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EA82T ignition amplifier and coil Q's


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OK, so after months of troubleshooting I finally broke down and dropped my 87GL10 off at the dealer for a no spark/intermittant spark prob.

 

He (the mechanic) is saying that I need to buy a $300 coil assy to get this thing running because the Ign amplifier and the coil are a matched set, and the brackets I am getting from the junk yards are no good. Does this sound right, or am I getting ripped? Supposedly he is one of the top 5 suby mechs in the country and has been with subaru since 1978.

 

to see my troubleshooting thread go here:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=45931&page=1&pp=10

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OK, so after months of troubleshooting I finally broke down and dropped my 87GL10 off at the dealer for a no spark/intermittant spark prob.

 

He (the mechanic) is saying that I need to buy a $300 coil assy to get this thing running because the Ign amplifier and the coil are a matched set, and the brackets I am getting from the junk yards are no good. Does this sound right, or am I getting ripped? Supposedly he is one of the top 5 suby mechs in the country and has been with subaru since 1978.

 

to see my troubleshooting thread go here:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=45931&page=1&pp=10

 

Anyone? Does anyone know this question. I have heard this before, but with everyone changeing their coil's I dont think it can be true.

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I've been reading here for a while, and haven't heard anything about the ignitor being matched to each coil.

 

I would probably only do it with some sort of written confirmation that you won't pay if it doesn't fix it?

 

after perusing the other thread again, did you ever replace the disty and/or double check the timing on it?

 

Also, has your tach been jumpy recently, especially when it starts misbehaving?

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I've been reading here for a while, and haven't heard anything about the ignitor being matched to each coil.

 

I would probably only do it with some sort of written confirmation that you won't pay if it doesn't fix it?

 

after perusing the other thread again, did you ever replace the disty and/or double check the timing on it?

 

Also, has your tach been jumpy recently, especially when it starts misbehaving?

 

I would still have to pay for it because it has to be ordered.

 

 

Yes, I checked the timing, and the tech even said it was correct. The tack wouldnt do anything because the coil isnt fireing.

 

The dizzy has been changed 3 x now. The problem isnt that it just isnt starting, it is not getting any spark from the coil period. No spark from coil=no spark to dizzy.

 

When I swapped in the new ecm it started sparking, but it was irregular, here a spark there a spark...it was almost like the ecm wasnt paying attention and just saying "spark" when ever it felt like it.

 

I dont have much moret ime to mess with it. I have a new job starting on Dec 10th, and have to move 4XX miles away. So I am almost forced to shell out the big bucks to get her running. My 88GL spfi is in no shape at all to make that trip.

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I would still have to pay for it because it has to be ordered.

 

 

Yes, I checked the timing, and the tech even said it was correct. The tack wouldnt do anything because the coil isnt fireing.

 

The dizzy has been changed 3 x now. The problem isnt that it just isnt starting, it is not getting any spark from the coil period. No spark from coil=no spark to dizzy.

 

When I swapped in the new ecm it started sparking, but it was irregular, here a spark there a spark...it was almost like the ecm wasnt paying attention and just saying "spark" when ever it felt like it.

 

I dont have much moret ime to mess with it. I have a new job starting on Dec 10th, and have to move 4XX miles away. So I am almost forced to shell out the big bucks to get her running. My 88GL spfi is in no shape at all to make that trip.

 

It appears the coil needed is a internal resister coil...auto zone gave me an external resistor coil, so I had the wrong coil assy...so far. The mechanic said he got a used one dropped it in and now he has regular spark. No word on the running or not yet. I find out tommorow.

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May sound stupid and strange, but disconnect the yellow tach wire from the coil (if you have a tach on that car). I've had two different cars that both had developed a short in that wire thus grounding out the coil. Would get spark but a super weak one. Disconnecting the wire on both cars made them fire up right away. Then I just chased down the short in the wire/or just replaced the whole wire.

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You are getting hosed on this deal. If you truly do need a new coil and ignitor, $10 to $15 spent for a used one would get you on the road. Learned from experience the coil will not fire if the ignitor is not well grounded to the body.

 

Well that is what I thought as well. As t appears though, I am not going to have to buy the new one, so I am just paying for labor. Either way after working on it for a month and getting no where, I am glad it is making some progress. It has regular spark now.

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I just noticed the engine is a JDM. The JDM engine's wiring harness will not work. If you used the JDM intake manifold and wiring harness, that is a reason for the no-start problem.

 

What do you mean by "MSD ignition"? Does this mean a MSD coil? I would replace it with a stock coil just to eliminate it as a possibility.

 

Probably none of my business but I used to live in the Youngstown area and just wondered where this new job is located? Alaska? Central America?

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I just noticed the engine is a JDM. The JDM engine's wiring harness will not work. If you used the JDM intake manifold and wiring harness, that is a reason for the no-start problem.

 

What do you mean by "MSD ignition"? Does this mean a MSD coil? I would replace it with a stock coil just to eliminate it as a possibility.

 

Probably none of my business but I used to live in the Youngstown area and just wondered where this new job is located? Alaska? Central America?

 

 

It works with the JDM intake and everything, you just have to swap things around a bit. I have been driving this car for 2 years with the JDM engine swap prior to this issue. The wireing is different, but I changed over the connectors without spliceing, and everytrhing hooked up.

 

The MSD ignition has been gone for some time. I just need to update my sig...my bad. But it was coil, ignition box, and wires.

 

new job is in Harrisburg Pa.

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