Ignition Coil Grounding Strap
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 617
Likes: 17
From: Hamilton Ontario
**UPDATE**Ignition Coil Grounding Strap
1986 Coupe L98 Stock...A.I.R. and EGR Deleted.... H.E.I. Distributor
My car is in the shop trying to figure out a sputtering.. extended sitting / cold start issue.
Mechanic called today and said he has figured it out. newer H.E.I. coil that was installed a few months ago is sparking in the cap. He says the metal grounding strap is missing?...i told him there was never one there even before we changed the coil.
The new coil same as the old coil has a black ground wire...but no secondary ground strap??
Is he correct???
I understood the major grounding for this takes place on the block near the oil filter.
Would like to hear your thoughts on this
Thanks
Ray
My car is in the shop trying to figure out a sputtering.. extended sitting / cold start issue.
Mechanic called today and said he has figured it out. newer H.E.I. coil that was installed a few months ago is sparking in the cap. He says the metal grounding strap is missing?...i told him there was never one there even before we changed the coil.
The new coil same as the old coil has a black ground wire...but no secondary ground strap??
Is he correct???
I understood the major grounding for this takes place on the block near the oil filter.
Would like to hear your thoughts on this
Thanks
Ray
Last edited by raiderz; Sep 13, 2012 at 01:10 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
did you attach it to one of the screws that hold the coil, if so , its grounded, if you're not grounding thru that , either you have the wrong coil, you need to clean the ground, or, you need the grounding thingy
hope this helps
hope this helps
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
usually the earlier one had the ground that was attached to a metal strap tat was bent so it fit thru the plug , and that got a plug from the harness that went to a ground. then they started grounding thru one of the front coil hold down screws, either way works
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 343
Likes: 9
From: Long Beach Ca,
The strap is a bent metal piece the runs from the coil mounting hole to the center rear terminal on the side of the cap. If you change the coil, you have to remove and replace the strap. There are 3 wires that plug into the side of the cap, brown, white and black. The grounding strap has a terminal that connects to the black wire.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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you should have one of these configurations - either a metal strap (that is the center pin, or tab of the connector), or a black wire attached to the center pin or tab. both the strap or wire tab connects to the outer ring of the coil plus the black wire of the coil, thus ground. the all metal , one piece ground strap replaces the ground wire on many model coils -
not sure if i'm making this clear or not. hope this helps...
not sure if i'm making this clear or not. hope this helps...
Last edited by Joe C; Aug 27, 2012 at 07:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 617
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From: Hamilton Ontario
This is the coil i have. It is identical to the coil i replaced.
Red / White with black ground wire that is securely connected to left hand front bolt hole in coil housing.
There was no other L or S Shaped steel grounding strap when i first did the swap.
Red / White with black ground wire that is securely connected to left hand front bolt hole in coil housing.
There was no other L or S Shaped steel grounding strap when i first did the swap.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 763
you still need a center pin (on the connector) attached to the outer ring of the coil. i have to agree with your mechanic - the strap, whether a wire or a solid metal piece is missing and needs to be there. now what impact a missing ground would have on the engines performance, i don't know - never ran across that senerio...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
you have the later version, and it doesnt work, may need to clean the metal areas. if you look at the plugs that connect to your dist, and you dont have a wire that would go to that strap, you dont need it.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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, although i'm not aware of a later version. best thing is to check how many wires are on the connector that plugs into the distributor - 2 or 3 - ???
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,290
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From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
....WW
Last edited by WW7; Aug 27, 2012 at 09:07 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 68
From: Providence RI
WW, just went through this, and that is exactly how I set mine up. Do you have the ground wire with the eyelet screwed into the same location that the strap is set up under the coil??? I am not sure If I have it under the same screw location as where I attached the ground wire.
EDIT:: WW just read your last post, and I am going to make sure the eyelet is connected to correct bolt...
FWIW...installed a new coil 2 yrs ago, and there was not a grounding strap (metal one, not the black wire with the eyelet connector), so I did not install the strap with the new coil.
The coil laster two years and was cooked to all hell when it went. It was very loose on the metal square and there was black powder everywhere. The new coil indeed does have the strap hooked up.
EDIT:: WW just read your last post, and I am going to make sure the eyelet is connected to correct bolt...
FWIW...installed a new coil 2 yrs ago, and there was not a grounding strap (metal one, not the black wire with the eyelet connector), so I did not install the strap with the new coil.
The coil laster two years and was cooked to all hell when it went. It was very loose on the metal square and there was black powder everywhere. The new coil indeed does have the strap hooked up.
Last edited by Deepa; Aug 27, 2012 at 09:07 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
Its not really necessary to have the black wire touching the metel gounding strap, once you connect the black wire to the pin the whole perameter is grounded so just having the metel strap touching it will ground it.If you look at mine the black wire is actually on the opposite side from where the metel ground strap is and it worked fine.
Last edited by WW7; Aug 27, 2012 at 09:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Hamilton Ontario
Yes the coils i have both old and new are identical to the coil in the picture i posted
It looks like i am missing the hooked ground strap that is suppose to sit under the coil...i only have the black wire with the eyelet hooked up right now...guess the mechanic is right?? 
I might have lost that little strap when i swapped in the new coil a few months ago?? i dont know. He is picking up a new cap and coil along with the hooked ground strap, so we will see how that works out.
Im surprised it didn;t burn up sooner if this strap is so important?
Ray
Actually there is another ground strap,(last pic down) it goes from the black ground wire on the pin, to the harness where the red and white wires connect...The black wire is suppose to hook to the pin on the coil, so when its put together the wire will connect with the little metel bracket to ground it to the harness that the red and white wires hook to........WW
....WWI might have lost that little strap when i swapped in the new coil a few months ago?? i dont know. He is picking up a new cap and coil along with the hooked ground strap, so we will see how that works out.
Im surprised it didn;t burn up sooner if this strap is so important?
Ray
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 68
From: Providence RI
Mine lasted two years without the strap...I do not know how long yours had been that way, but symptoms started with a high rmp hesitation/stutter...then it all went downhill within a few weeks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
Yes the coils i have both old and new are identical to the coil in the picture i posted
It looks like i am missing the hooked ground strap that is suppose to sit under the coil...i only have the black wire with the eyelet hooked up right now...guess the mechanic is right??
I might have lost that little strap when i swapped in the new coil a few months ago?? i dont know. He is picking up a new cap and coil along with the hooked ground strap, so we will see how that works out.
Im surprised it didn;t burn up sooner if this strap is so important?
Ray
It looks like i am missing the hooked ground strap that is suppose to sit under the coil...i only have the black wire with the eyelet hooked up right now...guess the mechanic is right??
I might have lost that little strap when i swapped in the new coil a few months ago?? i dont know. He is picking up a new cap and coil along with the hooked ground strap, so we will see how that works out.
Im surprised it didn;t burn up sooner if this strap is so important?
Ray
Last edited by WW7; Aug 27, 2012 at 09:31 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,290
Likes: 239
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Actually there is another ground strap,(last pic down) it goes from the black ground wire on the pin, to the harness where the red and white wires connect...The black wire is suppose to hook to the pin on the coil, so when its put together the wire will connect with the little metel bracket to ground it to the harness that the red and white wires hook to........WW
....WWIt's been years from my last cap change and forgot about that strap in cap.
