Isuzu Rodeo 1994 Plug wire loose and moving...

I have a 1994 Isuzu Rodeo 5sp, V6, 161,000mi. The other day it started and began to run rough, with a compression leak sound. I popped the hood and noticed the driver's side plug wire, closest to the firewall was jumping up and down in the valve cover. It is the one that is hard to get to. I do not know much about these motors, I'm an old big block man, and tried to seat the sparkplug wire valve cover plug. That did not work. I started the motor and it was jumping up and down again. I tried to pop it out to see what was going on and was only able to bring it up a few inches out of the valve cover. The part had oil all over it. I guess that I need to replace the valve cover gaskets to fix that but what could be causing the other problem of the plugwire jumping up and down in the valve cover? Give me some suggestions? Do I need special tools? Help!

Sounds like you need valve cover gaskets and a new set of plug wires. If the plug wire is really jumping, maybe the plug is loose and allowing compression to escape, pushing the plug end up.

Bad O-ring seals at the bottom of the plug tower tubes will cause some oil leakage into the plug towers. No big deal for some oil in there. Due to the design of these cylinder heads (hemi style) the plugs are WAY down in there, so you need socket extensions to reach the plugs & the plug wires have huge boots on the plug end.
G/luck
Joel

Thanks, All, for the diagnosis. I will be buying a repair manual soon. Can you recommend one? (Hayes, Chilton, Other) that you have found best?

I also have another question. I have a loud noise, like when a pulley needs some grease, coming from the bottom of the motor. (making a “shhhh” sound constantly. Almost sounds like I have a diesel under the hood.) What is the best way to find where this is coming from?

I have rebuilt Chevy and Ford motors in the 70’s, built and raced a 70 Chevelle SS – Super Pro Eliminator, augh, augh, power! But have not done anything for at least 20 years now. Really rusty and not to keen on all the electronic stuff.

Thanks again,

Mike

I have been told by several people that if you buy a Haynes AND a Chilton, together they make one complete manual. The Chilton leaves out stuff that the Haynes has and vice versa.