didn't explain it the best the first time but when the wife is wanting to go out to dinner NOW..lol

[nitrofarm]

Once those plugs "Snap" loose dont spin them all the way out. The fun has just begun,little by little work the oil into the threads. Moving the plug back and forth to keep the threads from galling. Lots of Oil,Time & Patience is the key.

[350freak]

I bet those plugs are the blackest thing in the world and almost bet the timing is perfect just NO PLUGS in the car just little sticks of charcoal

By the way when all this gets straight I want some info on that B8 swap I hear its pretty straight forward

[Spike]

All right, sorry I haven't been back to this thread for a few days. This last week:

Ran PB through the intake several times, along with PB and acetone externally. Still no luck, but working on it daily (sadly while driving the car to work and back - hurts my soul).

MPG has dropped from 37 to 27.
Swapped out the VAF/entire air box for a spare known-good one I had two days ago. Seemed to help, acceleration got a bit better.
Replaced my brand new plug wires with a set of new NGK wires. Found out one of the NEW wires was faulty. Idle got much better.
FINALLY got the disty cap off just now, cracked the cap off at the screw ears, then used locking pliers to get the screws moving.

One problem after replacing cap and rotor.. now the car dies when I let RPMs drop back to idle.

Sigh. o2 sensor is next, I guess I need to order one. Tomorrow I will hook up the vacuum gauge again, maybe something had a small crack getting bigger.
I haven't checked timing as of yet, I seem to have misplaced my timing light. Will get one by this weekend.

Thank you all for your help!


Joe

Also 350freak, the B8 and EFI swap is supposed to be simple (the B8 part, anyway - not the EFI), it just happens that when I got the car to be swapped, the engine, all necessary parts for completion - I did not have the ability nor intelligence to do it myself. It's been waiting at a Festiva friend's house in pieces to be completed for quite a long time. I figure I'll be out of this apartment and have a house and garage before I see it done, and thus finish it myself. Hopefully I'll have it back in my possession and in my own garage come this summer.

[Spike]

To go along with the starting and dying immediately, I had a CEL most of the way home. Get home, make a jumper wire, attempt to check codes. Stupid CEL just turns off. Vacuum was unable to be checked again because I can't idle the car.

When driving, I have to keep RPMs over say.. 3000 to keep the current speed, any gear. I ended up driving home at 65 in 4th barely keeping it at that speed DOWNHILL. If I dropped below a higher RPM, the CEL would turn on, and I would lose power and be forced to downshift or completely floor it. I'll be stealing the white Festiva to get to work tomorrow.. anyway, my current assumption is the fuel pump or coil is going bad. I changed the in-tank filter when I changed the engine bay filter. I also attempted unplugging the o2 just out of curiosity, it didn't seem to matter.

Anyone have another idea?

[350freak]

not sure if it would be the coil, if your running 3000 rpm's sounds like the coil is doing its job
same with fuel pump I believe
did you clean the MAF and intake... sounds like air problem could very well be the vac... not sure though

[Spike]

I replaced the MAF/VAF whatever it's called with a spare good one I had three days ago. Car instantly ran better with the new/used unit. I still had the old one in the hatch and put it back in place - didn't do anything but make it run worse.

The odd thing is, the not wanting to run problem started the second I touched the disty cap before changing it. I tried to get it off midday yesterday, and one of the screws did indeed move but couldn't get other off. Tightened the screw back up, but the wanting to die started. Thus the reason for destroying the old cap to remove it and replace it with a new one.

..though the new one didn't actually make the problem better. I need less 12 hour days at work and more time to actually work on the car lol.

[nitrofarm]

Sounds like the plastic on the distrib might be cracked and causing some arcing?

[legend123]

if cap is cracked try sraying cap with wd40 i had a cap when it rained car would not run good sprayed cap with wd40 ran perfect thus i now new had cracked dist cap