I'd start with the obvious........Change the plug wires, and make sure you
put on silicone boot grease on the top of the plugs. This *Really* helps to
feel the connecter slide on and you KNOW it is making good contact. I do the
same the on the distributor end.

IF no joy, I'd change out the distributor cap and rotor. If no joy, I'd get
most of the gas out and pour in 3 bottle of injector cleaner. Let it run for
a few minutes, then sit overnight. If it helps, then clean the injectors.

IF these tune-up tricks don't work, time to check out the smog system. EGR
valve stuck? Use a vacuum line and suck on it to see if it closes. MASS
sensor? O2 sensor? Temperature sensor......get a manual. IF still no joy,
time to check compresssion in each cylinder, timing gear lost a tooth, belt
(chain) slipped, etc?

MM^^

   I saw very similar symptoms last week.  Checked the fuel pressure
regulator and it was bad.  Started & ran like new after guessing at the
problem.  I was in the country at a shop that had only a hand scanner and
the mechanic admitted he'd tried all he knew--he just forgot to check the
reg.  Frankly, I had never worked on one of them before, but the symptoms
generally point to the same problem across makes of cars.  This was a Ford
Contour by the way.  Luck to you, s

ingition relay  in the pdc