Electrical Engine making clicking sound. Spark plugs?

[Gungho]

My exhaust sound changed and I don’t have enough power. There is a clicking sound like you hear when trying to ignite a grill with the spark thing. It’s a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l engine with HEI distributor. I have cheap spark plug wires. Could this be the issue!

 

[jzak]

I would turn all the lights off in the garage tonight, then start it, and see if something is arcing.

 

[TSB8C]

Common issue with any distributor still using a rotor and cap is that the contacts in the cap and/or the tip of the rotor can become corroded from age and arcing if they have not been cleaned or replaced in some time. Certainly what "jzak" said to look for any arcing in a dark garage. That would locate small cracks/leaks in spark wire wires. Any issue with corroded contacts under the cap won't be seen however. So if nothing shows up with the "running in the dark" test, pop off the cap and examine the contacts in the underside and also the rotor itself. A small nail file or other tool to clean/polish those contacts should help if they aren't worn down too much.