Gremlins in the engine

[The Deuce]

I have a problem that is random enough to be difficult to diagnose. I got the head rebuilt on my Escort this spring, and at the time they threw in a used MAF because the one I had was totally shot. It was a free part and given with the advice that, "When the car starts sputtering and dying, get yourself a new one, because this one isn't that much better than what you had.

So last week the car started running like crap (I know, it always does) and dying on me. So I threw in a new MAF yesterday and it appeared the car was going to be fine.

On the way into work this morning I'm sitting at a red light and I hear something funny, almost like a ticking, and the car dies. It feels like it’s missing, at low rpm, but will pull as well as that car can.

I'm going to stop on the way home and get plugs, wires and a new filter. There are no cap/rotor on this car, as it’s the 1.9 sohc. If this doesn't help I may just put a bullet in the darn thing, unless anybody’s got some advice. I think the head work maybe under warranty, but I would rather not send it back to the shop, if it’s something simple.