DIY Ignition Wire Replacement
09-22-2009, 10:12 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
DIY Ignition Wire Replacement
First the costs:
* Ignition Wires: $160
* Distributor Caps (2), Rotor, Sparkplugs: $240
* A few extra sparkplug connectors ($32/each)
* Coils: (2) $80/each
* My time.... priceless
After checking varioius combinations of switching wires, distributor caps etc., I realized tha tI had a few things wrong, so decided to remove all the gremlins at once. I'm not sure that it is worth getting the OEM ignition wire replacement as switching out the connectors does not take much time and they are in my case, were in very good shape. Most of your time is spent unbolting stuff and running wires through.... actually, the replacement wires may be simpler because it is easier to fish the wires through without the distributor caps on them... but you loose ground trying to get the ignition wire spacers and lengths properly set.
1. Jack up car, remove passenger side wheel.
2. Remove secondary muffler
3. Remove heat shield
4. Remove AC unit (lift up and support over alternator)
5. Remove Air intake box
6. Remove Blower fan
7. Remove bracket that supports high/low lines for AC and lift up out of the way with a bungie cord.
8. Loosen with a hex screw the two bolts that hold on the ignition coils. It is easier to remove the protective boots. If you are replacing the coils, remove the entire assembly. You will keep the boot covers removed until you have fully tested the ignition wires (you remove the ignition wire at the coil not at the distributor, otherwise you will blow a hole through the end cap of the distributor cap!)
9. Take pictures of your distributor cap, label all the chases. Note that the distributor caps all have numbers on them so you don't have to worry about labeling or trying to figure out which wires goes where on reassembly... provided you label all your new wires!)
* Ignition Wires: $160
* Distributor Caps (2), Rotor, Sparkplugs: $240
* A few extra sparkplug connectors ($32/each)
* Coils: (2) $80/each
* My time.... priceless
After checking varioius combinations of switching wires, distributor caps etc., I realized tha tI had a few things wrong, so decided to remove all the gremlins at once. I'm not sure that it is worth getting the OEM ignition wire replacement as switching out the connectors does not take much time and they are in my case, were in very good shape. Most of your time is spent unbolting stuff and running wires through.... actually, the replacement wires may be simpler because it is easier to fish the wires through without the distributor caps on them... but you loose ground trying to get the ignition wire spacers and lengths properly set.
1. Jack up car, remove passenger side wheel.
2. Remove secondary muffler
3. Remove heat shield
4. Remove AC unit (lift up and support over alternator)
5. Remove Air intake box
6. Remove Blower fan
7. Remove bracket that supports high/low lines for AC and lift up out of the way with a bungie cord.
8. Loosen with a hex screw the two bolts that hold on the ignition coils. It is easier to remove the protective boots. If you are replacing the coils, remove the entire assembly. You will keep the boot covers removed until you have fully tested the ignition wires (you remove the ignition wire at the coil not at the distributor, otherwise you will blow a hole through the end cap of the distributor cap!)
9. Take pictures of your distributor cap, label all the chases. Note that the distributor caps all have numbers on them so you don't have to worry about labeling or trying to figure out which wires goes where on reassembly... provided you label all your new wires!)
09-22-2009, 10:27 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
10. I started with the ignition coil wires. Take a 2.5 mm allen wrench and drive it down the side of the end cap until you hear it click against the ignition wire cap (a brass cap with a screw on it that goes inside the end cap of the ignition wire). Squirt a few drops of your favorite protectant (what ever big lots sells... armoral etc) then do again on the opposite side. Holding the allen wrench and wire together, unscrew the boot top which takes about 5 turns, then extract the wire. It is much easier doing it this way then holding the wire by itself.
11. After cleaning the boot, reinsert the new ignition wire. Label accordingly (you can buy rubber number labels... I used my brother printer for now).
12. For the other terminals, I'd recommend starting with the distributor cap, run the wires through to the sparkplug, then attatch the sparkplug boot. It is difficult to get the spacing correct at the distributor and the margin of error plus or minus is VERY small.
13. Top side, passenger side is one PIA. It takes much patience as there are three ignition wire seperators that run along the backside of the alternator. They are fastened to the cowling with a pair of 7mm screws. I wish Harbor Freight or Sears sold a 7mm wratcheting wrench as the space is very narrow... you need skinny hands and a socket wrench will not do. Below the manifold there are a few ignition wire guides that you will need to snap the wires back in place.
14. Forgot to mention: Once you assemble a complete wire set, measure the Ohms. The wires themselves should register a zero, however, thes sparkplug caps I believe have a resistor in them. Make sure they are all consistent plus or minus 10%.
15. I left the catalytic converter side for last... infact, reassembled and tested everything and have yet to get to it.
16. Despite having some patience, not all the old wires are going to come out cleanly and will leave the brass end cap that is at the end of the wire. This happened twice to me on the lower side. I was able to extract the wire by screwing in a drywall screw then unscrewing the two together.
So... a final counter argument on the wire assemblies... you are going to have to replace a few caps... so with 90 percent of the work going towards removing parts, running wires... you just don't want to do it a second time! So given another shot, I'd just order the factory wires for $470, take the end caps off to facilitate running wires through, and know I had good stuff.
tom
11. After cleaning the boot, reinsert the new ignition wire. Label accordingly (you can buy rubber number labels... I used my brother printer for now).
