Post-tune up and its running worse than before

I finally got around to giving my Formula a tune up. I don't fuckin' get it, I put in new plugs, new wires, cap and rotor, 02 senso, and the thing is running worse than it was before. The plugs that came out of it were some of the worst looking plugs I have seen, they had deposit so bad that I can't see how some of them were even firing. The manual suggested that the engine was using oil and to replace the valve seals. A procedure that I was well aware of how to do on a Chevy, as I have done it two or three times before. That however is not my current cause of my troubles. I suppose first thing is first, I'm gonna pull all the plugs back out and regap them. The manual calls for a .035 gap, I left them all at the .045 gap they came with. It wasn't until later that I looked up the factory spec. I highly doubt that is the cause though, especially considering I have an aftermarket MSD coil that puts out more spark than stock, which often has you set the plugs at a wider gap in turn. I am slightly skeptical of the 02 sensor, as it was slightly longer on the external end of the sensor. I looked online and verified however that it was the correct sensor that was called for. I suppose I will first throw my timing light on it to verify the distributor did not get turned in the process and my timing is off.

If all that checks out, I may simply regap the plugs and try putting my old wires back on. Even though they had been on for 35,000 miles, they still look like new and are of high quality Taylor 8 mm wires. I've had spark plug wires in the past be the cause of such problems, though since these are brand new wires I find it hard to believe they are the cause, but who knows. I've bought parts before only to find out later they were junk to begin with.

I also think its time to recheck the fuel pressure to ensure that my regulator hasn't gone south on me. I suppose the next item of concern would be new fuel injectors. Since this car spent much of its first 16 years mostly sitting, there is no telling what may have got gummed up and be causing problems now. Car Craft magazine is currently doing a build up of a Pontiac Formula. They had a whole list of trouble shooting items where upon they spent a lot of coin before they got the car running and idling smoothly. Lets hope I can have slighly more success, as I've already dropped probably $600 or so into the trouble shooting. Even after replacing the only item that tripped a trouble code it still didn't smooth out.