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Custommx3 wrote:Have you tested to see if you have spark? It could be your coil, not your ignitor.

Thanks Barry. I have not tested spark yet. The intermittency and progressiveness of the issue made me think of the ignitor more than the coil, but Imay have misled myself.

I may have to wait til the weekend to try. I have been trying to steal time during daylight hours (i have an unheated, poorly lit garage and a 22 month old occupying most free time).

If it does look like an internal coil issue should I try and get a replacement disty assembly, even if I plan to do the external coil mod? Are there other internal parts that could be iffy?

I kind of am leaning in that direction anyhow just because the plastic housing surrounding the three pin connector on the disty partially broke during removal, so even staying with this would require some jerry rigging to get the plug to stay attached when driving. (it has not budged while trying to start the thing in the garage, but it does not inspire confidence). and it seems to me that the removal and reinstall work of the external coil would make it essentially no more effort to put in a "previously enjoyed" disty assembly (i hear the new or re-manufactured parts are ungodly expensive)

If your connector part is broken I would highly recommend you pick up on form a salavge yard and do the entire coil/HEI mod.

It could be arcing where its broken and keeping you from getting spark.

I'd recommend testign each plug for spark...

I ran into a problem with the 3 pin connector while i was doing the mod. I used an external coil. Currently i dont have the connector plugged in. I found out that it would start without it, so i just cut it off. She starts, and drives very well. Not sure if this helps.
Tim

exile84 wrote:I ran into a problem with the 3 pin connector while i was doing the mod. I used an external coil. Currently i dont have the connector plugged in. I found out that it would start without it, so i just cut it off. She starts, and drives very well. Not sure if this helps.
Tim

I may go down the external coil road, but I at first want to troubleshoot this. I plan to check spark this weekend. If i could pin it down to a bad ignitor in the disty then it would call fo the immediate external coil. If it continues to mystify me then I have to consider whether this car is worth more investment, as it is pretty beat up ... (anyone selling a cherry GS?)

If I don't need the 3 pin connector at all when using an external coil (this actually works? You don't lose the tach?) then it would save me from changing the whole disty out just to ensure I had a reliable connection and ignitor.

Someone else suggested I should ignore the wire positions and connect based on wire color. The color of wires for tachometer signal and ignition coil negative are mixed up in my harness. Any thoughts on this? Seems more likely to me that they used the wrong wire color in assembly.

When using the external coil, all you are doing is bypassing the disty. You are just using the disty to throw the spark to each plug wire. The 3 pin connector is connected to the ext. coil. Since this is being done, it does not need to be plugged into the disty. The coil and hei module are getting signals when to spark. just make sure you put a resistor in the tach wire, otherwise you will blow your tach.

exile84 wrote:When using the external coil, all you are doing is bypassing the disty. You are just using the disty to throw the spark to each plug wire. The 3 pin connector is connected to the ext. coil. Since this is being done, it does not need to be plugged into the disty. The coil and hei module are getting signals when to spark. just make sure you put a resistor in the tach wire, otherwise you will blow your tach.

Sorry for being so dense, but is what you are saying that if you do the full HEI plus external coil then the 3 pin disty connector no longer needs to be connected to the disty housing because it was only carrying positive and negative to the coil and a tachometer signal ? So effectively you can then cut off the three pin connector and connect wire 1 to coil positive, wire 3 to coil negative and wire 2 insert a resistor in line and tap into the connection to coil negative.

So you still need the 6 pin connector attached to the disty (to get position sensor for the ECU) but the 3 pin connector no longer matters?

If so then just jumping ahead to the external coil install seems like the thing to do if it bypasses any of the disty issues. I looks like the coil mod is not much more difficult than replacing a disty. At least for me because the thing I would most likely mess up is putting the disty back on misaligned which could happen either way.

If my toddler will take a nap, I should get a chance to test spark this afternoon. Of course I lost my links to the "testing spark for dummies" thjread I was reading a week ago.

ONE OTHER QUESTION (sorry for the ALLCAPS). Is the MSD coil recommended the 8202? I was looking on their site and that seemed to be the part that made sense.

True... I will try to get a video or some pics posted showing how i have mine ran/wired up. If i can get a video up, i will start it and show that it runs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHcAE_hurNA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is the link to the video with my 3 pin not being connected.

exile84 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHcAE_hurNA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is the link to the video with my 3 pin not being connected.

sorry to say but that video was no help to me

i have an MSD blaster coil with no modulator

my tech was acting up yesterday so im thinking i need to do this mod ALSO my car wont start up giving me 3 flashes with no delay on my odb1 so im looking to figure out what i need to do to my SGC sensor or signal wire so i can start the damn thing. i missed my appt to get new tires now i gotta wait 3 days.

an informative video or explanation on how the procedure is will help a lot

this video just shows quickly what it looks like not where the wires lead or anything so i get no visualization. also when i do it ill take pictures since i have an SOHC and its a little different. and every year has different wire colors too i have a 93. but for now im still trying to figure out how to get the damn car started i dont want to just cut a wire thinking thats what i need to do and still not sure which one will be my SGC wire smh

neumann wrote:

stereoking15 wrote:3-ping Plug (fromp top to bottom):
Solid Blue (ignition coil +)
Yellow w/blue stripe (tachometer signal from ignition coil) remember to use 1k ohm resistor
Solid Red (ignition coil -)

Right that is what all the docs say however my 3-pin Plug is wired top to bottom:
Solid Blue
Solid Red
Yellow w/blue stripe

Hey guys, I'm in the exact same spot here, I have a 94 mx-3 gs 1.8L k8 and my plug is different than both of yours mine is as follows:

yellow w/blue stripe
Solid Red
Solid Blue

I had the key turned on and Blue was the positive power, car was running great one minute than next dead any input?