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I'll definitely try that, what would cause it to die when the plug is pressed down inside (to where it suctions around the spark plug?) but nothing happens when the plug just rests against the back of the plug

[quote="_lithium_"] He pulled the spark plug wire on the front left (when you are looking directly down at it)

Ok, the cylinders are numbered 1,3,5 at the back and 2,4,6 at the front. These horizontally mounted motors are still referenced like inline motors. Standing where the timing belt is 1,3,5 would be right and 2,4,6 would be left as viewed from the drivers perspective. ( Like every thing else on the car ) Hope this info helps when your ordering parts.

_lithium_ wrote:I'll definitely try that, what would cause it to die when the plug is pressed down inside (to where it suctions around the spark plug?) but nothing happens when the plug just rests against the back of the plug

Is the wire shorting some where. Go out at nite when the engine bay is dark and try it both ways. Maybe you'll see the fault. Zit! Zot! Dzzzzt!

Ok, narrowed it down a bunch... I switched the spark plug going to cylinder 2 (the one with all the issues) with the spark plug wire on cylinder 4, and cylinder 2 still was misfiring and acting up. After taking off the distributor cap, I put an Ohm meter to the pin 'C' on the distributor and then other to the coil tower on the disty and it read 25.5ohms which in my Hanes book it says something like it should be between 11 and 18 (guessing right now since i dont have the book here). Does this mean my disty is bad? I even checked the timing on it and it seemed fine.


I just don't understand why the hell it is doing this, whenever I start my car I have to have the wire in cylinder 2 fully out and it starts but is rough, then I go and push the wire in all the way and my car wants to die, BUT if I just gently lay the wire in the cylinder (to where I can hear it arching onto the spark plug) the car runs normal with only a few misfires while driving. WTF!

Not sure I followed. Did you change the spark plug or just swap the wires? If you just swapped the wires then the spark plug remains suspect. Unless you just completed an ignition tune up you should just begin by replacing all the plugs, wires, ignition rotor and distributor cap.

I know you're now thinking the problem is in the ignition system, but do check the #2 fuel injector. You might be able to use a mechanics stethoscope if you can get an angle between the intake piping to put it on the fuel injector. With the car running the fuel injector solenoid should be snapping open and shut with very regular rhythm. If irregular rhythm or silent then you found the problem.

_lithium_ wrote:Ok, narrowed it down a bunch... I switched the spark plug going to cylinder 2 (the one with all the issues) with the spark plug wire on cylinder 4, and cylinder 2 still was misfiring and acting up. After taking off the distributor cap, I put an Ohm meter to the pin 'C' on the distributor and then other to the coil tower on the disty and it read 25.5ohms which in my Hanes book it says something like it should be between 11 and 18 (guessing right now since i dont have the book here). Does this mean my disty is bad? I even checked the timing on it and it seemed fine.

if the disty was bad it should be bad for every wire not just #2. Is it possible you have a bad disty cap? additionally did you try swapping the spark plug wire?

Yeah that was what I meant, I swapped the cylinder 2 spark plug wire with the one in cylinder 4 (so the entire wires were swapped even on the position on the disty cap.) and it still acted the same. The spark plug is brand new by the way since that was the first thing i suspected. Also, do you think the fuel injector could even be an issue? I don't understand why it'd matter where the position of the cylinder 2 spark plug wire was though. I can drive the car and it acts fine right now since that wire is on the spark plug but not pressed down onto it firmly, it sits about an inch out of the port rather then pressing it down that last inch and hearing it suction onto the plug. Whenever it is pressed onto the spark plug the car dies.

just buy new plugs they are so cheap replace all 6 (NGK) and i would think of new wires as well

Ok so you know what you changed what didn't change that could be affecting it. Possibly a bad disty cap?

My brother threw a new one on it a few years ago ( he had to replace the thing 2-3 times for some reason) but I plan for the distributor cap/rotor to be changed once I get the money in a week or so and then go from there. I'm going to the junk yard this weekend to take a look for a mazda but doubt they have one since they are super hard to find around here.