Dumb Newbie Question - Ignition Control Unit

[Zestieboy]

Hi all,

I've got an 83 380SL with electronic ignition. The ICU box (mounted on the front driver side fender) has two large wires. One has a large plug (grey) and routes back from the unit towards the firewall and the other is a single plug green wire that heads to the base of the distributor. Can someone tell me what the green wire does and how does someone go about replacing it? Thanks!

[page62]

My educated guess is that the green wire is an ignition trigger wire. If you want to replace it completely, I'd imagine it's time to break out a soldering iron. You'd have to open both the distributor and ignition box and remove and resolder a fresh wire to the connecting points.

However, I would also think you could splice in a replacement wire for what I'm guessing is a damaged section (mine has some insulation rubbed off). Again, solder and shrink wrap would fix it best. Do NOT use crimp-type splices -- they will fail...probably on the middle of the freeway...

[Zestieboy]

Well, I noticed yesterday that the reinforced area surrounding the boot on the ICU side was frayed. I also noticed that as I handled the wire, the RPM would rise and fall. Upon further observation, the reinforcement completely fell apart exposing some bare wire and I noticed that the boot itself was also cracked. Temporarily, I taped it all up really tight.

Since I've been having an intermittent, heat-related problem with poor acceleration, missing, sputtering, can't accelerate over 40 etc. I thought this must certainly be a factor, if not the cause itself.

I tried to look online to see what I might order but the closest I came was to a "condenser wire" and I'm pretty sure my car doesn't have one and if it did, everyone snips those off anyway. It is green though, just like this one.

Obviously, I'm looking to replace this wire whatever it's called, ASAP. I was hoping it wasn't a repair deal as you're suggesting since that's not my forte - I was looking for an easy way out which we rarely get with these cars!

Thanks!

[page62]

You don't happen to have any friends that are ham radio operators, do you? Some of them are pretty handy with wire and a soldering gun... (I'd help, but I'm a little too far away...)

[Zestieboy]

Ordered a new one and installed it. Thank you all!

[kbannister]

Did the new wire correct the problem you have been having?