Help!!! Evo lagging/stuttering at WOT

[SJCoruja]

I am hoping someone can help me out with a list of possible things I could have done to cause this. Here is the scenario: I installed the Magnecor wires we got today and drove them home with absolutely no problem (so basically I don't think it could be something I did wrong wtih the wires, but figured I would throw down all the steps). I did a couple WOT pulls just to check out the new wires and then headed home. Later in the afternoon I decided to clean up the engine a bit, so basically just spot cleaned around the engine, intake, and hood. After it was all clean, ran to the store to get some groceries and on the way there got on it and BAM...the car starts to stutter/bog down. It still runs, but you can totally feel the loss of power and there is a "muffling" sound or something. If anyone has ANY idea what I might have done to cause this or what could be wrong, please let me know. If anyone is local to SJ and I could swing by for them to check it out that would be even better. Give me a call at 408/835-8005 as I am going to go out and see if I can figure it out. Thanks in advance for the help!

Matt

[V8KiLL3R]

did you wet the engine bay? if you did you probably wet the distributor cap and had a condensation inside that can cause that.

[Whooopasss]

is this an evo? no distribution caps on an evo.. remove your magnacore and replace it with the stock unit.. try that..

[SJCoruja]

did you wet the engine bay? if you did you probably wet the distributor cap and had a condensation inside that can cause that.

Hmmm...I didn't spray it down with water or anything, just used a towel and 409 to wipe up a lot of the dirt/grease. I guess I could have been too spirited with the bottle and gotten some on/near there. I guess if that is it the only solution is time. I am going to try pulling the wires just to be sure it isn't them for some reason also.

Oh...what does boost cut feel like? I guess if I had to describe what is happening that sounds like it could be it...the car runs fine unless I am WOT after about 5k rpms...then it still runs but it feels like it is really dragging and there is a sputtering sound.

[Whooopasss]

ahh check your interooler hose for leaks.. the sputtering sound , sounds like a intercooler hose loose.. sounds like a vaccume hose might be off.

[SJCoruja]

AAARRRGGGHH...well, I've got good news, bad news, and good news. The good news is I got it fixed and it is back to its normal self. The bad news is all I did was pull the new Magnecor wires and put my old stock ones back on. The good news is I have a very, very lightly used set of Magnecor ignition wires for sale...hahaha :)

Seriously though, is it possible that I just got a bad set or that my car doesn't "like" the new wires for some reason? It seems really odd to me. I even double-checked by re-installing the Magnecors (in case they were just loose or something) and the problem came right back. I assume I can just return them to Buschur for an exchange, but I almost would rather have someone else try them really quick to see if they can re-create it. If it is something unique to my car, or my set of mods, or something I would rather know before getting another set sent. Is anyone available for some testing? Either let me install their wires really quick on mine to see if it works out ok, or try mine in their car to see if they have the same problem? Let me know please. Thank you!

[brwnrice]

matt, check and retighten the plug wires.

[SouthernCrane]

There was a thread on EvoM I saw recently and someone had said that they had problems with the Magnecor wires :? I think they were using the 8mm not the 8.5's though. The people with the 8.5's did not have much bad to say i think, except for fitment issues..

http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=125648&page=1&pp=15&highlight=magnecor

[evo_dadi]

dayum :shock: i knew it matt something was about to happen?? how about changing the plugs also?

[SJCoruja]

OK - update time. I let the car cool down and took a break from it for a bit. Re-installed the wires one at a time to see if I could narrow it down. It appears to be the longer of the 2 where it goes on to the coil pack. As I put it on, it actually pushes back out a bit after I put it on. I finally ended up really mashing/twisting it on and then using a bit of good old electrical tape to assist securing it. Seems to be fine now, and as long as it doesn't happen again I don't think I need to exchange them necessarily. The wires do seem to be made really well and, other than the fitment issue, seem to be worth the cash. As Tam said I don't know that my butt dyno really notices huge gains, but the mental dyno says it feels like smoother idle and power delivery throughout the band. :) I'll keep you all updated if anything more happens, and thanks again to all for the help!

[twEeker]

Didn't Marcel say this morning that he'd be looking for this post tonight? That was just dead on.

[jbigelow]

i had the same problem bro.

i installed the wires with tyler at WORKS and drove home to sacramento.

in vallejo, i was WOT and the issues you had were there. it felt like the car was misfiring.

anyways, i stopped at vacaville to go to the outlets (also to check my front bumoer and hood after the slight accident). anyways, i took off my spark plug cover and found that the connector to the spark (the longer of the 2 wires) came off and was barely touching. i then pushed the end tight making sure no air pocket was there by taking a flat head screwdriver and leaving a gap for air to escape while pushing tight. PROBLEM SOLVED.

