Spark Arcing

[Justin Fleming]

So I noticed intermittently my coil seems to be sparking to the bracket. Does this mean the coil is going bad, or does this mean the wire are going bad and the spark is finding less resistance to ground? Wire are ac delco, they are 5 years old, however only have about 8k miles on them.

 

[skunked]

Coil.

 

[4xfrankie]

So I noticed intermittently my coil seems to be sparking to the bracket. Does this mean the coil is going bad, or does this mean the wire are going bad and the spark is finding less resistance to ground? Wire are ac delco, they are 5 years old, however only have about 8k miles on them.

Could be either one, I geuss. Best check both the coil and the wires ,you should be able to tell where it is arcing. I would just change everything out , don't think it would be too expensive. What year is it?A coil arcing like that in such close proximity to the Throttle body might ignite fuel vapors, better get it fixed.

 

[76k5blazerr]

Check the small ground clip under the coil. If you pull the coil off the cap there should be a small "clip" that one of the bolts goes through and it is a ground. You'll know it if you see it. My buddies 86 k5 was doing the same thing and that was the problem. If you buy a new coil it comes with it.

 

[4xfrankie]

Check the small ground clip under the coil. If you pull the coil off the cap there should be a small "clip" that one of the bolts goes through and it is a ground. You'll know it if you see it. My buddies 86 k5 was doing the same thing and that was the problem. If you buy a new coil it comes with it.

I think you are referring to an HEI w/ coil in cap design. If this k5 is an 89-91 by the look of it, unless a front clip was installed on a earlier model , or something. He never did specify what year he is talking about. TBI engines run a coil that is mounted on the intake manifold ,not mounted in the distributer itself.

 

[76k5blazerr]

I think you are referring to an HEI w/ coil in cap design. If this k5 is an 89-91 by the look of it, unless a front clip was installed on a earlier model , or something. He never did specify what year he is talking about. TBI engines run a coil that is mounted on the intake manifold ,not mounted in the distributer itself.

Oops, I didn't see the pic on his profile. My bad!

 

[diesel4me]

Spark takes the path of least resistance--the coil may have a crack or carbon track in it allowing the spark to ground out there rather than fire the plugs...but a bad plug wire or fouled plug can cause it to jump to ground elsewhere too...usually its the coil though..