As far as adjusting, the color coding isn't important, the pin position of the sensor is. If you follow the shop manual procedure, you're applying voltage to the sensor and adjusting based on the sensor output at idle.
As Blue stated, make sure your base idle is set properly (1800 +/- 200) and adjust the TP sensor according to the calculation and voltage supply.
The sensor is a potentiometer not unlike the throttle control of your old Tyco/AFX slot car race track. It uses a wiper arm with a contact button at the end of the arm that slides across resistor pads similar to the resistor wire windings of your slot car controller. If you played with your slot car track enough you'd end up with dead spots somewhere in the range of the wiper arm.
Same affect with your TPS but in this case the CDI is expecting a smooth voltage change from closed to open throttle but if the wiper arm flutters due to engine vibration (or is lifted from the resistor pads from plowing of the pad material) you lose the voltage signal to the CDI.
You're not only loosing an important load indicator to the CDI but even worse you're sending it an erratic signal so the CDI will add and pull spark erratically.
The self test capabilities of the CDI is limited to gross, out of range resistance from the TPS so the only time your temp light (aka - check engine or MIL) will flash is if it's out of range low or high. According to Bob's testing, a simple resistance check of the sensor even when cycling the throttle won't identify a faulty sensor and IMO engine vibration is necassary to recreate the fault.
Please read through the thread as Blue suggests.