Afternoon,

I was working under the hood, trying to get the engine block cover to fit properly. I messed around with the rubber seal in the back and it fit it properly after some work.

When I went back and started the engine, it started to shake. My first guess was that the wires (I'm not sure what these wires are called, ignition coils?)going in to the voltage regulator were at fault. I noticed they were very brittle and did not seem secure (I actually noticed it when I changed spark plugs, NGKs 2000s miles ago). Again, I assumed it was the last one (closest to the cabin). I detached the wire and its plug from the regulator, restarted the engine, and I noticed the engine was still shaking as it had before. I also noticed that the plastic blue plug came off the coil easily.

My question is, can I get these wires and replace them myself (Unplug old and plug in new?)? They don't look like something expensive (or are they)? Is this the ignition coil?

Additional information: 1 The regulators seem new and in good condition, they might have been changed before I bought the car 3months ago. 2 Regarding the plugs that go into the regulators, the back two are blue, the front 4 are dark gray (the grey ones were probably chages recently, the blue ones do look older).

I went through the FAQ, and read about the suggestion regarding the ohms meter. I don't have one, and I'm pretty sure its the one in the back. I also remember someone with a similar problem with brittle wires, I can't seem to find it.

Thanks in advance for any help!
You average Volvo man down the street.