Correct spark-plug wiring order??

[FlaBoy]

Hey guys,

While under the hood of my new 85 GN today, i noticed something odd. On my coil pack, there are little yellow dots someone applied with a paint pen next to each post, numbering them 1-6. And when i got the car, the plug wires run according to thos dots. Today i noticed though, that there are little numbers molded into the palstic of the coil, and the two sets of number dont agree. on both sides, front and back, the middle posts (2 and 5 if i recall) have matching numbers, but the ouside posts have been swapped (1 and 3 swapped, 4 and 6 swapped). So on 4 of my cylinders, the plug wires are wired according to these yellow dots, contrary to teh numbers stamped into the coil itself. Now I'm assuming they're running to the proper cylinders, or i imagien the car wouldnt run, but I am jsut curious if anyone could shed some light on this for me, do i maybe have a coil for a different application? I just bought the car, so im trying to fix and re-do a lot of improper fixes by a rpevious owner. I can't post pictures here, but if you go to the link below to another board, i have a pic of what im talking about to make it clear, just swap an "s" in for the "5" in the link below

http://www.turbobuick5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33595

 

[turbobooster]

well if ur standin right in front of ur car the right hand side order would be from where ur standin to the windshield 1, 3, 5 and the left hand side from front of car to the turbo would be 2, 4,6 and on the coil pack the first row which would be the one closest to the radiator the order should be fron left to right 1,5,3 and the top row near the intake from left to right would be 4,2,6 hope that helps out

 

[FlaBoy]

Well, thats the way mine is set up now, which makes me happy, but i still dont understand why this doesnt match up with the numbers stamped into the coil next to each post? Oh well, so long as i have them set up right, thats alli really care about

 

[HvyMtlV6]

If you go to the top of the forum, look under Hot-Air Basic, there's a section of the firing order and coil pack numbering, hope that helps out as well

 

[jgines]

The diagram from the sticky at the top of the page doesnt match the description that turbobooster gave. On the sticky it shows that the coil pack order is as follows when you are standing in front of the car:first row 426, second row 153

take a look
http://www.engraver1.com/help/coil.gif

So which order is right

 

[1QUICK85]

Both are right...........the towers are connected, so to say, on hot air coil. So, it can be 426 on either side or 153 on either side. I have ran my car both ways, made no differences. I just follow the diagram to make myself feel better. Nick

 

[FlaBoy]

Someone was telling me in another thread that the reason my coil had one set of numbers stamped, and was wired differently was bacuse a previous owner had allready converted to the 86/87 ignition (she said you could tell because of the adapter bracket under my coil in the picture). Does this seem to make sense? Is there any definitive way to check?

 

[1QUICK85]

I just looked at your pic...........over at turbobuick5.com. Looks to me also they converted your car over. You can see the convertor plate in between the coil and module!! Still should not matter which side is which............like someone stated over there......the coil post on either side fire simultanisly. Wonder if they converted the ecm & chip too?? I will see if I can find you a picture of a stock coil/module and post it!! Nick

 

[1QUICK85]

Here:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/113227733/113231792xWfTXm

Notice the difference in the top of the coil too?

Nick

 

[FlaBoy]

Ahhh yes, there is a distinct difference there. Now obviously in the future, ill need to buy 86/87 coils, which is a good thing, but what about the "module" (which im guessing is the part under the coil pack)? When you convert the coil, do you have to convert the module too? This is my first vehicle without a distributor and points, so to be honest, i dont really even know how the ignition system on these cars work, or what the ignition module even does (im assuming somehow signals the coil when to fire). So I guess im just wondering which module i have, and if its still the 84/85, is there any reason or need to convert to the later style? I wold guess an 84/85 module only works on those coils, and vice versa, but like i said, im very ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff (but learning quick).

Im assuming its the stock computer, since when i hooked up a friends turbolink to it, it only showed some barebones type of info, as would be expected with an 85 computer.

 

[1QUICK85]

I would think the module is stock.......is there an extra wire harness inbetween the module and the stock wiring harness? As far a T-link goes......depends on which screen you go into......if you pick '85 turbo buick then it will only show the data a '85 ecm supports, so they may not be telling you for sure if it is a 85 or 87 ecm. Like when I use T-link.......I pick what ecm I got not what car I have....so I pick 87 Grand National(under select car)..so its possible that you may have a '87 ecm without knowing it. HTH, Nick

********Maybe someone can shed some light on who makes the black plate adapter inbetween the coil/module???I checked casper's website and they do not list it? I am just wondering if that is a whole coil/module setup off a '87 with the casper's CCCI adapter wiring harness??I would also check to make sure which computer / chip you have might shed some light on what has all been done......Do you know what other mods have been done to your car???*********

Here is a link to the caspers CCCI Adapter...see if that is on your car:
https://www.casperselectronics.com/..._Code=102086&Category_Code=8485GN_Performance

 

[FlaBoy]

So far as i can tell, the car is pretty much bone stock.... until jsut now, i didnt even realize the ignition had been upgraded. theres been some work done to it (water pump, oil pump, etc) but just maintanence type stuff, no real performance mods that i can tell. The up and downpipe look stock, stock intake, stock turbo (housing at least).. beyond that, i dont really even know wnough about these cars to know for sure what else may have been done. Whats the easiest way to determine if i have the 86/87 computer? Im assuming theyre pretty similar looking. Also, if i recall, to run the 87 comp, you need a MAT sensor wired in, which i dont remember seeing ahywhere on my car.

So as far as the ign. module goes, it would be possible to run the stock module with the 86/87 coil pack, if the proper adaptor plate was used in between them? And another alternative was to swap the whole thing (coil AND module) from an 86/87 and use a special adaptor harness from caspers? and the way to tell which setup i have is to check to see if that harness is in fact there? (if i misunderstood anything in your post, please feel free to correct me, i wanna learn as much as i can about my car, but only if i learn the right things )If its not, that would suggest its the stock 85 ignition module... is that a problem? I know a lot of guys convert to the 86/87 coil, as replacements are cheaper, but is there any real advantage to convert the ignition module too?

Thanks for all the help, This is whole new world for me. I know the ins and outs of jsut about everything on any old-school carb'd v8 musclecar, so this fuel injection, turbocharged, electronically controlled whizz-bang stuff is new to me, I'm learning quick, and i appreciate all the patience and help ive been getting from guys like yourself silling to help my education. I've read jsut about everyhting on GNttype about 20 times, and every time i take a little more away from it

 

[1QUICK85]

Yes, you need a MAT sensor with the 87 ecm. '87 coil is just a better performing coil, guys have said idling of car is night and day. As far as the ecm goes........I would pull it out take a couple pics of ecm and chip post em here. Write down whatever writting you see. I am not sure how to tell. Has been awhile since I look at my ECM. They are very simular looking too. As far as the '87 coil working with '85 module should work fine with adapter, seems that is what you got. (I have never actually seen one, that is why I was questioning to make sure you dont have the whole coil/module conversion) Reading things 20 times over.......been there and still doing that Nick