love/hate slant - test lite good

friday took the van out ( the 66) - wanted to finish a favor for an in law and stop at pull a part - maybe a 45 mile round trip and have to go the westbank ( those of us on the east bank of the miss river prefer to stay on the east bank) - on the freeway in the city part of new orleans van cuts out - comes on again with a back fire - repeats - have to pull over - manage to finally get off the 10 but stranded in the heart of treme ( if you have seen any of the hbo series you have seen some of the neighborhoods) - by no means am i a great mechanic - but my logical reasoning tells me that cuts out then backfire when comes on is an ignition problem because it still had fuel which was being sucked in then when it fired again caused backfire - now here's the part i hate about the slant - any time you need to address an ignition issue you have to pull the passenger seat and side doghouse cover @#$ - i happened to have some basic tools with me - but no test lite -#$%%& - i am now on a side street parked in shade at least - starts again - wiggle wires, tap coil, dist, to see if connection problems - no effect - try to drive - stalls - get spare spark plug out and test no fire - i replaced points capacitor couple years ago ( had shorted) - so my next best guess is coil - walk 8 blocks 2 autozone - return and install - starts then stalls then starts and keeps running - staying on streets i make it to warehouse where i work - clean up - thinking i have it fixed i head home on the freeway where problem happens again - $#%#^ - get off and stay on streets with side doghouse cover off pouring hot air into van - make it home - drink a beer - get the test lite out - van not running again - sure enough no power at coil - but power at ballast resistor - inspect wire - should have known - there is a splice someone put in that has come loose - replace wire - repeat trip successfully on saturday - score a rear seat from a 97 aerostar ( folds back or forward) - some visors and a horn from a jeep for the 69 - the cashier let me slide and did not charge me extra for the seat belts for the seat - it is such a pleasure driving that van - will be a little sad when it goes - but i dont let myself be to sentimental about things like that - oo3