I want to change the ignition coil in my car and was wondering which one I should buy. Does it matter if I get a HEI coil and have a 'normal' ignition? Or vice versa? I don't know what ignition I have, I got an Accel badge on my airbox but...
Its an external coil btw, if no one told me ****, I got a little black box next to my distributor, connected with a tiny ignition wire to the distributor. Suggestions, anyone?

 

why do you want to change it, is it bad? go to whatever parts store you use and tell them what you want and what you have and they'll fix you up. since you stock there isn't much need or reason to go with preformance coil.

 

HEI = GM's trade name for their electronic ignition that they have been using since 1974; all of these cars have it in one form or another

Any of the higher output coils should work. Be prepared to replace the module soon though; a coil isn't a perpetual motion machine, so in order to put more energy out, more has to go i; it goes through the module; and a "hot" coil will frequently overload and burn out a stock module. Don't expect it to make much difference in how the car runs, unless your current one is defective.

 

the question is, what does a bad coil do? the car won't start at all, or only minorities?

@ede, since no one around here in germany knows about my car, I can't just walk in and tell them what I want

 

well yes i guess depending on where you live finding parts might be a problem, sorry for the mistake. bad coil could produce weak spark, or no spark. get a spark checker and see if it'll jump the gap.

 

nevermind, i just saw i didn't enter my location, so...

weak spark, ya say? could it cause occasional stalling, for example? meaning, a car CAN show all the typical symptoms of bad sparks or so, it could be the coil?

just what RB says makes me think, that the new coil will blow my module.. Since I just replaced that

whats the best coil to get, then?

 

Like rb said pretty much anyone of 'em will work. just get one for a remote coil HEI (btw jegs and summit both carry 'em)