hello, i have a problem with my 86, i jus bought it about 2 weeks ago, and i drove for bout 100 miles over the past couple days and last week it died on me while i was driving and hasnt started since? i changed the CAS, new wires (ngk), and plugs, but now i see that both coil packs are arcing between themselves and to the car. could this be my problem also it wont start even with starter fluid? someone pleaze help me out

 

That is a very unusual failure, but that would certainly prevent the car from starting.

These coils almost never fail.

 

Check your grounding of the engine. If the engine is not properly grounded, then the spark will take the path of least resistance.

Another thought, is the arcing due to a coil issue, or is it due to a split boot on the cable?








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Had a similar problem, if not exactly the same.

I changed the Coils and the ECU. and now it works. Heres my thread.

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/cranks-no-start-907134/

 

If the gap in the plug is too large, ie. worn plugs, the breakdown voltage required to jump the gap increases; if the voltage reaches the breakdown voltage of the insulation on either the wires or the coils, it will take the path of least resistance and arc to ground. This will destroy either the wiring harness, the coils, or both. This is supposedly the most common cause of coil failures.

Bad engine ground would likely do the same thing--the gap across the gound looks to the circuit like a large gap across a plug, driving up the voltage required to jump all the gaps in the circuit.

 

ok thank you all for helping i will keep posting until i can get it started