maxamillion

I've got a Jeep Cherokee '96 and have been having problems with it lately. Yesterday it quit on me so I called someone to come look at it. He said I had a loose coil wire, and he jiggled it a bit and it started right up. He also showed me a place on the wiring that had been rubbed a bit and said that could be causing it to short. Last month it was doing this same thing and the people I took it to said the ignition coil itself was loose and said they put it back on. But I'm wondering why they didn't fix the wire.

So, how would you go about fixing a loose coil wire? Do you think the rubbed spot could be causing it to short (I didn't see any exposed metal, just looked like the grease had been rubbed off, you could see a red spot)? Could that spot be fixed with some electrical tape? Should I replace the wire and is that something that can be easily done? Sorry guys, I just don't know much about this kind of stuff. Thanks.

BillyBoy

In the perfect world, where all girls are pretty and jeep parts are free, I'd replace the coil.

In the real world I'd definitely tape up the coil (after cleaning the outside of the wire with some windex) just to be sure not to have it arking to the engine or something. Also, it might help if you have a rubbing issue.

I'm pretty sure you can grab the outside casing of the connection, if that's the part that's coming loose (i think that's what you're saying) and crimp it a bit more with a pair of pliers. Just like you would a plug wire head. I wouldn't grease the connection though.

Good luck. Have fun.

maxamillion

Thanks. I went out today and looked at it again, jiggled the wire a bit, and it didn't seem loose. After cleaning it, though, I saw where the metal was exposed, so wrapped it in the electrical tape. Seems to have done the job.