Ha! I mean, aw. You have my problem! Runs fine with SPOUT unplugged! Symptomatically it sounds like you're right where I was at the worst point.
Lift up the distributor cap and take a look at the contacts. You can see where the spark hits the contacts as the rotor spins, there's a discolouration/breakdown of the metal at the spot where the spark jumps. If that spot is right on the end of the contact rather than partway up it, try to find a new cap that has longer contacts. The new one I used was an Accel cap I just happened to have on hand. I do not know if this helped or not with mine, but it's one thing I did change in the last phase before it started running properly.
Ignition coil. That, and the coil wire to the distributor cap, are the two other things I changed in the last step before it worked properly.
Coolant temp sensor may be suspect. Invest in a pack of vacuum caps. Then cap off everything except the brake booster and MAP sensor. Check if issues persist.
I never did figure out 'logically' why my car worked properly-ish with SPOUT unhooked. That suggests the computer is adjusting the timing way out of whack because of an input it doesn't like. Yet my problem finally vanished with the coil, cap, and coil wire. Should have had no relation at all to computed timing.
Lift up the distributor cap and take a look at the contacts. You can see where the spark hits the contacts as the rotor spins, there's a discolouration/breakdown of the metal at the spot where the spark jumps. If that spot is right on the end of the contact rather than partway up it, try to find a new cap that has longer contacts. The new one I used was an Accel cap I just happened to have on hand. I do not know if this helped or not with mine, but it's one thing I did change in the last phase before it started running properly.
Ignition coil. That, and the coil wire to the distributor cap, are the two other things I changed in the last step before it worked properly.
Coolant temp sensor may be suspect. Invest in a pack of vacuum caps. Then cap off everything except the brake booster and MAP sensor. Check if issues persist.
I never did figure out 'logically' why my car worked properly-ish with SPOUT unhooked. That suggests the computer is adjusting the timing way out of whack because of an input it doesn't like. Yet my problem finally vanished with the coil, cap, and coil wire. Should have had no relation at all to computed timing.
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