Due to some trouble with "hesitation, bogging down and stalling" that
receintly croppped up in my 83.5 Westy I was in the process of doing a
timing check as part of the process to track the trouble down. When I
grabbed the distrubutor cap to make an adjustment my hand touched the #3
plug wire and I received a pretty good electric shock. Surprised by the
shock I did some light touching of the other wires. All was fine with those
others but when I again touched #3 POW! shocked again. It was obvious that
something was going on with that #3 wire that wasent going on with the other
three.
        I should mention that the engine was still a little wet from a hosing I
gave it after a "Simple Green" degrease but the engine had been run for
about 10 minutes since the hoseing and was at operating temp. since the
shocks came ONLY through the top of the #3 wire I discount the wet as the
cause. Being unable to think of another cause the only thing remaining is
that the wire itself is faulty. These are Bosch plug wires so replacement is
$60. Before I spend that much I thought I would ask if there was another
(cheaper) possible cause for this other than a bad #3 plug wire.
        Could something like this also be the cause of the "hesitation, bogging
down and stalling"?
        Any ideas appreciated.