strange hesitation/ bog?

[mechead11]

so, lately, my 1999 protege es seems like it may be misfiring (maybe?). I've done a little reading, and I guess it could be bad coil packs, or bad wires. but before I go spend too much money, I was wondering if anyone else had anything like this before. It threw a cel the other day, saying it was a misfire. but the light turned off.
basically, if I ease onto the accelerator, in any gear, its fine. but if I get on it a little too hard (and by a little too hard I mean like trying to keep up with the car next to me at a stop light.), it kinda lags back and feels like i threw it into 5th at like 20 mph. then it will usually buck a little, and I'll let off the gas and ease into it and it'll be okay. but its every shift. very frustrating. car needs suspension work, but I dont even want to start on that if I cant get the dang engine running right.

[mechead11]

nevermind.... it was just a bad spark plug wire. hahaha. I suck.

[Ronishaw]

Sounds like we own the same car ... I just did all the suspension work: ball joints, tie-rod ends, rear struts, one front strut and brakes all around. About 1500 CDN. Sway-bars were ok.

I have the same hestitation you speak off but only the first three gears. Mechanic checked all the wires and they are OK. I thought idle speed adjustment but that can't be done on this vehicle.

Apparently I need a new catalytic converter but at 500 CDN I said no. Could this be the issue - airflow?

[mechead11]

I dont know what the conversion factor to US would be.. hahaha, but thanks!
And the problem started happening again after I did the wires... and I decided to take out my ACdelco plugs, and put in some NGK.... and BAM! it was right back to normal. during the few weeks my car was being crappy I thought it could be either, the plugs, the wires, the coil packs, maybe a leak in the intake.... maybe even the clutch (which seemed shitty anyways. so I replaced that.) I was real worried about a leaky intake because I recently put in an AEM SRI.... and threw out the stock parts. but they were kinda broken anyways. there were soooo many things. I thought O2 Sensor originally.... did your car throw a CEL?

[mechead11]

its just over $1300 US, btw... hahaha, I had to look it up. a USD is only like 93% of a CDN

[ritalinpb]

Just wondering how living in Canada your sway bar links were good when you did the rear struts? I just got done doin the rear struts and it needed sway bar links so I just replaced them...cut em straight off...even if they were good there was NO WAY I was gettin the nut of the end of the sway bar....it was rusted SOLID...I live in MI RUST EVERYWHERE...I have to do the fronts and and the sway bar links are good but I cant get the nuts off and have to cut them and replace them to replace the front struts...and yea I just had the same problem with running bad and it was the plug wires. I started with the plugs and that wasnt the problem and then did the wires before the coil packs cause the guy that pulled the misfire code at advance auto said the wires go before the coils and the wires were $35 and coil pack was $200...OUCH! always start with the cheapest part and work your way up...thats always worked for me on cars, bikes, and other toys...