How to Replace an Ignition Coil on a 1997 Jimmy

The General Motors Truck Company or GMC was established in 1909, when General Motors purchased Rapid Motor Vehicles commercial truck makers. The GMC S-15 or Jimmy was introduced in 1982, alongside the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. The 1997 GMC S-15 Jimmy was equipped with a 4.3-liter Vortec V-6 engine that made 190 horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque. The ignition system on the 1997 Jimmy is a distributor-type ignition system, with a separated ignition coil. Replacing the ignition coil requires modifications to the ignition coil bracket.

Instructions

1

Raise the hood on the Jimmy and set the hood prop. Remove the negative battery cable from the battery with a 1/4-inch-drive ratchet and socket. Tuck the battery cable to the side of the battery, so that there is not accidental contact during this project. Remove the electrical connectors from both ends of the ignition coil by hand. Remove the coil-to-distributor wire from the coil by hand.

2

Remove the two ignition coil bracket to engine mounting nuts, with your ratchet and socket. Remove the ignition coil and bracket from the passenger side upper engine intake. Set the old coil on a bench or in a vice. Drill the rivets out of the old coil that hold the coil to the bracket. Use only the size drill bit that matches the diameter of the rivets. Do not drill a larger hole in the bracket. Remove the old ignition coil from the bracket.

3

Install the new ignition coil onto the bracket. Install the mounting bolts from the new ignition coil installation kit, and tighten the bolts snug with a Phillips screwdriver. Install the new ignition coil and the ignition coil bracket onto the upper engine intake. Tighten the bracket mounting nuts to 20 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

4

Install the electrical connectors onto both ends of the coil. Install the coil-to-distributor ignition wire into the new coil. Install the negative battery cable onto the battery, and tighten it snug with a ratchet and socket.