It's too bad GM engineers didn't make the coil easily removable from its bracket. Why should changing a coil be such a service nightmare? I admire your fortitude.

Today, I'm am replacing the coil in my 2005 Astro after distributor cap, rotor, plugs/wires. Your video confirmed that all the components up front needed to be removed to get to the front coil bracket bolt. Helpful for sure...thanks.

Just watched this again and it helped me greatly. Thank you. Just got my coil out and got the bracket off the coil too. The coil is all back together and so tomorrow everything goes back into the engine bay and put back together. I am expecting that by van is cured of it's crank no start issue after a half hour or so driving. We shall see.

great video thank you.

I had to change the intake manifold gasket to repair a coolant leak in my 2001 Astro and had to tear pretty much everything off the front of the engine! Fan and shroud, hoses, alternator! I found the easiest way to work on the engine was to take the passenger seat right out! Four 18 mm bolts! Makes getting the doghouse out and easy access in the engine compartment! Good luck

If you need more of that "white paste" its called thermal compound, its the same stuff used in computers. You can get it on amazon and don't buy the cheapest one online, I personally like the brand artic silver ceramique 2.

aaah, not looking forward to that job . but thanks for the insight.

I just bought a 96 safari a month ago. I love it!!!

Great video Michael. I see what is in store for me in the very near future. Van sounds great! I have an 04 and I have noticed the stock loom is crumbling aas well. Not sure what to do about that because a lot of it you just cannot take off and replace. Especially the big looms. That is a good tip to ad loom in those areas with exposed wires.

great job man you did that very well for me I didn't have to take the mass air flow sensor and air box off you should be able to get it without doing that but it's all good I hope that fixed your problem I do wanna say one thing though, that PCV/air breather on the side of the intake snorkel with the zip tie around it looked like it was a bit crusty I would replace that and add a metal hose clamp because it can cause a nasty misfire and vacuum leak mine was dry rotted and causing a vacuum leak also, I want to say if the ICM didn't fix your issue it could also be a bad charcoal canister purge valve there is two of them on the Astros one right next to the ignition coil in the dog house and one underneath next to the actual charcoal canister I replaced the one beside the ignition when I was chasing a misfire a while back and it did seem to run better the function of the canister purge valve is to open when the engine is running to release any extra fuel vapors in the charcoal canister sometimes when that purge valve get old and the seal inside gets worn it can release unwanted gas vapors in the intake which could cause a misfire. also on a hot day when the fuel expands and the pressure builds up over time, it could leak past the valve and cause a misfire just some advice if the ICM didn't work out I've been following your vids and you seemed to have replaced everything except the purge valve I love your channel and I love Astros and safaris I will try my best to help you out as much as possible if anything goes wrong in the future as I am only 16 years old and still learning mechanics and Astros lol cheers,

Good day Brother,I like watching your videos,but just to let you this may be an easier way to change the coil and ICM on Astro,mine is 2004 and I didn’t remove the bracket,I removed the two screws on the ignition coil and two screws on the ICM and sanded with a sponge block,luckily there wasn’t any rivets to drill out.

Sorry to correct you, but you removed it the hard way. The coil only has 2 nuts and bolt studs that need to be removed. From inside the van, the far nut is also used for the throttle bracket. You don't need to remove that entire bracket. Just remove the nut and use your hand and pull the bracket up⚠️ Its ok if it bends a little. It doesn't affect anything with the throttle cable. I did it yesterday and i pulled it up and over the bolt to get it off and the same to get it back on. No big deal. I was surprised and thought i needed to remove that entire bracket, but i didn't.😀😀😀😀

The only thing about having a van you can only reach the front and back not the middle of the engine. I did a full upgrade with Davis unified parts gave it a better spark with a new coil, icm, distributor and blue streak 8mm wires w/ceramic boots she scoots now .

I did everything from the inside.

My 2003 began stumbling/kicking really bad and lacked any amount of power. So last weekend I did the coil/rotor/cap/plugs/wires. I did the coil all from the doghouse end and did not remove anything from the front. Tested it afterwards and it was far worse than ever. Apparently while I was prying the dipstick bracket out of the way I had forced out the vacuum sensor. Popped it back in and she purrs like a kitten. Compression tests range from 170-175 to 185 so I assume that's pretty good. The old plugs were fouled very black.

I just did this last week trying to chase a no start condition. Ended up being my fuel pump smh. Now I'm thinking I have to go back and replace my ICM. All I did was clean off all the dirt from the heatsinks.

Great job thank you for the play by play. The only question or observation I have is when you thermal paste the aluminum heat sink to the steel engine bracket. I know that's how the factory did it but, it seems that if a rubber gasket was between the two it would stop the heat coming from the engine through the mounting bracket into the heat sink. I'm just thinking how heat is your number one killer when it comes to anything electronic, and any extra may help. Thanks again.

Ive watched multiple videos on this and still cant figure out what bolts Im missing to get this thing out. Ive got the front and back one that have like a screw going through it and the bolt between them. Cant figure out what other bolts are holding it on..

25:38 its probably dielectric grease.

We’re you getting a PO300 code?

What made you change the module and the icm was installing

Are you starting to consider the ship of theseus yet 🤔

Can't see where the bolts are.

How do u test the icm with a multi meter