wires going to the coil

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dick2256
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 10:05 am

wires going to the coil

Post by dick2256 »

black distributor wire goes to the negative side of the coil but another wire goes to that terminal and what goes on the positive side?
I had that on a piece of paper but lost the paper
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bbodie52
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Re: wires going to the coil

Post by bbodie52 »

Assuming your Corvair is still fitted with a stock ignition system with coil, points, condenser, etc...

DC power is provided to the coil positive terminal from two sources. On most Corvair model years a single wire is routed between the coil positive terminal and the two-circuit plastic connector near the starter. This wire is spliced to two wires at that point. One wire is connected to the starter solenoid, while the other wire is routed to the multi-connector near the charging system voltage regulator. The wire coming from the starter solenoid provides a full 12 VDC to power the coil, but only when the ignition key is turned to START to energize the starter and crank the engine. The coil receives a full 12 VDC power source as long as the engine is being cranked by the starter. The higher voltage fed to the coil increases the spark plug voltage to help the cold engine to start at cranking speeds. This voltage is shut off when the key is released and the starter disengages. The other wire that leads to the multi-connector is a special resistor wire. It provides the coil with a continuous nominal 7 VDC to keep the engine running when it is no longer being cranked by the starter. This reduced voltage comes from the ignition switch in the ON position. It is a full 12 VDC (battery voltage) from the ignition switch to the multi-connector, and is then reduced by the special resistor wire to a nominal 7 VDC for normal continuous engine operation. The reduced voltage is adequate to keep the engine running, but the lower voltage helps the coil to run cooler and also prolongs the life of the ignition points by reducing arcing and burning as the points open and close.

The black wire on the coil negative terminal connects to the distributor ignition points, which serve as an on/off switch. When closed they ground the coil primary winding to energize the coil and build an electro-magnetic field. When the points open the electro-magnetic field collapses, causing a high voltage discharge from the coil secondary winding to the distributor cap center terminal. The rotor then routes this high voltage to one of the six spark plugs to cause a spark to jump the gap on the plug to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. (This is all synchronized with the engine so that each spark plug fires at the correct moment when the piston is at the top of the compression stroke and ready for the power stroke).

If there is a second wire on the coil negative terminal (-), routed to the wiring harness, it is a sensor wire for a tachometer. This wire allows a tachometer to count the voltage pulses that occur as the points open and close, which are displayed as an RPM reading on the tachometer.

If a condenser (capacitor) is mounted on the side of the coil, it serves as a radio interference noise suppression device. It mounts to the coil bracket, and its lead goes to the positive (+) terminal on the coil

Refer to the engine wiring schematic in the shop manual for your model year to see the details of this wiring illustrated, and to see the wire color codes. On some early models, a separate wire is routed from the starter solenoid, all the way to the coil positive terminal, and the other resistor wire is also routed all the way to the coil, with both wires joining at the coil positive terminal. But on most model years the two wires join at the plastic connector near the starter, leaving a single wire to be connected to the coil positive terminal. Wire color codes vary with different model years.
1962 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram
1962 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram
1963 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring (Ignition Circuit)
1963 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring (Ignition Circuit)
1964 Ignition Wiring Diagram
1964 Ignition Wiring Diagram
1965-1969 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram (CORRECTED)
1965-1969 Corvair Engine Compartment Wiring Diagram (CORRECTED)
Brad Bodie
Lake Chatuge, North Carolina
Image 1966 Corvair Corsa Convertible
dick2256
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 10:05 am

Re: wires going to the coil

Post by dick2256 »

That should be all I need Brad
Thank you very much
Dick
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