Hey guys I've just recently bought a 96 a4 z28 and it ran fine but a few days ago but then the ses light started flashing it was on when I got it but now it was flashing and the engine ran real rough and kind of shook the whole car. I did some research on here and it turns out my #8 cylinder spark plug wire some how was cut in two.

I had an opti spark I ordered awhile back and put it on after replacing the plug and it runs like ****, would barely idle and would stall unless I gave it gas and it still sounds bad even worse then when the plug wire was severed. You think it's just a knock off opti??

 

How much did the ebay Opti cost..... you can pretty much predict the probability of failure based on how low the price is?

When you installed the ebay Opti, did you loc-tite the rotor screws? Are you sure you got all the plug wires back in the correct positions on the Opti? Are you sure you indexed the Opti correctly to the cam dowel pin? If you miss the hole it will shift off the correct alignment.

Courtesy of Shoebox:

http://shbox.com/1/opti_back.jpg

 

Made sure I put the opti on right no lock tite. And it was pretty cheap like 150 or something. I hooked up the coolant temp sensor and it will idle now but runs real rough and sometimes stalls out. It seems like it's missing in between 1000 to 2000 Rpms but it drives now

 

Is there a way to post videos on here? I have a video of the idle

 

Put is on youtube and include the link in your post.

 

 

Link requires that we "sign in" to view it.

 

Okay you can view it now. I had a vacuum leak at the iac so I swapped throttle bodies now it won't even idle

 

What are the mods on the engine? Sounds like open exhaust? If so, that can cause problems with idle. Really need to add a signature, or provide the info up front in your first post.

At any point have you scanned it for codes?

I would also check fuel pressure. The extended start time may be due to rapid pressure bleed down, after the pump primes.

Where was the vacuum leak at the IAC.... bottom plate? Hard to picture.

 

The car is all stock aside from the cut out and the iac was broken where the connecter goes into. I replaced it with the one from my old car and it won't even idle now

And I have no scanner so no I haven't

 

Did you reset the IAC position after the TB swap?

Reset the IAC Position

Near the bottom of the page.

 

I'll try that tomorrow because I'm at work right now. Do you guys think it could possibly be crossed wires

 

Crossed plug wires always a possibility in cases like this. I would expect that it would show misfire codes for at least two cylinder though. Auto parts stores can scan it for codes. Scanners are dirt cheap.

 

I'm going to buy a scanner on pay day and let you guys know. Until then, soon as the sun comes up I'll be checking the plug wires to see if their crossed. I'm thinking it has to be that or the opti just sucks considering it started and ran fine before hand. Lol it was better when the #8 spark plug Was melted

I really hope this brand new opti spark isn't junk

 

Did you ever reset the IAC? You must.