A couple weeks ago, my igniter died. One moment, the truck is idling in my driveway, and the next moment...eh...not so much.
Not willing to spend a few hundred bucks on NOS (if I can find it), and not thrilled with the idea of spending $100+ on a used igniter, I hunted around the internet and found a good solution. These threads have the answer (1, 2, 3), but I figured I'd write it up again for future reference here on Mud.
Parts:
Instructions:
Old igniter:
Inside of old igniter, showing the wires to clip:
New GM ignition module:
New ignition module, all wired up. (The resistor, attached to the yellow wire, is encased in shrink tubing, here:
Repaired igniter, back in the truck:
Not willing to spend a few hundred bucks on NOS (if I can find it), and not thrilled with the idea of spending $100+ on a used igniter, I hunted around the internet and found a good solution. These threads have the answer (1, 2, 3), but I figured I'd write it up again for future reference here on Mud.
Parts:
- One 4-pin GM HEI ignition module
- One 1/4 Watt 1000 Ohm resistor (RadioShack 271-1321)
- Three 1/4" quick connectors
- One 3/16" quick connector
- Two eyelet connectors
- One short piece of wire (6" or so)
- Two 1" machine screws
- Shrink tubing
Instructions:
- Remove the old igniter from the truck.
- Remove the plastic bottom case of the igniter.
- Clip the wires (I tried removing the solder, but still couldn't get the connectors to budge).
- Unscrew the old ignition module, and remove it from the case. (See my next post in this thread for a comment about this.)
- Strip back about 1/4" of each wire end to attach to the quick connectors.
- Solder one resistor inline to the end of the yellow wire.
- Attach the other end of the resistor, along with the black wire, to one of the 1/4" quick connectors.
- Attach the brown wire to a 1/4" quick connector.
- Attach the red wire to a 1/4" quick connector.
- Attach the white wire to the 3/16" quick connector.
- Make a ground strap with the length of wire and the two eyelet connectors.
- Drill holes in the top of the igniter housing to match the mounting holes in the new ignition module.
- Apply silicone grease to the bottom of the new ignition module and attach it to the top of the igniter housing with bolts through the holes that you just drilled. One end of the ground strap that you made should be attached to the hole in the ignition module that has the grounding tab.
- Reattach the igniter to the coil, and connect the wires as follows:
- White wire from distributor goes to W pin.
- Red wire from distributor goes to G pin.
- Brown wire goes to B pin. Eyelet end attaches to + terminal on coil.
- Yellow and black wires go to C pin. Eyelet end attaches to - terminal on coil.
- Ground strap attaches to any convenient ground point.
Old igniter:
Inside of old igniter, showing the wires to clip:
New GM ignition module:
New ignition module, all wired up. (The resistor, attached to the yellow wire, is encased in shrink tubing, here:
Repaired igniter, back in the truck: