One year only coil?

[bugbor]

I seem to need a coil for my '89 autotrans. Problem began with a hard start condition. Had to crank for several seconds before engine would catch. Replaced module in disty with a used one and car started. Hard start problem came back in a couple of days. Now, engine cranks fine but won't run. Weak yellow spark from coil wire and also from plug wire, so I assume module is still working and coil is bad. Not too many of these in jy and local parts stores would have to order one at better than 170 bucks a pop. Even Rock Auto lists it for at least $122. I have my '93 parts Festy but not sure if I want to try adapting something that might end up frying another electrical part.
Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Pu241]

'89 was a odd mashup of parts.
It is EFI, like the '90-93's, so it is possible the your '93 EFI coil will work.
I'll let others whe actually "for sure" know they will swap.
You could cross check with AZ/Advanced/NAPA and see if the coil for '89 and '90-'93 are interchangeable/same.

[bugbor]

Thanks. Been checkin' numbers online and they show different for all other years. Not sure if it's just connectors (hard to tell from pictures) but I'd hate to fry one of them-there expensive modules in the disty or the ECU. Not even sure how to get at the ECU if I found one in the jy. Haven't figured out an easy way to cross-reference for identical part from Mazda, if there is one.

[Pu241]

Just hold it a little while, the issue needs to be diagnosed before throwing money/parts at it.
And someone might have a know good coil for your '89, if in fact it is the coil that is the issue and that it doesn't interchange with '90-'93.
We have a pretty big brain trust here.
But they are not all on line all the time.

[bugbor]

Yeah, I ain't in no hurry to start buyin' buck-and-a-quarter coils. Spent a bit of time searchin' the site yesterday, and judgin' by what I read in some older threads (including advice from Jim D) I'm willin' to go with the idea that the coil's headed south in a big hurry. Still, I'll keep checkin' this thread for responses.
As for not having all the brain trust online all the time, I was thinkin' I'd be lucky if anybody was here right now. Weather's way too nice, and I was thinkin' of this as an excuse to ride the bike 50 miles over to the nearest P&P just to see if they had a used one. ;^)

[TNGuy]

If it is the coil you can get it from O'Reilly Auto Parts starting at 26.00 plus shipping if you don't have a store near you. This is the best place to get parts for your 89. I also have an 89 and get my parts there all the time. Most of the time I call the store and tell them what I need and they get it in by 10am the next day.

[bugbor]

Thanks, TNGuy. I'm just a little shy when it comes to using universal parts for this specific application. The '89 AT has a disty with an internal module that cost's better than 100 bucks new, and I'd be kickin' my own butt for a week if I messed up one of those just 'cause I tried to be too quick & dirty with my fix.
If this was the '53 Ford I had in HS, I'd be all over that fix right now, but IIRC the 6V and 12V coils in those days were only a couple of bucks apiece and a full tune up kit with points, rotor, condenser and plugs would've been under $10.

[FestYboy]

bugbor, the module is ok, you just have a weak coil (or low voltage to the coil).... i like using Accel's Super Coil or MSD's Blaster2 (i recomend the Accel unit), both are canister style and will fit your car.

clean your fusable link connections (located on the driver strut tower), and clean the positive and negative terminals of the coil you currently have in the car, also clean the harness eyelets that attach to the coil. if the color of the spark does not change, the field windings in the coil are bad and the coil needs replaced.

personally, i'd replace it anyway because it's a cheap upgrade to your 24 year old unit and it can't hurt.

[bugbor]

Kind of what I was hoping to hear, FestYboy, except that my coil isn't the canister type. No eyelets attaching separate wires to threaded fittings on top, looks more like the newer Festy coils with plug type connection at the bottom and standard hole at the top for coil-to-disty wire. If I can make the universal replacement (Accel or MSD) work I'll figure out how to do it, just want to be sure before I cut wires at the plug connection. If there're only 2 wires to hook up, I can only screw it up one time. I'll check my Haynes manual to see if I can get the right color wires the first time. Thanks.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/BWD0/E56/02767.oap?year=1989&make=Ford&model=Festiva&vi=1128091&ck=Search_C2377_1128091_2849&pt=C2377&ppt=C0334

Here's the link to the one the book calls for in my case.

[FestYboy]

i got you.... and i have pix to help!




black with white stripe is your POWER and the yellow is the ground control

[bugbor]

Many thanks, folks. Looks as though I should be able to save myself about 100 bucks with all y'all's help. With F'boy's pix, this should be a snap. The one thing I have to keep on mind is that idiot-proof instructions don't necessarily mean something's Rob-proof.