12. For the other terminals, I'd recommend starting with the distributor cap, run the wires through to the sparkplug, then attatch the sparkplug boot. It is difficult to get the spacing correct at the distributor and the margin of error plus or minus is VERY small.
13. Top side, passenger side is one PIA. It takes much patience as there are three ignition wire seperators that run along the backside of the alternator. They are fastened to the cowling with a pair of 7mm screws. I wish Harbor Freight or Sears sold a 7mm wratcheting wrench as the space is very narrow... you need skinny hands and a socket wrench will not do. Below the manifold there are a few ignition wire guides that you will need to snap the wires back in place.
14. Forgot to mention: Once you assemble a complete wire set, measure the Ohms. The wires themselves should register a zero, however, thes sparkplug caps I believe have a resistor in them. Make sure they are all consistent plus or minus 10%.
15. I left the catalytic converter side for last... infact, reassembled and tested everything and have yet to get to it.
16. Despite having some patience, not all the old wires are going to come out cleanly and will leave the brass end cap that is at the end of the wire. This happened twice to me on the lower side. I was able to extract the wire by screwing in a drywall screw then unscrewing the two together.
So... a final counter argument on the wire assemblies... you are going to have to replace a few caps... so with 90 percent of the work going towards removing parts, running wires... you just don't want to do it a second time! So given another shot, I'd just order the factory wires for $470, take the end caps off to facilitate running wires through, and know I had good stuff.
tom
Last edited by tgage; 09-22-2009 at 10:44 PM.
09-23-2009, 01:14 PM
#6
This is a great write-up. Makes me think though that dropping the engine for a valve job, plug/wire service, etc would be a better thing to do than struggle with the wires all over the place. Mind you I'm terribly sceered of doing the engine drop 
And then I could put the new motor mounts in too 
And then I could put the new motor mounts in too
Trending Topics
09-23-2009, 08:47 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Thanks guys!
Ilko, I only meant to exchange the wires, but I had two spark plug connectors in bad shape and I think was the primary reason the car was running rough when I tested it on one coil. Guys, what a difference it made to the lower end response in the car. I'm not sure which fix made thiings bettter.... but it is an entirely different car now. Smooth idle on either coil.
I purchased the beru wire from fellow Rennlister Mark Robinson (Mark Robinson [porschesolutions@gmail.com]) who I believe also lists them on ebay. He pre-cuts them to the correct length, and adds the brass end cap (it is a cap that fits over the ignition wire with a screw on the end. the screw goes into the plug cap). You have to figure out which wire is which. The end caps for the spark plugs I purchased at Pelican and the distributor cap plugs at beruparts.com
There are a few advantages of taking this on when you do the valve adjustment (that was last months project...) because you have to remove the same muffler parts, but unlike the valve adjustment, you only need to remove the tins if you are replacing the upper spark plugs. Otherwise, the job does not require lowering the engine... just patience.
Hawk911... I thought you were all over getting those 993 engine mounts installed! Now I know you can do that one! The advantage of the 993 engine mounts is the post is about 2" longer which means during a valve adjustment, you can drop the engine a good distance down and that gives you plenty of room to work with.
Ilko, I only meant to exchange the wires, but I had two spark plug connectors in bad shape and I think was the primary reason the car was running rough when I tested it on one coil. Guys, what a difference it made to the lower end response in the car. I'm not sure which fix made thiings bettter.... but it is an entirely different car now. Smooth idle on either coil.
I purchased the beru wire from fellow Rennlister Mark Robinson (Mark Robinson [porschesolutions@gmail.com]) who I believe also lists them on ebay. He pre-cuts them to the correct length, and adds the brass end cap (it is a cap that fits over the ignition wire with a screw on the end. the screw goes into the plug cap). You have to figure out which wire is which. The end caps for the spark plugs I purchased at Pelican and the distributor cap plugs at beruparts.com
There are a few advantages of taking this on when you do the valve adjustment (that was last months project...) because you have to remove the same muffler parts, but unlike the valve adjustment, you only need to remove the tins if you are replacing the upper spark plugs. Otherwise, the job does not require lowering the engine... just patience.
Hawk911... I thought you were all over getting those 993 engine mounts installed! Now I know you can do that one! The advantage of the 993 engine mounts is the post is about 2" longer which means during a valve adjustment, you can drop the engine a good distance down and that gives you plenty of room to work with.
09-23-2009, 08:53 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Removal
Here is a repeat of the wire removal. I can take a few more shots if necessary but it will have to wait till I get under the car again.
a) insert 2mm allen wrench on inside of boot till you hear it click against the wire end cap of the ignition wire
b) squirt a drop of protectant
c) repeat a on other siide
d) while leaving allen wrench in and gripping wire at the same time, unscrew the cap with your other hand. It should be off in 5 turns or so.
e) give the ignition wire a light pull.
a) insert 2mm allen wrench on inside of boot till you hear it click against the wire end cap of the ignition wire
b) squirt a drop of protectant
c) repeat a on other siide
d) while leaving allen wrench in and gripping wire at the same time, unscrew the cap with your other hand. It should be off in 5 turns or so.
e) give the ignition wire a light pull.
