So Fix it

Park the 1972 Cutlass on solid ground and block the wheels. Jack up the car. Use a lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts. Remove the nuts and the wheel from the hub that needs the spring replaced.

Place a 4-inch by 4-inch block under the lower A-arm ball joint. Lower the jack so the car is supported both by the block and the jack. Unscrew the top shock nut and remove the lower shock bolts. Remove the shock from the center of the spring.

Insert a spring compressor inside the center of the coil spring. Hook the top and bottom of the spring compressor to a coil. Tighten the spring compressor nut to compress the coil spring and relieve pressure on the A-arms.

Pull the cotter pin out of the castle nut of the top ball joint using a pair of pliers. Use a socket and ratchet to remove the ball joint nut from the upper ball joint.

Slide a pickle fork between the spindle and upper ball joint. Smack the pickle fork end with a hammer until the spindle pops off the ball joint shaft.

Raise the jack slowly. Let the spindle fall to the side and release all the pressure from the spring. With all the pressure off the coil spring, lift it out of the lower A-arm.

Release the spring compressor from the old spring backing down the nut. Install the spring compressor onto the new spring to be installed. Slide the new spring up inside the frame of the 1972 Cutlass.

Lower the jack until the upper ball joint can be inserted into the top spindle hole. Push the ball joint shaft through the top spindle hole. Re-Install the castle nut to the upper ball joint. Slowly release the coil spring compressor.

Tighten the upper ball joint castle nut to the ball joint and insert the cotter pin. Raise the car with the jack and replace the wheel. Reinstall and tighten the five lug nuts on the hub of the 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

Lift the hood of your Nissan and prop it open. Identify the cylinders on the rear side of the engine. These are cylinders 1, 3 and 5. This is where you will find the coil harnesses.

Notice the green tabs on the grey coil harnesses.

Push down on the inside of the harness to release it from the coil. This may take a good bit of pressure.

Place the harnesses, in the order removed, on the ground so that you can keep track of which cylinder each belongs to.

Remove the 10 mm bolt that locks each of the three coils to the engine.

Remove the coils from the engine.

Remove the cover plate on the front of the engine by detaching the four screws that hold it in place. This will expose the coils on cylinders 2, 4 and 6.

Remove the coil harnesses in the same manner as the rear harnesses were removed.

Set the harnesses aside in order.

Remove the three 10 mm bolts that hold the front coils in place.

Slide the front engine coils out from the engine block.

Place the new coils inside cylinders 2, 4 and 6.

Tighten the coils with the three 10 mm bolts.

Position the harnesses over the coils.

Reattach the cover plate and tighten the four screws to secure it.

Place the new coils at the rear of the engine.

Attach the coils with the three 10 mm bolts and tighten.

Place the coil harnesses into position and attach them to the coils.

Locate the negative battery cable end on the battery terminal and loosen the clamp bolts with a wrench. Remove the cable from the terminal and set it aside, isolating it from the battery terminals.

Locate the ignition coil on the top of the engine, near the front on the drivers side. Pull the high-tension cable off the top of the coil and lay it off to one side. Locate the wiring harness connection on the side of the coil.

Depress the locking tab on the side of the wiring harness connector and remove the connector from the coil. Locate the two mounting bolts on the mounting bracket and remove them with a socket and ratchet.

Lift the coil and bracket off the engine. If you are installing a new coil, you will need to reuse the mounting bracket so do not discard it once you remove it from the engine.