1988. Please explain to me the steps needed to replace the ignition coil. I'm kinda new at doing my own repairs, but am trying to learn. This might seem simple to most of you, but it is a daunting task for me. Or should I have a dealer do this? I don't want to mess anything up.

 

Its simple, it is in the distributor cap. I just did mine this past weekend.

There are 2 small hex head screws in the top of the cap holding the cover over the coil. unscrew them, but leave them in the holes for the cover, remove and set aside the cover.
Disconnect the 3 wire connectors from the distributor cap (drivers side) they just unlatch and pull down.

Now remove the 4 small hex head screws holding the coil in the cap. DO NOT LOSE THESE SCREWS, just in case the new coil doesn't come with them. You can now remove the coil and the wires attached will come out with it. Remove the rubber insulator in the bottom and replace it with the one that came with your new coil. look at the ground strap and see if it is corroded or messed up. Clean it if it iis bad looking. put a little dielectric grease on it where it contacts the coil. there is a large silver spot on the bottom of your new coil, spread some dielectric grease there as well. Put the coil in the cap and tighten it down with the new bolts (or old if your coil did not come with new) making sure one of them goes through the black wire ground. push in the two wires from the coil into the cap in the same location the old wires came out of. replace the wire connectors (the white "tach" wire goes closest to the plennum). now put the cover back on and tighen it down.

Enough dielectric grease came in the kit with my new coil, YMMV. I replaced the cap, rotor, wires and plugs at the same time. I figured they all had at least 60,000 miles on them and although they looked OK, the car runs much smoother afterwards.

good luck :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

Get a HyperTech coil/cap and rotor package. The coil and cap just bolt right in; you only need to install the rotor.

This system puts out lots more voltage for a hotter spark and cleaner burn.

In this case a set of TPIS wires would be a great compliment.

Then you can open up the plug gap to .045" of so for a cleaner more efficient burn.

 

Thanks for the information jaa1988. I will do it this weekend. Do you think that the coil might be the cause of my engine mis-firing once in awhile?

 

It is possible for the coil to be the cause of misfire, but rarely occassional misfires. I would wait till dark, start engine , open hood in a dark area and then look for sparks along the plug wires and spark plugs. There should be none. Sparks indicate poor insulation and when it sparks, it takes away the spark in the plug gap where it belongs. Also, measure each plug wire end to end . They should be 5000 ohms per foot with no intermittents when you wiggle each end.

 

(I agree)

I replaced everything and it solved my obvious at idle misses. I'm guessing the core problem was 128k miles and 14+ years of age on the coil and plug wires I replaced.


[Modified by jaa1988, 9:19 PM 7/9/2002]