After reading the many words of encouragement offered,
I ran right home after classes and bought a new rotor, a new
cap, dug out a condensor I had in my glovebox.

I was hoping not to have to yank out that one thing to put on
a new other thing, but I had to to hook up that green wire
and that one black wire going to that shiny thing.

So I got my distributor out, and started tearing it apart.  This
was something that had managed to escape my tools the previous 
couple of times I had been working on things.  I soaked all the moving
parts in bicycle chain lube until all the black icky crap was all gone,
wiped off the excess, and threw it back together.

It was totally amazing how much better it idled.  Apparently a sticky
breaker plate is very bad? ;)

The only other bad part was my Fuel Rehection still is goofy
BUT I was trying to unplug my dual relay, and I hear this wierd noise..
turned out somehow my fuel pump was turning on and off just from wiggling
the plug.

I think I _finally_ may have a handle on this thing, and can resume
a normal life where I turn a key and the engine starts without have
to run jumper wires and wiggle and shake crap to get it to work.

Anyone ever built a dual relay from discrete components?
Ever found one for very cheap? Or a wiring harness?

Oh, someone asked about an idle stabilizer.  I don't think
there is one?  I think the bypass screw is the only thing
you get to fiddle with on the older ones, which I think is good.

Sorry for the length.  Its a bit like when you were learning to tie
your shoes..on days where you could do it, you felt pretty damn cool.
when you couldn't, you felt like a fool. thank god for velcro...

>att