New style ignition sensor, but has no ground wire??

[Big6ft6]

Hi All, I have 2001 boat with 4.3 carb engine (that I think was replaced at one time). My distributor has the new sealed ignition sensor with the flying leads (white with greens trip and white with red stripe), but there is no ground wire coming out of the distributor? Was there a time that they made these new sealed ignition sensors without the ground? Should I put a in a new one with the ground wire?

I'm chasing what I think is an intermittent ignition issue which is why I'm snooping around in there.

 

[Big6ft6]

Here is a picture just in case I'm saying something wrong, I've felt around the entire underside of the dizzy and cannot feel any other wire than the two in the pic.

 

[Big6ft6]

Well thought I'd look under the cap for anything else amiss and looks like I was mistaken, looks like old style sensor? I will replace. Any recommendations as for replacement source or ones to avoid? I see them on Amazone etc.

When I read that the old style sensor had "exposed lugs" I thought it meant expose external of the distributor, since I didn't see any exposed lugs I thought I had the new style. I'm excited, hoping that replacing this things fixes the intermittent rough running I've been experiencing.

 

[alldodge]

The new sensor comes as a kit, so it can be connected with a couple different options.
Yes the new one has the extra ground because the older ones and intermittent issues

87-892150Q02

 

[79Invader]

The ground lead coming off the new style sensor replaced a ground that would normally attach to one of the mounting bolts that come through the dizzy. Stupid design which is why it’s been replaced. Run that new ‘flying lead’ to a good clean up painted ground, and snug it up right. No reason the run an additional ground to the dizzy as there’s nothing else in there that needs grounding. Happy boating.

 

[achris]

Or you could just use one of the spare ground wires in the harness. Hook that to the new sensor black wire.

Chris.

 

[Big6ft6]

Hey Chris, that sounds nice and tidy. Would you help a newbie know which wiring harness your referring to? Whereabouts on the motor would I find the harness with the spare ground?

 

[achris]

When I had my 4.3LX I had a distributor ground problem (long story). In looking to fix the problem I found a 'loose' wire from the engine wiring that I could use.

Have a look around the area of the distributor/back of the engine where the wiring loom runs. You may see an unused ground wire that you can pick up on.