95 Beretta 6cyl- intermit rough idle/run/stall

[Ctimbers]

so yesterday it was running really rough.. didn't trust it to get to the store, and more so, wasn't sure it would start again after putting it back together.. so i bribed neighbor to drive me out today.. BUT ( ) i had just picked up a cheap little 38-pc socket set to make sure had the right size to get it out.. and NONE are right..

the screws on the coils are bigger than 1/4", smaller than 5/16".... and bigger than 4mm, smaller than 5mm... i'm told there aren't any sizes in between, but that doesn't make sense? (maybe they just dont carry them?)

What size do i need PLEASE??

[Money pit Beretta]

Thanks, mine were kind of loose. A 5.5mm or 7/32 will work, they are both about the same for once. Most of the time one is bigger or smaller than the other(metric vs standard). Watch out for cheap sets, the are not always the size they say that they are. I have Craftsman, but I'm not going to say that it's the best. My bolts are much smaller than 1/4. I also have a 95, so that seems strange. Watch out, don't over tighten them. The bolts that hold the plate under the ICM are 10mm in front and 13mm deepwell in the rear.

[Ctimbers]

is the 7/32 the size you used?

and i posted wrong, sorry..

it was in between 3/16 and 1/4... (is that 7/32)? if so, need to get a new socket, this set doesn't have it..

thanks...

[Ctimbers]

Update:

picked up the extra sockets (they didn't have just the one, OF COURSE, but was nice enough to gimme an extra break on another little clearance set).. anyway..

the new 7/32 from the set seems to fit.. Thank You very kindly... [whew!]

next time i can bribe a ride out there is monday, so gonna see if i can get it off tommor, and put it back and see if it starts.. if practice goes good, then maybe i wont have to wait til monday, might try again getting it there.. will see, one step at a time..

i have the 7/32 now, have the 10mm and the 12, and i think the 13 too... and i only need to remove the negative lead, it is safe to leave the positive attached to the battery... am i missing anything please? besides my mind

Thanks very much..

[6r8ph1X]

sounds like your set to go, i don't believe there's anything else your missing.

[Money pit Beretta]

It would be a safe thing to do(taking off the negative). That is good enough. I don't know why I was talking about the plate under the ICM(thinking about the older cars I guess), you can just leave it there, but do clean off any grease or oil if there is any. Did you put tape with numbers on the plug wires so that you know where they go when everything is put back?

[Ctimbers]

not yet with the tape and numbers.. i just tried the socket to see if it would catch, haven't removed yet... funny you mentioned.. first time ever i tried a tune up was on an old escort (i hate ford btw).. anyway, took everything off at once, no markings.. replaced the distrib cap and rotor, plugs, wires, but didn't know they had to go on in a certain order.. caught it before i turned it over... got a chilton pic, but it showed the pic askew from what i saw in the engine, like a diamond compared to a square.. but i read through the firing order details and noted clockwise rotation to figure out cylinder #1,.. got it on the first try.. yesss

but that was then...

think i'd better remember labeling this time though.. thanks for the reminder.. should make things SO much easier.. not that I would ever forget something like that... not me... nah... never...

thanks..

[Money pit Beretta]

Your welcome. I know it was very basic, but I just wanted to be sure. It a little harder now(no distributor). I'm sure you could do it, but labels make the work go faster. It's not that hard the order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Well, if your going to keep the car a Chilton's could help. By the way they got bought out by Haynes, so they are not as good as they were.

[Ctimbers]

it's the plugs in the back when i get to those that are gonna really kill me... first things first...
but the buy out might explain why the last time i looked at a chilton in recent times, it was much less helpful, and looked like the same exact info as haynes... bummer... the way they used to do it back in the 80's or 90's i think, was pretty good then, i thought.. had perfect walk throughs for that Foul Old Rust Dog (ford) escort back then.. ah, well...

i'm just gonna cry now in preparation for tomorrow.. maybe if i get it out of my system now, i'll be left with only good karma and maybe just have one good day with this for once... so


thanks....

[Money pit Beretta]

Yeah, the back ones are a pain. The more you do it the more easy it is. Be sure to use some antiseize on the plug threads. You don't want to pull the threads out of the heads the next time you do the plugs. Hang in there, it will be over soon.

