Wierd sound...Help me out here

[SeanM]

Ok.....Today I installed my Splitfire ignition wires....After I installed em.....When I sit the car in idle, it seems to rev up and down a little, usually varying from 800 to 1100 rpms....It doesn't happen all the time, but it is usually consistent about every 2 to 3 seconds....Anybody have any clue at all what this could be? Chances are it could have been there before I installed my wires, but I'm kinda concerned cause I haven't noticed it before. Is it normal? Should I do anything? Please help me out here guys. Thanks a lot.

Sean
____________________
'95 XLT 4dr 4.0L V6 OHV Auto
Flowmaster 40 series Cat-back
K&N FIPK
Bosch 4+ Platinum plugs
Splitfire ignition wires

 

[Hunter11]

I'm pretty sure you hooked the wires to the wrong sparkplugs. They have a certain order they fire in and if they are hooked up wrong it will run pretty rough. Go back and make sure you have them on the right sparkplug.

 

[Ru Dawg]

quick and easy check

Sean, on easy way to check your wires is to use a piece of paper...Take a piece of paper and hold it flat to the tailpipe, about an inch away. If the paper moves towards the exhaust, then you probably hooked the wires up incorrectly. The piece of paper should constantly blow away from the exhaust. Hope this helps!

 

[Ru Dawg]

another possibility

Sean, just remembered something. If your wires are connected properly, there is something else it could be...I had a similar problem with my '95 Ranger which I had b4 the explorer. It could be the Idle Air Control solenoid (IAC). A simple way to check it is to disconnect the connector for the IAC while the engine is running...If your engine stalls or drops very low in rpm...then there may be something wrong with the IAC. Do you ever have problems starting? Will it sometimes start but not stay running? That is what the problem was with my Ranger. The IAC had to be replaced. (think it was about $80). Good Luck!

 

[SeanM]

Well, let me answer the plug question first. I know I didn't mess up the firing order, and I have checked and re-checked, then checked again to make sure that the plugs are all on tight and in the proper order. I don't hear the very VERY noticable mis-fire sound. I also would like to change my original explaination of the problem. It's just like, the idle RPM is around 800...Sometimes when I'm at a constant speed, the car like stutters. Like I'll have it at a constant speed and RPM and for no apparent reason, all of a sudden(and you wouldn't notice it if you weren't trying to feel for it) the car just kinda stutters. Not like goes from 25mph to like 20, but just momentarily(less than a hundreth of a second) stutters. Any clues now?

 

[Henry]

A dirty MAF sensor comes to mind, you might want to check it.

 

[jwild4x4]

I think a bad PCV valve would cause the same symptoms... mine does the same thing your's does, and I think I was told it might be the PCV... not sure though!

 

[SeanM]

Ok...Here's a little update....I got fed up with it and took it to a friend of mine(a mechanic)...We figured out that the ignition wire boots weren't on all the way(even though I swear that I heard each one click when I put em on)....Now...Here's what's buggin me....It still idles around 800, which, in and of itself is not a problem. However, I notice that sometimes when I punch the gas and then let off it and come to a stop, the car almost feels like it is stalling when it comes to a full and complete stop....Now here's what I'm thinkin....I saw this white almost ash type stuff on the end of the boot that wasn't on all the way...I'm thinkin maybe that wire got messed up somehow and that maybe it's kinda dead...Is this possible? Could that be what's making this happen or could it be some combination of things? I am so afraid to go under my hood again cause I'll cause somethin like this to happen again. What should I do? Have a mechanic look at it again? Help me! (Sorry this is so long, but I need to accurately convey what's happening). Thanks guys...Keep the replies comin....

Sean
___________________________
'95 XLT 4x4 4.0L OHV V6
Flowmaster 40 series Cat-back
K&N FIPK
Bosch 4+ Platinum plugs
Splitfire Ignition wires