flashing chk engine light - stuttering idle/engine response

[TomET]

Well I just barely made it up the hill to my house.. -- the motor has been running flawless ever since I got it. The chk-engine light has been on for years but never flashed. Today I was driving at around 40mph when the car started to feel like I was driving over some minor washboard-sorta pavement. I switched lanes and it was still there. I accelerated a bit and it went away but I could tell the power was lacking. Things got progressivly more pronounced in a period of about a mile and nearing my house (going up a hill) I thought it may not make it. - Just went outside again and checked the trans fluid (it's auto.) and it seemed a little high but nice and red. I checked the oil and that seemed fine as well. I started it up and the chk engine light was like it normally is (constantly on) but when I reved the engine from an idle in park it did the stuttering thing again.

Any ideas, folks? I hope someone can help me w/ this.. my Christmas is in jepordy of being ruined. :-(

'96 Mazda MX-6
4-cyl
automatic
60k miles

[TomET]

btw - the "fix" was changing out the plugs/wires/cap/rotor.. the car runs like a top at this point. (note: the chk-engine light, flashing or not, has disappeared.)