..good etc etc. I started digging into the distributor and found numerous metal shavings in the base. Come to find out the bearing gave out and the top of it had been peeled away. This let the upper assembly drop ever-so-slightly which scored the underside of the cam shaft position sensor "signal plate" (that silver dial you can easily see). Got a new distributor in and it's smooth as silk! I still need to properly set the timing by putting the PCM in the diagnostic mode and doing the timing light deal on it but I was at my wits end and was ready to have it towed to a mechanic 
Something to keep an eye on if doing a tune-up on these higher mileage vehicles!
