Maybe this has been my issue?

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale) 09/19/2020 at 18:39 • Filed to: C4 Update, C4 Corvette, Corvette

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Plug Wire

This is one of the plug wires on the Vette. Obviously not good. At constant throttle I have been having an intermittent power surge like issue. I thought maybe it was the TPS, but that is working great. Fuel isn’t an issue either. So spark was the next in line. If new wires do not alleviate my issue then I am finally going to have to throw in the towel and take her to a mechanic.

I don’t understand why having a nice running car is such a hard thing to achieve . Car is basically new at this point.

Getting really tired of working on this car and not being able to drive it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:42

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What year? Looks like some tune-up parts are in order.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 09/19/2020 at 18:44

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95, but I have done all the tune up parts already. I probably made it move during all the other engine work I have been doing and it rubbed itself raw. 

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:45

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I would expect almost any Corvette to be greatly interested in either rubbing or melting its spark plug wires.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:47

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I am reading your previous C4 posts now.

Paused to come back and say: wow what a pain in the ass

Sovande > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:48

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Yes. That could be the problem. I'd replace that. I'd replace them all. 

MM54 > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:51

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It certainly isn’t helping matters

Jayvincent > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 18:58

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may the Corvette gods smile on you for em biggening your post and make your WOT fun again , good work!

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 20:26

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Sounds exactly like what an intermittent spark plug wire will do. My Jaguar would cut out Cyl 6 once in a while when wet. New plug wires even though the old ones looked fine and it’s been perfect ever since. 

Urambo Tauro > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/19/2020 at 20:44

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Culprit or not , I would n’ t even hesitate to change that.  Good find!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 09/20/2020 at 16:19

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Yeah

CaptDale - is secretly British > MiniGTI - now with XJ6 09/20/2020 at 16:19

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Well I certainly hope so.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Sovande 09/20/2020 at 16:19

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Yeah a whole new set is coming. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > Urambo Tauro 09/20/2020 at 16:20

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Yup, these are such a pia on this car too.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Jayvincent 09/20/2020 at 16:20

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Gracias

CaptDale - is secretly British > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/20/2020 at 16:20

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Yeah..... 25 year old cars with unknow history.... fun times

CaptDale - is secretly British > MM54 09/20/2020 at 16:20

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Not in the least

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/20/2020 at 16:26

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Well that would be nearly every car I’ve owned of course  Needless to say, success rate has been dubious.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 09/20/2020 at 19:06

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Yeah xD. If this doesn’t fix it, time to spend money on the mechanic. 

Sovande > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/21/2020 at 08:08

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I have replaced the plug wires I think 4 times on my El Camino which I have owned for about 4.5 years. Each and every time has been my fault, but I feel your pain. I stopped buying the pretty colored and more expensive ones and started going with cheaper silicone wrapped 8mm wires. I should really start making my own since I seem to have a knack for knocking the wire looms into the headers.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Sovande 09/21/2020 at 10:22

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Gad damn, that sucks. So you are saying you are closing in on changing them a 5th time?

Yeah making them could always be an option

Sovande > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/21/2020 at 10:32

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I am well on my way to getting a better wire loom system in place. Since it is an engine swap with headers, it can be tricky to make the stock length wires fit. It is certainly doable, but it requires a check every time you do anything under the hood. I have finally figured out the routing and the plug boot orientation (I tried straight boots once, but that made routing tough) so they should be good for a while. I also have to change the #8 spark plug about every 3000 miles, but it is about $2 and only take a minute to change. I suppose I could hunt down the problem, but my guess is it’s more expensive than a spark plug to fix.

Compared to the Volvo’s I have been driving for years, I find working on this car to be so cheap that I don’t really mind swapping in new parts. I changed the radiator hoses this spring because I couldn’t get the dirt off of them. Total cost was about $22 and that’s just because I got a nice upper hose. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > Sovande 09/21/2020 at 12:01

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Man that is really cheap to work on. Sounds like fun though for the most part. I suppose once you get the right plug wire length and orientation it will be even more reliable. What is happening to #8? Just plug fouling out?

Ooof, yeah more modern and complex that car the more seeming ly unnecessary the expenses . 

Sovande > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/21/2020 at 12:21

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It gets fouled with oil. I am not sure what the root cause is, but the car doesn’t need oil added duri ng an oil change interval, so it can’t be too bad.  It’s a fun car, and doubly so with fuel injection.  The fact that it is cheap and easy to work on is certainly a bonus.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Sovande 09/21/2020 at 12:55

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Hmm, maybe a bad valve seal or ring, but if it isn’t hurting anything other that a cheap plug and you don’t notice oil loss then it is hard to argue it is worth hunting down. 

Sovande > CaptDale - is secretly British 09/21/2020 at 13:14

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Yeah, it’s been hard to make it a priority as the total yearly expenditure is like $4.  I need to drive it a lot more, which I am hoping to do now that it’s no longer 90 degrees.