Coil Pack Wiring Issue - Any Tips?

[squarelogo]

Hello there,

I just changed the plugs on my wife's P5. After getting it all put back together I went to start it up... nothing. It turns over, but won't start.

I went back under the hood and looked around. At first, I couldn't find any problems, so I decided to reinstall the old plugs. I got the old plugs put in, and started putting it back together when I see that part of the wiring harness that goes to the second coil pack was pinch by one of the bolts that holds on the first coil pack. Sure enough, some of the insulation was stripped from one of the wires inside the harness and was touching the bolt.

I'm guessing that when I attempted to start the car, I either popped a fuse somewhere, or that coil pack was toasted... or both? I will go buy new coil packs tonight. Should I also be looking at fuses? Any idea which fuse might have been affected by my slip-up?

Thanks for any insight you may be able to offer. I appreciate it. (freak)

 

[pasadena_commut]

You better pray that it is just a fuse, because some of those wires come out of the ECM. I would hope that the engine control module was designed to withstand an accidental shorting of the lines that drive the coil packs, but if not, this could be an expensive repair. It is very unlikely that shorting those wires would damage the coils, since the short was on the input side, and all it would have done is shunted the voltage/current that was supposed to enter the coil directly to ground (the engine), without any of it passing through the coil.

Did it throw a CEL?

 

[CheeseHelmet]

I agree with pasadena_commut, your coilpacks are probably fine. Tape up the wires and hope for the best :S

 

[squarelogo]

Thanks for the replies. No CEL. Any ideas as to which fuses to check?

I'm hoping I didn't fry the ECM.

Thanks again.

 

[CheeseHelmet]

Thanks for the replies. No CEL. Any ideas as to which fuses to check?

I'm hoping I didn't fry the ECM.

Thanks again.

Looking at the wiring diagram in the service manual there's a 10A fuse labeled "Engine" that you might want to check out (it's inside the car in the driver-side fuse panel).

The ECM should be built to withstand something like that, hopefully they did it right.

 

[squarelogo]

Cheese, you nailed it. You saved the day,

Thank you SO much.

Fuse replaced, good to go.

 

[CheeseHelmet]

Cheese, you nailed it. You saved the day,

Thank you SO much.

Fuse replaced, good to go.

Sweeeet, glad to hear your ECM isn't fried!

 

[P-Funk!]

High five for the cheesyhelmet!