I purchased a used delco ICM and coil packs and i have a discrepancy with the cylinder numbers on the packs and what the Haynes manual says. Here'* photos:







The coil packs have the order 145263 but the manual says 145236 for the 92 and later. My car is an 88 LE and the firing order is what the manual says for both the 92 and later nd the 88, so I am guessing the last coil pack is from another model. I have tried starting the car with the 3 and 6 plugs at both locations, and it still isnt starting.

I pulled the plug wire off the number 1 plug, inserted a spare plug, grounded it off and turned it over and didnt get any spark. Being a different coil pack than the one in question, i would think i should have gotten a spark.

Is that coil pack from another vehicle? Should it still work as long as I have the plugs in the correct order? What could be causing me to get no spark? I have replaced the crankshaft position sensor so that isnt the problem.

I explain the initial problem a little more in detail here:
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...79531c116acd17

Heres a better way to fix it. It does not matter where the wires go, as long as they are (starting from top to bottom) Even, odd, even, odd, even, odd. So take one from the back, then front, back, front, back, front. It should fire right up.

Also make sure that the ICM is good and is not a bad one.

Ok, I just noticed in your picture that the firing order is correct. It sounds like you have either a bad ICM, or a few other things.

You are contradicting yourself when you say "it doesnt matter where they go" and then say "starting from top to bottom".

What is top? the top of the picture I took or the the other end where it says the number 1?

I would think it would be easiest to start from the number one spot, since that isnt the questionable coil pack.

oops sorry i missed you saying you noticed the order

Also, i have tried it with the plugs going in even and odd alternately. if you will notice, that is how it is in the photos. Im pretty sure I have them in the correct location, my question is basically, will it work if its a diff coil pack, could it just be bad...but i dont think its bad as I didnt have fire in number one wire.

3 & 6 spark at the same time so even if they were reversed the engine would still run.
Check for spark at all three front cylinders. If you're not getting spark from any of them check for 12 volts going to the ICM. The ICM gets power from the pink (some years were pink/black) wire at one end of the wiring harness. The key has to be in the run position while checking for power.

thanks Tech Ted,, I will check right now. Suppose I do not have power to the ICM, what could it be then? relay? fuse?

Ive checked all the fuses but I double check just to ease some doubts

everyone is still missing is real question. He'* just asking that even though the coil says something, will it still work with a different cylinder. And yes, it will. The numbers on the coil are from the car it came from, and are just paint. Doesn't matter whatsoever. Follow the hayne'* manual and the truth shall be revealed.

And wtf is up with that cable coming off your positive terminal? That doesn't look pretty, nor safe.

Remember kiddies, resistance makes heat.. and heat makes fire... and as bevis always said... "FIRE!"

Ha, thats a battery charger clamp. Look closer.

If it'* not getting power check all the fuses. I think ICM & fuel pump share a fuse under the dash on passenger side.

That is actually a jumper cable on the battery. That battery is bad apparently. i left it on trickle charge all night and it it went dead quick. I replaced it with another sinc ethis photo.