OK long winded first post please bear with me.

Started back in September I had some dieing/not starting issues I ended up replacing the coil, cap, rotor, and finally ICM and that seemed to fix the issue. A few weeks later on a long road trip had some severe sputtering/lurching/choking out issues while driving which seemed to be a clogged cat. Turns out the cat was severely plugged and 3/4 of the way melted. Knocked everything out of it and continued to drive until I got a chance to replace it. Even though the cat was cleaned out I still had lurching/dieing issues occasionally.

Replaced the cat and clogged the second one within 2 weeks. I put the original hollowed out cat back on so I could get around and have continually had intermittent problems with the car lurching and dieing on acceleration and sometimes just not starting. Pulled a code P1399 and replaced the plug wires and so far it hasn't come back. The car still runs a bit rough and at higher rpms stutters and backfires. The other day it wouldn't start and I had no spark. After messing around with the distributer and unplugging it and replugging it back in it fired up???

Any ideas where I should be looking for this issue? The lurching is very intermittant like once every couple weeks but it is always running rough. I don't want to replace the cat/exhaust until I figure out what is causing them to burn out.

Thank you for your help (hopefully)
Joe

 

Maybe you should find out why the converter keeps clogging. Are you running rich? Any CELS when it starts lurching and sputtering?

 

1) Buy a new OEM distributor and set the ignition timing to spec.

2) Closely monitor for any CEL codes and whether the engine still runs rich.

3) Once all in (2) above is fine, buy a new cat and install it.

 

No extra CEL's besides the P420 for the cat. Threw one for the forward O2 sensor once but never again after I cleared it. I am assuming it's running rich and that's why the cat issue. It smells rich

I have been thinking distributer but didn't want to just throw $4-500 in a part at it hoping it would fix it. Guess I might have to bite the bullet.

It just sat and cranked at lunch for a good two or three times then fired up