What kills coil packs?

[Double-6s]

Just wondering what kills coil packs?

If you give your car a good ragging (stage 1 mapped) can the thrashing kill coils? Does how you drive have a bearing on coil pack life?

Thanks

Will

 

[Tr1ck]

i wouldn't think that driving styles have any effect on that

 

[Mark300zx]

I think that when they map it they can increase the spark duration, which could be a factor?

 

[ozzymyster]

Crap spark plugs don't help

 

[big eck]

I was told a while ago that they raise out the head a bit under hard boost which causes the spark to jump further which then fooks the coil. Don't know how much of that is true tho.

 

[Mark300zx]

Not true bud.

 

[Mart]

From my experience, I ran my LC standard from new for the first 8 years, driven fairly hard but only after everything was up to temp.

Then I decided to do a couple of mods as seen in my sig, mainly TIP, CAI, Silicone hoses and exhaust. The car was on its original coil packs from new, but in the 2 months following the mods, every single one of the original coils failed at different times and had to be replaced and 2 of those have gone since.

It’s never been chipped, always had V-Power, puts out a consistent 192bhp on the Liquid Gauge.

So, 8 years was fine, couple of small mods and 4 coil packs gone in 2 months, another 2 gone over the next 12 months, same driving style.

Maybe the extra vibration from the engine mounts has an effect too.

 

[Alexis27]

AA guy told me it was all down to the spark plugs. If one coil goes, change all 4 sparks ASAP.

 

[Muttley]

Old plugs take more power to raise a spark as the gaps get wider. So that could well be a factor in coil pack failure. Combine that with the coil packs themselves getting older, when the insulation starts to break down.

A good reason to change plugs (if they've not been done recently) when the coil packs start to go. How old are your plugs, Double-6s? It's a false economy to try to make them last too long. Seat's recommended interval is 40K miles, which I'd regard as a maximum.

 

[Double-6s]

Not sure how old plugs are mate.

It's a new car to me, so I will do oil and plugs anyway.

Thanks

 

[ibizacupra]

Just wondering what kills coil packs?

If you give your car a good ragging (stage 1 mapped) can the thrashing kill coils? Does how you drive have a bearing on coil pack life?

Thanks

Will

worn (large gap plugs)
heat
age
vibration
cylinder pressures (boost)

all factors in why coil packs can give up the will to live on occasion