Distributor Wiring 3 Pin plug - 4th Wire ?

[RX8SE3P]

I was cleaning up my wiring loom, wrapping things up and fixing some previous bad jobs I had done on it and I found some strange issues with my wiring. I've included a picture. I've discovered from one of my friends with a ZE that the Blue, Red and Yellow/Green are all normal stock wires. The white wire has shielding in it to stop noise or something.

What I am confused about is the shielding wire coming out from the Red/White wire that goes to some random Green/Black wire. Is that normal, is that added?

Can someone who's got stock wiring/knows what it should look like, advise me before I start unwrapping everything and trace these wires back as far as they go. I don't want to mess with it if by some chance this is stock...

Thanks!

[davmac]

I'll probably say some stupid things, but maybe then the question will become clear so someone can help.

Obviously stock is those wires connected to the 3 pin distributor plug.
Was the plug cut off for a GM ignition module and external coil?
Is this off a running car?
Do you have some other ignition control module and coil setup?

You can certainly look up the function of the 3 wires in the HEI write ups. Basically:
- Blue is ig +
- Yellow / blue stripe is tach signal from coil
- Red is ig -

[RX8SE3P]

I'll probably say some stupid things, but maybe then the question will become clear so someone can help.

Obviously stock is those wires connected to the 3 pin distributor plug.
Was the plug cut off for a GM ignition module and external coil?
Is this off a running car?
Do you have some other ignition control module and coil setup?

You can certainly look up the function of the 3 wires in the HEI write ups. Basically:
- Blue is ig +
- Yellow / blue stripe is tach signal from coil
- Red is ig -

Hi, no HEI or anything. Yes car was running. I've discovered from one of my friends with a ZE that the Blue, Red and Yellow/Green are all normal stock wires, as you've also confirmed. The white wire has shielding in it to stop noise or something.

What I am confused about is the shielding wire coming out from the Red/White wire that goes to some random Green/Black wire. Is that normal, is that added?

[davmac]

Only a guess, but the green / black wire is a ground wire and the previous owner decided to use it to ground the shield wire. Or is the shield wire being used by the green / black wire to get to ground?

That's normally what you do with a shield wire is ground it so any electromagnetic interference (emi) that it picks up is grounded to eliminate the noise on the signal carried by the inner wire.

Seems the inner wire is going nowhere so I don't think the shield is needed.

Do you know that saying: "Don't fix what isn't broken"? I'm not sure what I would do if I were you.

[RX8SE3P]

Agreed. I will shrink wrap it, tape it and leave it. No use screwing with it when it works fine.