Coil Pack Replacement (DIY) **Picture Heavy**

Guffers

Resident Engineer
Apr 18, 2007
482
0
Right guys and mechanically minded girls, I've been having a bit of a problem with my coil packs on my 1.4 02 ibiza. Two in a week to be precise. [:@]

First time happened coming down the motorway and had no choice but to go straight to Morrisons Stirling and get it fixed.
All in all cost me about £130 (including hooking it up to the computer etc).

Second one went and i thought, "Hey, cant be that hard can it?".... :whistle:

** As usual, I, nor the site are responsible if you damage your car or
bodily self due to the information included here!**



Anyway if your car starts to run on three or four cylinders suddenly and the ECU light comes on (flashing, looks like a deformed tap)
chances are its a coil pack away.

But fear not! Heres how to save the money and do it yourself!

Step 1

Get into a SEAT dealership and buy the coil pack. Should be around £30ish for one.


Find a nice quiet spot to work on your wounded beast, and
preferably out the rain and wind etc.


You will need:- A Torx Set (fiver from Halfrauds)
Big Screwdriver
Flat bladed implement (kitchen knife or shim plate)
8mm spanner
Rubber or rawhide mallet


Step 2


If you have just been driving it, go for a cup of tea and let it cool off for a bit in case you burn yourself
on the manifold cover. Also, make sure the ignition is off as these things (coil pack) generate high voltage and could be
a bit painful if touched when energised.


DSC00105-1.jpg


Pop the bonnet and take the engine cover off.
(just yank it upwards quite hard at each corner)
Remover breather hose on right hand side and put cover somewhere safe.

You can see the plug like things used to pop the engine cover on with.

DSC00106.jpg


On top of the cylinder there are four strange shaped things sitting at funny angles.
These are the blighters to remove. If you are replacing all of them, undo the two Torx screws with your driver and gently pry the whole assembley upwards.
The top section should lift the probe section out of the holes with a pop. You can also twist off the oil filler cap assembly to get a bit more room.

DSC00108.jpg


If like me you only need to replace one, then take them out one at a time and run the engine to find out which one is faulty.
(Ie; if you take out No1 cylinder and it runs worse than before its that one thats away.)
Make sure to remove all body parts from the engine bay when starting to prevent any accidents.

DSC00109.jpg


To remove one just put your high precision flat bladed instrument (knife)
under the box at an angle and carefully pry it up.
It should come out with a pop. Then disconnect the plug going to it with your knife.

DSC00111.jpg


Do the same with all of them one at a time to figure out which one is borked as above. Then replace with the shiny new one you got from the nice people at SEAT.
Put the pack in about halfway into the hole, then plug the connector back in. Align the box with the plastic holder tray and push down slowy but firmly.
It should drop into place rather nicely and get firm at the very end.
Get your rubber mallet and give it a VERY gentle tap if you cannot get it to go in properly.
Remember to retighten the Torx screws if you removed them.

DSC00110.jpg


Bin the offending item.


Step 3

Now your vehicle should be running slightly better than before, if a bit lumpy at idle. Dont worry as we shall sort this later.

Put the engine cover back on and remember to reconnect the breather hose.
Now, disconnect the battery using the 8mm spanner and go and watch a film or something for half an hour. The lack of electrickery will reset the ECU and make it run sweet as a nut when you go to restart it.

After waiting about an hour, go and reconnect the battery and start the car back up, and let it idle for about ten minutes till it sorts itself out. After then the ECU light on the dash will have went off and the car will be back to its former glory.

Job Done!
Marvel at your engineering skills! :funk:

Hope this helps someone!

Gav [B)]
 
Last edited:

Nath.

The Gentlemans Express
Jan 1, 2006
8,620
16
EASTLEIGH, HAMPSHIRE
I haven't had one go yet but if I do this thread will have helped :D

I spose the coil packs are the same part no for 1.2, 1.4 and 1.8t ?
 

m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
I haven't had one go yet but if I do this thread will have helped :D

I spose the coil packs are the same part no for 1.2, 1.4 and 1.8t ?

nope, on the 1.8T they're directly above the spark plugs, whereas in the pics in this thread for the 1.4 they are separated from the plugs
 

ibiza75

Guest
Great thread. I'm thinking of carrying a spare coil (and tools) in case another of mine pops while I'm out and about.

:blink:
 

onebadmal

Guest
Coil pack one went about six months ago, took it to garage had it and plugs replaced. earlier this week same fault, fault light on and engine chugging. Took it back and they replaced the coil pack and plugs again. However the fault is still there misfiring and sounding more like a Massey-Ferguson. The garage have said it might be a valve and asked me to get a second opinion. Any ideas???
 

onebadmal

Guest
Might be more than one coil pack that went or they could of changed the wrong one....

Does that happen a lot?? I'm going to try leaving battery off tonight and seeing what happens. I don't know if the ECU reset properly. Willing to try anything, even a witch doctor at the mo! lol
 

Damoegan

Sir Bob,a geordy legend..
Oct 15, 2007
8,993
3
Newcastle
Its not unknowen for more than one coil pack to go at any one time.

You dont need to reset the ECU after fitting a coil pack. You only need to disconnect the negative battery terminal for 30 mins max to reset it too.
 

rudgey

Mk2 Leon TFSI Sport '06
Jul 2, 2008
286
0
near Midland VW ;)
Not sure if i should start a different thread, but it's half relivant so i'l lob it here first!

My car has been running a bit lumpy of late (misfiring)! I've had it hooked upto vagcom and it seems theres a few misfires on every cyclinder!!! Not enough to bring on the good ol CEL! But enough to make the car sorta jump about a bit when idleing at the lights! Should i look at replacing the coil packs and/or plugs (they've done near 28k, plus had revo s1 about 2-3k ago)! Or should i wait till the cel comes on? Or should i get logging my maf or what?

Oh and thanks to OP! Great thread!
 

Guffers

Resident Engineer
Apr 18, 2007
482
0
Sounds like a timing issue, if its on every cylinder. Defo change the plugs and packs then see what you get.
 

tony f

Guest
Hi Gav
I have followed your instruction for replacing coil pack on my 1.2 Ibiza.Everything worked fine until the point of resetting the ECU unit.The warning light stays on after disconnecting and reconnecting the battery.The engine runs fine and the car drive well.Any more ideas?
tony f
 

mincecfc

Guest
Just like to add my thanks to the OP for this thread and guide. The Ibiza we have is my girlfriend's car and I know nothing about it. I opened the bonnet of the car and didn't even know how to get the engine cover off. Thanks to this guide, I replaced the 3 coil packs this morning in less than ten minutes. Cheers!
 

Crafoo

Crazy Fool!
Apr 30, 2005
5,498
4
At home
Nice guide this and I think I will be changing mine in the near future, however I was just curious about the bit below that says "reset the ECU" is it necessary to do this? and if so would it cause any problems with my car being remapped? To me, reset ECU sounds very much like going back to factory setup and losing my map settings, can anyone clarify?


Now, disconnect the battery using the 8mm spanner and go and watch a film or something for half an hour. The lack of electrickery will reset the ECU and make it run sweet as a nut when you go to restart it.