Plug wires

["Chris and Ranae Procyk" <procyk19@domain.elided>]

Initially my Jeep with the 91 TBI Chevy wouldn't run right.  When I first
got the engine some plug wires were missing.  I replaced them with generic
(but listed for that particular HEI) wires.  Never did run right, so I went
to the dealer and got the right ones.

It got "the lowest emissions I've ever seen" according to the mech when I
finally got it on the road and smogged.  Of course, it would fail visual
because of two cats.  Stupid, stupid.

But a few years later it had begun misfire some.  But it was only noticible
when sitting at idle- you'd hear popping from one pipe, not the other.
Seemed to run fine.  I'd replace spark plugs and it'd go away for a while.

Finally it failed emissions.  They put it on the 'scope and immediately
identified TWO (good ole GM quality) bad plug wires.

The increase in power, economy, and smoothness was amazing.

This whole little story is the major reason I strongly support as
sophisticated an emissions test (dyno loading at highway rpm) as possible -

1) I want the cost of something like dyno time to be amortized over a much
greater segment of the population than just us gearheads <g>.
2) I'm really not afraid of an emissions test- Like that 5%/1200PPM
standard.. any vehicle that can't meet that is either not really streetable
or isn't running for sh*t.

...and just as strongly disagree with the stupid, stupid, indefensible
visual test.

PS:  we now have visual, but since I've been going to the same guys forever
for inspection they let me slide.

PPS: you can argue over the streetable part, if you like.  I met a guy with
a former Florida pursuit 'Stang that runs mid-11's.  P'bly wouldn't pass
emissions, due to it's pretty recent model year.  We have a 5000 mile/yr
exemption, so he just takes that.  He could probably pass if he wanted to
drop down to like, 13's.  If he was 19 he'd drive it everyday, but as an
Adult he got tired of the firewall heat, the brutal clutch, and the mild
whiplash you get in trying to crawl in traffic.  So almost all of the time
he drives the Accord.