In my desperate search for trying to find a way to get my ZX to run again..I found that the ignition coil was loose, but at the same time I think at the body shop they removed the wires and I think they wired them backwards.

Now, I have a black/white wire and a blue wire. I'm trying to read my Haynes book, but for the life of me, I can't find exactly which goes to negative and which goes to the positive side.

Can anyone tell me which wire goes where?

 

hey i just looked under my hood of my 82 280zx and i have a blue wire on the negative and a black and white on the positive

 

I have black wire (white stripe) on positive and blue on negative over here.


I hope this isn't bad form, but I actually popped on to create a post about a coil and saw your post and I figure I may as well add my questions to this same thread and keep the subject of coils together. My apologies if I do wrong.

Anyhow...

I almost never pay attention to my coil. For all I know, it could be the original coil...26-years old by now! What got my attention was that I accidentally knocked the coil wire (to distributor) off and then noted that it's not all that grabby. I may need a new coil wire. No biggie. But I also noticed an oily substance where the wire connects to the coil. I'm guessing this is something to help it conduct or I have a problem.

So my questions. Do coils deteriorate over time and should I replace the thing? Is this oily substance on the coil connector something to be concerned with?

Thanks!

 

Thanks for the help guys, off to try to get the car running again.

 

i do no that coil do go bad over time and that you should replace them but sometimes it depends on the milage on the car because i still have the origional coil but with only 60000 miles on it and it still runs fin. im not shure about the oil substance though

 

My car is running fine so I never suspected any problems with my coil. I just accidentally discovered this. I'm pretty certain they are oil filled but I am not sure there should be oil where the middle distributor wire attaches to it.

 

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...ag=0&st=2&so=1

Coils are pretty cheap. just go get you a new one. its porlly about time anyway.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...ag=0&st=2&so=0

wires are cheap too. can be expensive if you just gotta have the high performance stuff, but OE style replacements are pretty cheap.

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_.../ptx/81150.jpg

that oily stuff might just be old dielectric grease. for connection corrosion protection.

You could prolly just keep getting by with your old coil and wire (i mean hey, its been working this long.) but new ones wouldn't hurt. Your car or your wallet.

 

i say if its producing enough spark for you then keep it, if its getting weak replace it.