86Trans Am

My mom has a 96 bonneville 3.8 (non-supercharged) and its in need of a tune-up, I have fuel filter, k&n, bosch "super" plugs or something, and taylor wires, so i need to know what do i replace in terms of a coil. Is the coil on this thing the square black box the plug wires are plugged too? And if so, where can i get a hotter coil for it?

thanks

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1986 Trans Am
305 TPI
"If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www2.hanover.edu/hierlmeier

CamaroZ_85

yeah the coil is where the plugs hook up to on the distributorless motors, which the bonneville 3.8 is. you really dont have to do anything to it in a tuneup. why do you want a hotter coil?

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350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake 600 cfm carb and exhaust, headers
-JVC, Eclipse, Pioneer, MTX, Phoenix Gold, Planet Audio

86Trans Am

When i do a full tune up on my car, it gets all the filters changed, cap/coil/rotor/wires/and plugs, so why would i not want to replace the coil on the bonneville? Its got 100k on it and has never been changed. Why replace the stock stuff with more stock stuff when you can get some better stuff and maybe improve gas mileage (which i tell my mom) or the performance of the car? I'm not going to go and put the 7mm stock wires back on my car, when i can upgrade to some 8.5 msds.

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1986 Trans Am
305 TPI
"If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www2.hanover.edu/hierlmeier

JP84Z430HP

Why do you replace the coil everytime you do a tune-up? The only thing I would think of replacing would be the little carbon button in the cap, if the coil is the type that's mounted in the cap. I really don't see any reason to replace it as part of a regular tune-up, because it is not a wear-out device. The plug wires really aren't either, but the heat and oil, etc...under the hood does break the insulation down, so I do understand replacing them.

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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305 with 200,000 original miles!
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

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Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

arnt there 3 coils on that car with the DIS? anyway i think your wasting money on that. I got 117,000 on my 3.1 and still get about 30 MPG on the highway during long trips with just a plug change.

Engineboy

I agree with all posts above about not changing the coil packs.

Why waste the money??

They don't have a button to wear out and I don't think there is any performance to be had with an aftermarket part. (if anybody even makes one ?)

If you are going to repace the coils, why not go all the way and replace the module they are mounted on top of??

All I do on these cars is replace fuel filter, plugs, wires, air filter, and when needed, clean out the throttle body.

I leave the coil packs alone.



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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

GO #3

86Trans Am

I replace the coil on my car when doing a full tune-up. Until last year my car had the original coil/cap/rotor, and wires, that's 15 year old stuff.

I'm not that familiar with my moms bonneville and the ignition workings on the car yet, so that is why i asked before i went and changed the coil.

What is the DIS and does anyone know if it does have three coil packs? And where they are?

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1986 Trans Am
305 TPI
"If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www2.hanover.edu/hierlmeier

RB83L69

That system uses a set of crank trigger coils that each hook to a module that then hooks to the coil pack. I think on that motor there's just one pack with 3 coils and 6 terminals but I could be wrong, GMTech or some other one of those dealer-type guys would know those details better than me. Each coil hooks to 2 cylinders. The module fires its coil in the pack once per crank revolution. Since the crank makes 2 revolutions per complete engine cycle, each cylinder gets 2 sparks: once when it's its time to fire, and once when it's time for the opposite cylinder in the firing order.

Anyway, I agree with leaving the coil pack alone during a regular tune-up. They die pretty often but don't seem to wear out. In other words, you don't really gain anything by changing it out, unlike spark plugs or stuff like that.

I have no clue if there's a hotter coil or not. But I would start the search by seeing if the part # for your car and the SC version are the same; and if not, investigate why not. That might be your hotter coil right there.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

TomP

Add me to the list of people that agree to "leave the spark coils alone!" Unless the coils are broken, they're just fine.

Replacement DIS coils are available through Accel. You can find their online catalog through http://www.mrgasket.com - but be prepared, those three DIS coils go for about $50-$60 each!

Out of all the tuneups I've done (& heard about), I've never replaced (or heard of replacing) a spark coil.

Heh, of course, I don't wait 15 years between tuneups! (Just joking around, no offense meant!!) I did a major tuneup on a 1991 305 TPI Formula, and the cap was the original- not only were the cap bolts frozen to the dist, the inside was toast! I do a major tuneup on my ride every spring- it's one of those ritual "welcome the warm weather" car jobs I look forward to.

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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

JP84Z430HP

You may want to see if it is the same as the Grand National coil, as there may be some aftermarket for coils for it. The coil is in a coil pack consisting of 3 coils on the 3.8. The Chevy engines (2.8/3.1) use 3 separate coils.

I just replaced a coil pack on one at work, and I think it was around $80 for a Car Quest part.

------------------
Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305 with 200,000 original miles!
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

ASE Certified Master Tech

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!