[evo_dadi]

Didn't Marcel say this morning that he'd be looking for this post tonight? That was just dead on.

lol didnt mean to jinx it :oops: :lol: but jbigs tip sounds good to try out.

[vtluu]

Interesting; no problems with my car so far; haven't pushed it all that hard (some "spirited" cornering and fast corner exits) but I'll keep an eye out for any problems... Did the ECU throw a CEL when you had your problem?

[jbigelow]

Interesting; no problems with my car so far; haven't pushed it all that hard (some "spirited" cornering and fast corner exits) but I'll keep an eye out for any problems... Did the ECU throw a CEL when you had your problem?

no cell when i had the problem.

[SJCoruja]

took off my spark plug cover and found that the connector to the spark (the longer of the 2 wires) came off and was barely touching. i then pushed the end tight making sure no air pocket was there by taking a flat head screwdriver and leaving a gap for air to escape while pushing tight. PROBLEM SOLVED.

Thanks for the call amigo...sorry I didn't get your message until now, but I really appreciate you following up. Sounds like we did have the exact same issue, and I will try the flathead trick tomorrow to see if I can get a better seal. Thanks again, and thanks to everyone for the advice/best wishes! :)

Oh yeah Tam - No CEL when mine happened either.

[vtluu]

Did a bunch of 3rd and 4th gear full-boost and redline pulls on the freeway this morning, no problems at all.

For now I'm keeping a 10mm socket wrench in the glovebox just in case... ;)

[evo_dadi]

well i instaled mine today with some other goodies that ive been putting aside ;) inital reaction after the install was very intriguing,right when i started the ignition it fired up pretty quick :shock: just one click htne its rumbling :twisted: drove around and i didn get any stuttering or anything wrong with it(crosses fingers :oops: ) so far everything is going pretty good but like what tam did my stock wires and toolbox are staying in my trunk for now 8)

[carbonevo8]

i installed my wires last week and no problems what so ever. i instantly noticed a smoother idle and it seems to run better at the top end basicly a smoother rpm band. thanks again eddy for the groupbuy and doing all the leg work for us guys. :D

[evo_dadi]

talk about idle,i tried to re-adjust my idle but i forgot if i turn the adjustment clockwise or counter :shock: i did a full counter clockwise to try it out but the idle didnt seem to change.i know there was a thread about this before but i couldnt find even by searching :cry:

[warpspeed]

Your problem is there is a air pocket when you install it to the coil pack. Jbigs had the same problem and I told him to make sure to get all the air out of there or it will not seal right. I had the same situation with my RalliArt wires and you have to stick a very small phillips or flat head as you slide it in the coil pack. If you still have the problem, get an ammeter and check the wires for shorts but most likely is air pocket.

[vtluu]

Your problem is there is a air pocket when you install it to the coil pack. Jbigs had the same problem and I told him to make sure to get all the air out of there or it will not seal right. I had the same situation with my RalliArt wires and you have to stick a very small phillips or flat head as you slide it in the coil pack. If you still have the problem, get an ammeter and check the wires for shorts but most likely is air pocket.
I was wondering what you meant, because the top rubber cover that goes over the sparkplug seems loose enough even with the wire full stuck on the plug, that I don't think any air could get trapped there. So you mean the other end? I did notice it requires some effort to plug in (and a fair bit of tugging to pull the stock one off), partly because of trapped air. I just kept pushing in on it until I felt the connector lodge solidly. I've actually been more worried about the wire coming loose off the top of the sparkplug.

[vtluu]

A couple photos (sorry, I left my good camera (with the macro mode) at the office); first, a comparison of how the stock and Magnecor wires seat on the sparkplugs:

http://imagenode.com/image?i=264

You can see the stock one goes a bit down further over the plug so it's a bit more secure, though both feel fairly well attached.

The other end (again, apologies for the poor photo quality):

http://imagenode.com/image?i=265

The connector tip is basically a hollow cylinder, tapered to a cone at the tip, cut down the middle and spread open a bit leaving a "gap" (highlighted in green). When you press the connector in, you compress the tip to create a tight fit--notice the stock connector has been compressed--leaving small gap compared to the "virgin" connector on the Magnecor. That's why I just kept pressing on it until I basically felt it stop against something solid.