1996 Geo Tracker P0300

[gorkyb]

I took it all down again to inspect proper timing (not jumped belt) and to inspect rubber on crank pulley, the rubber looks a little cracked but it doesn't seem to be completely separated from the center part. I was able to time it with the strobe light afterwards. Between all this I tried a spare distributor I have but the car lost power to the point where it could barely move, I figure timing was wrong so I tried several times and I was either too advanced or too retarded but never right on like the other distributor I had in there, is it possible the gear at the bottom of the distributor slipped? anyway, I put back the old one, made sure I inspected everything I could imagine, HV wires, spark plugs and their wells, wiring to TPS and distributor, all contacts under fender fuse box, injectors (connectors and clicking sound), sat there for 20 minutes from cold until it warmed up watching the scanner and all readings are within specs, o2 sensor is hunting and MAF is near .3v at idle at it goes up when depressing gas pedal. I felt very little or non misfire (I think is mostly in my mind now since no P0300 has come up pending or stored) P0420 came back as pending. P0400 came up as stored but I think it was because when checking for leaks in the induction I left the vacuum hose from the egr to the VSV unplugged by accident. Engine runs fine at idle and under load, closes loop shortly after starting the engine. Everything seems fine so far. I keep thinking the issue is electrical, a "spark" noise (very distinctive) can be heard when the misfire was happening before, I'll have to wait and see when it comes back (I hope it doesn't)

Does the way the HV wires are laid out make a difference? meaning crossing over or under another wire?, assuming the insulation is still good, otherwise it is obvious they'd short out.

I'd still like to make my spare distributor work, I just haven't had time to look into it. I'll plot the o2 sensor while driving and look for the signs.