Coil or plug wires or something else?

[9svt8]

Yesterday morning I started my car, and it was bucking and carrying on...gave it some gas and sounded like I was running on 7 cylinders. Drove it down the street, and within 30 seconds it ran normal. Left work and it ran great. Got in it this morning, and the buck wagon was back. Drove it to Autozone and picked up new autolites (copper) gapped them at .054 and installed them. Fired it up, and it bucked. The car has 88k miles fairly stock. Stock coil packs, and previous owner put on black msd wires which don't look very old either.

 

[mwolson]

Any DTCs?

 

[9svt8]

Nothing! Got in this morning to come to work, it started up fine...as it idled for a minute, it bucked for a couple of seconds, then went back to normal. The whole trip to work, it ran fine. This is weird. One thing I forgot to say yesterday was, I did take off the IAC and cleaned it out.

 

[acdrew]

When mine started acting this way I had a faulty fuel injector. Could be a number of things good luck on figuring the problem out.

 

[9svt8]

Car ran great today, no hiccups whatsoever. Just don't understand what happened, why it happened...and why it's not doing it now.

 

[SVTContique]

You should clean your MAF out.

 

[9svt8]

Checked that, looks like it was brand new...clean enough to eat off of.

 

[mwolson]

Car ran great today, no hiccups whatsoever. Just don't understand what happened, why it happened...and why it's not doing it now.

That's why intermittent problems are aso frustrating. You have to wait til it gets frequent enough to be able to figure it out...

 

[9svt8]

Ok, so I've figured it out...

Yesterday when I pulled into the driveway, I put my top up before I pulled into the garage. As it was going up, the car felt like I was running on 7 cyl. When it did that, I blipped the throttle it smoothed out. I know the convertible top motor does put a big strain on the system, so that there verified to me that the alternator is getting weak.

I will be looking at getting another one, or getting mine rebuilt. Money is tight, so if anyone has any suggestions, that would be great...or if someone has one laying around that is good working order, let me know.

 

[9svt8]

Just got back from napa, had them load test my battery and then my alternator. So my suspicions were confirmed...bad alternator. With a load it maxed out at 63 amps...that's roughly half of what it should be, and definitely starving everything of much needed juice. New alternator goes on tonight. Well, I guess there's nothing to complain about...the alternator that's coming off is OEM...lol.

 

[mwolson]

Congrats on figuring it out, and thanks for completing the thread.

Now we'll see how much you like the aftermarket alternator and how long it lasts...

 

[9svt8]

If it lasts just half as long...I'll be happy, lol

 

[PSUCOBRA96]

just a bad battery not a bad deal. I would replace those msds though, they are only gonna give you a headache down the road. Stick with ford wires, they are the best most reliable you can buy.

 

[9svt8]

Yeah I'm looking for some stock ones or the frpp ones

 

[9svt8]

Out of curiosity...what should I expect to happen with the msd wires? Reason I ask is, put the new alternator on Thursday night and it's been running great ever since till today. I was on the highway and decided to run it a little and it started breaking up a little bit. When I let off and drove normal for a couple of seconds it straightened out. Would this be what to expect with the msd's?