[Ctimbers]

Ok.. here's where I'm at.. let me know if anything needs to change or if I'm missing anything please..

oil was changed less than 1k ago, so that's not on the list...

finally got those parts tested today.. the ICM tested ok, and he metered the coils and said they are fine too...

i have a can of degreaser (don't know if you can tell, but on the front, there is a lot of old spillage around the wires and the engine ground and all, kinda messy).. when it cools off, will cover the altenator with plastic bag and from the top, spray the front where it's all messy and oily.. wait about 5 mins, then hose it off... wait about an hour, then start it so the heat will finish drying it.. (Question: should i spray the rear too since that steering fluid sprayed around? there's more wiring back there, so i dunno, but maybe that's a reason to do it, or a reason not to)

tomorrow, when it's all dry and cool... first, just pull the negative off the battery...

the parts i have to change (are these brands good enough?):
Bosch platinum +4 plugs (big notes say DO NOT GAP).. will start with the rear ones, this sounds and looks like the biggest challenge.. pull off the coils, icm and plate under it for easier access.. Question: I have a small wrench that is only about the length of my hand tip to just below the wrist (or a regular pair of scissors) and a small extension that is about half that size, plus a short little rolly swivel joint for the end.. will that give me enough torque to get the plug out? and in properly? i'm not exactly that strong...

packet of anti-seize to put just a little on the threads of the plugs when putting new ones in...

Dielectric grease, will put on the the terminals where the plugs attach..

Prostart Wires - gee, wonder where these will go... kidding.. and hopefully, i will remember to mark them, thank you...

I have a can of carb cleaner... pull the EGR again.. spray in there.. try to get in those other hoses too...

Purolator PCV valve... pull out the old, push in the new.. don't remember there being anything else to it??

Purolator Air Filter.. again, out with the old, in with the new.. couple of screws...

Tools:
7/32 socket for the coils
10mm or 12mm or 13 mm for the plate underneath
spark plug socket
small wrench, small extension, with rolly swivel thing on end (see note above, will this be enough torque please?)
philips screwdriver (for air filter)
The degreaser, carb cleaner, and dielectric grease
rags
lots and lots and of aspirin - lol

Did I miss anything please? Any further suggestions for the rear plugs?

Oh, yeah.. almost forgot.. last but not least.. make sure it's all tight and back together, see if it will start...


Last thing, i'm gonna now say all the things that might go wrong in the hope that it will get the bad karma out of the way, and leave just good karma for tomorrow - and maybe leave y'all with a little chuckle too... so here they are: it will pour all day even though it's supposed to be sunny.. the sockets will suddenly miraculously not fit.. i will sit on the tube of grease... will forget to unplug the battery and get bad shock.. won't get out the old plugs (this might really happen, watch, the last person who did them will NOT have put on any anti-seize and they will be frozen and break off, i'll bet this actually happens).. i will drop something down the spark plug holes into the engine... my hand will slip, break a knuckle, and a few hoses and wires too.. i'll forget to mark the wires and put it back together wrong... a tire will go flat and the car will fall on my foot.. i'll have a senility moment and try to force the coils into the spark plug holes and put the plugs where the coils go

ok.. now that is out of my system, we'll see how it really goes...

Thanks very much...

[Money pit Beretta]

Too much info! Where to start? Ok, it's best to use AC pulgs. Others end up making problems later. Also the wires should have the lowest ohms possible. I shoud have said that a long time ago. Dielectric grease on both ends of the wires. Yeah, you will need a universal and at least two extensions to get to the rear plugs. You do have almost everything off, so you can take the plate that holds the ICM off(along with the purge valve that's sitting on the studs) to get more room to work. Just remember to start the plugs by hand(sorry, basic stuff again). SO, are the valve covers leaking oil? Oh, and the pulgs are at an angle, so watch out. You got it right on the PCV. Don't forget to clean out the IAC port and the IAC.

[Ctimbers]

off topic for one sec. .. i tried to send a pm, but it's stayin in my outbox, wont move to "sent".. any idea why?

[Money pit Beretta]

Can you edit it and resend?

[Ctimbers]

i tried to edit and resubmit.. it's still in the outbox folder, not the sent folder...

oh, as a note, i used the degreaser and hosed down the front of the engine.. letting it dry out overnight...