Thread: Fixing a dead miss on light load

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  1. #1 Fixing a dead miss on light load 
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    My Grand Prix has a very noticeable miss, jerk under lite load at 2000 RPM in any gear (manual trans) It feels like plug wires arching. The wires are not neatly routed from the coil pack. Are these wires real touchy regarding proper routing and proper retainers? And if it is wires, What do you recommend? brand?
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  2. #2 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
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    bump! 52 views, no idea?
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  3. #3 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    No SES light?

    Why not get new wires and plugs?? Perhaps they are just old and already need to be replaced.

    SMGPFC Member #1
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  4. #4 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
    GrandPrix Junkie idrivejunk's Avatar
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    I'm curious what year GP, must be 89-96. Stumbling in cruise mode is usually a vacuum leak or weak ignition, in that order and generally speaking. Try neatly routing the plug wires to see if the trouble goes away and maybe you can answer your own question.
    All Grand Prix, all the time. 69 Model J, 99 GT & GTP coupes. All junk, haha.
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  5. #5 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
    Donating Users RareGMFan's Avatar
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    If it was factory equipped with a getrag 5-speed, it would have to be a '93 or older. They took that option away from the w-bodies with the interior redesigns in '94.

    As idrivejunk said, a miss under any kind of load is usually either a vacuum leak, or ignition issue. I don't think routing is a factor so long as the right wires/plugs are connected to the right coil pack terminals. If they haven't been done in a while, I'd change out the plugs and wires regardless. If it persists, I know they're a pain in the ass to get to, but I'd pull out the coils and look at them. When I first got my 2-door TGP, it would miss BAD and had 0 power if I went more than 1/4 throttle on it. Drove it like that for a while, and then during one of the local w-body meets, one of the members just happened to look at and noticed that all 3 coil cases were split open like nothing I'd ever seen before. Switched those and the ICM out with new GM take-offs I had picked up on eBay for pretty cheap, and no more problems.
    PREVIOUS: '89 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD (2/1376), '90 Pontiac GP SE McLaren Turbo (1/2749)
    '90 Pontiac Grand Prix STE McLaren Turbo (1/1000), '01 Pontiac GP GTP Special Edition (1/1341)
    CURRENT: '00 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP (ugh...boring regular one)
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  6. #6 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
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    Thanks! Its a 1991 with a 5 speed stick, sorry! As an aid in diagnosis, I found a Lumina at the local Pick n Pull with the plug wires laying on the engine. I got the front three and swapped them out in the parking lot. It now runs great but I did order and got new wires, hopefully replaced today or Tuesday. I also got the retainers that hold the wires so I can route and hold them away from the exhaust and fans. Anyone have a recommendation on plugs, I'm thinking A/C Delco rapid fires.
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  7. #7 Re: Fixing a dead miss on light load 
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    Good to hear it was a simple fix! Plain old AC Delcos (no Rapidfires needed) or NGKs are more than sufficient. You are not going to gain even .5hp from the plugs, so no reason to splurge on them. Just OEM replacements with decent quality to them.
    PREVIOUS: '89 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD (2/1376), '90 Pontiac GP SE McLaren Turbo (1/2749)
    '90 Pontiac Grand Prix STE McLaren Turbo (1/1000), '01 Pontiac GP GTP Special Edition (1/1341)
    CURRENT: '00 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP (ugh...boring regular one)
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