Aussie GM 3.8 V6 coil packs

[Steve Lamb]

>     What I would like to know is      Is it possible to utilise only two
>of the three coils in      this unit??           The reason for my
>question is that I would like to use one      on a 4 cylinder engine, I
>would also then have a spare coil pack for a      backup.           Me:
>      I am fairly sure the australian 3.8 ignition      systems are fairly
>similar to the US systems.  In the US, the 3.8 came      with two
>different coild packs, depending on year and      application.         We
>have Type I (three      coils integrated into one housing) and Type II
>(three seperate housings)      coil packs.         As far as Type I coil
>packs go, there are three terminals that all go to a gound, while the
>other      three recieve pulses from the ignition module (you can tell how
>they work by      looking at the wires that come from the ignition
>module).  I don't see      why you couldn't just hook up two of the signal
>wires and grounds to almost      any kind of ignition module.         The
>type II coils work in      a similar fashion, but they are seperately
>replaceable, making a      four-cylinder installation even cleaner.      
>Soren

The integral (TI) and seperate coil (TII) were also used on Oz.  The former
on VN and VP 6 cylinder Commodes and the latter on VR and VS 6's. I see no
reason why you couldn't use them on a 4 cylinder as long as you have the
right pick-up configuration - but then, I'm hardly an expert on such things
:-)


Steve Lamb
Department of Defence, DSTO
Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory
506 Lorimer Street
Fishermans Bend  VIC 3207 Australia

Tel: +61 3 9626 7525
Fax: +61 3 9626 7089

IZCC #180