So I've had this car for about a year.

One of the first things I did was to change the plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. No problem. Car's been running great since then. The other day it started running rough. Okay. So I pop the hood and the number four plug wire had fallen off.. taking the little cap on top of the spark plug with it (!). Not a huge deal, it's been driving fine since. But the #2 plug was quite loose. So I removed it and re-installed it. Sure felt snugger.

Boy oh boy. As I turned off the highway, I felt the same car running like shit.. sounding and smelling like a #@! lawnmower. So I popped the hood and expected one of the wires to be off. To my suprise the #2 plug had shot out of the cylinder head taking the wire's boot with it. Now I need *two* wires and two plugs. Grr.

But before I order the plugs and wires, what should I do differently?

Do I need to torque the plugs down more (they lasted a year like this so why are they acting up NOW?).. ? Should I be worried about a stripped thread in the cylinder head? Order one of those fix it kits from IPD and try that out? I'm worried that there's not enough clearance with the heat shield to do anything with much accuracy. Take the car to a shop and have them remove the head and check it out? Argh.

She's really trying my patience this week. Wailing fuel pump, wipers with a mind of their own, and now this. Really.. I fix one thing, and something completely unrelated breaks. Argh...

On the plus side, there's a nearly identical 84 240 Turbo (silver on black, sedan) with an auto that I hope to make mine. Backup and parts car. Whee.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo | ~145.5k miles