Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1980 Dodge Mirada with a 318 cubic inch engine. It has a wandering miss during idle, with or without accessories on. The cap and rotor were changed recently. I am getting spark from the plug wires on both ends. I tried changing the timing to stop the wandering miss, but had no luck. Do you have any ideas? Gary

Ray: Is this a Dodge Carmen Mirada, Gary? The one with all the bananas and the strawberries on the roof?

Tom: Actually, if you've checked your spark, and it's OK, it's likely that the wandering miss is being caused by your carburetor. If the carburetor is misadjusted, and fuel/air mixture is too lean, not enough fuel would be getting to the cylinders. So every once in a while, one of the cylinders wouldn't have enough fuel to fire. Because it's caused by a mixture that's too lean, we call that a lean wandering miss.

Ray: My brother and I are both married, but our Producer, Doug Berman, is often seen looking out the window of our office, trying to find a lean, wandering miss.

Tom: Anyway, Gary, you should start by having a professional check out the carburetor. If it's adjusted and functioning properly, get someone to put the car on a scope. There may be something you missed in the electrical system--like a bad wire or a weak coil--and the scope will help you find it. Good luck.

Changing your oil is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your car, but how often should you change it? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It! To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1992 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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