[honks]

just wondering how long does an ignition coil last for my 95 sierra still has the original one in it seems to run ok but was going to replace it for reliability reasons should i get another one the same as the factory one or will one from supercheap etc. be ok dont know much about the out put of these things

[want33s]

I've seen 50 year old coils still going strong.. They don't often shit themselves.
If I were going across the Simpson I doubt I'd take a spare coil.

[SuziBlu]

want33s wrote:

I've seen 50 year old coils still going strong.. They don't often shit themselves.
If I were going across the Simpson I doubt I'd take a spare coil.

I change coils for my own reasons, but I have never heard of a coil shitting itself, they are a wonderful piece of work.

[zooker]

I had the coil shit itself in my old sierra. The car would just randomly die while you were driving But it wasn't the stock coil, previous owner had replaced it with some generic bosch coil

[Che]

I gotta get a new ignition coil, was gonna buy one yesterday but Suzistore doesn't stock them. Even so, they can only get their hands on a genuine Suzuki part which isn't cheap. Should I just get an MSD coil?

I run LPG and apparently a better spark is a good thing for the fuel, but I don't see any zooks running a hotter coil... wondering if there's a reason why?

[SuziBlu]

MSD = woohooooo

Go for it, what model are you looking at.

[SierraDan]

Do aftermarket coils help at all in a stock motor?

[alien]

it could if your current one is slightly damaged, you'd essentially get a better spark... dunno if it'd be enough to make a real world difference though?

[Che]

SuziBlu wrote:

MSD = woohooooo

Go for it, what model are you looking at.

No idea... you tell me Just been poking around their webpage and a few other options. MSD seems to get the best wrap, don't want anything too hardcore though, just something that'll slot straight in the current bracket.

EDIT - Maybe the MSD 8222 high vibration coil?

[SierraDan]

alien wrote:

it could if your current one is slightly damaged, you'd essentially get a better spark... dunno if it'd be enough to make a real world difference though?

Yeah thats what i thought. Like, they'd only make a big difference in a modified/hi output engine.

[fordem]

I've got a Blaster SS (for solid state ignition) that I'm going to put on some day - came off of a friend's race car (a tube framed RX7) when we switched emgine management from Electromotive to Autronic - it's been sitting on the shelf over a year because fitting it means cutting the existing plug off of the harness and that existing (18 year old) coil does a wonderful job.

If I felt it would make a significant difference I'd get off my butt and install it - but the truth is - I picked it up because it was free - free is good.

[whincup]

do they wear out over time? as in, over years slowly produce weaker spark??

[Taylor74]

Replaced heaps of coils on sierras, all aftermarket, stick a stock 2nd hand one on and never have any more probs. Most the non gen coils are designed to be run with a resistor, Replaced a 12v bosch coil 2 days ago due to hard starting. when I removed it on the back had a sticker (use with resistor) but on the outer in big writing (12 Volt). Wouldnt trust an aftermarket coil ever.

[SuziBlu]

The only vehicle that I have not replaced my coil, is the statesman I had, but she had a lot of work, not by me, as I do not understand the modern motors so well.

Grab a 20,000v coil and feel its kik, then grab a 50,000v coil and feel its kik.

I have never in all my years had any coil fail, from the stock in the statesman, to the miraid of ones that I have replaced.

Most non genuine coils are designed to run with a resistor, what a load of shit.

Like everything on cars, coils are built to do the job, but, like every thing on cars, they can be improved upon, like tyres, springs, gearing, exhaust etc

[SuziBlu]

che_guitarra wrote:

SuziBlu wrote:

MSD = woohooooo

Go for it, what model are you looking at.

No idea... you tell me Just been poking around their webpage and a few other options. MSD seems to get the best wrap, don't want anything too hardcore though, just something that'll slot straight in the current bracket.

EDIT - Maybe the MSD 8222 high vibration coil?

The use of the coil aloe will make for a difference, if you tune the car fully, but, if you want to go to an ignition module as well, then you will see real power gains. Series 5 is a start, but series 6 is the go, 6AL or so.

An MSD ignition will give performance gains across the rev range, but, its most noticeable from start. Torque is the issue here, it will hold far far longer.

Like anything, do a complete make over, this is the way to see value for money, let her breath better, bigger carb, (stock 1.3l carb is very restrictive) extractors and a 2" system, MSD, and wow, your poxy little 1.3l will feel like a monster.

My 1.3 easily out does my 1.6. The 1.3, is as hot as I can get her without opening it, ie porting, polishing, balancing and cam, the 1.6 is stock.

[Rockhopper]

Sierra I just sold had the standard 20 year old coil in it and still going strong. I wouldn't worry about upgrading your coil for lpg. It's true lpg needs a good spark to run, but if it's running ok now, putting a stronger coil in won't make any noticeable differance.

[Che]

Well, keyword for me is LPG. It doesn't conduct electricity as well as petrol, so the voltage required to make it spark is waaay higher... i've found out since that an extra 15000 volts will not go to waste, the whole power band will lap it up. I just want a nice regular idle again


Reputable aftermarket coils are made just as well as OEM parts, guaranteed, the fail is in the install. I've read a bunch of coil horror stories, and 99% come back to simple DIY oversights like ignoring instructions, manufacturer advice, or overspec-ing one part of the system and ignoring the rest.

[Che]

Rockhopper wrote:

Sierra I just sold had the standard 20 year old coil in it and still going strong. I wouldn't worry about upgrading your coil for lpg. It's true lpg needs a good spark to run, but if it's running ok now, putting a stronger coil in won't make any noticeable differance.

Nah, running like shit for the last month since I took it out to the powerlines... new-ish rotor button and dizzy cap, new spark plugs, decent leads, and no vacuum breaches, LPG has been tuned in the last fortnight, motor otherwise runs OK. Idle is different at every set of lights, if the coil is hot it won't spark at all, and give it a tap when you're at idle and it stalls, humid vs dry it behaves different again.

Power gains aren't my aim, the coil need replacing either way. I just want a car that purrs like a kitten... right now it's like a kid with a chroming bag.

[SuziBlu]

Rockhopper wrote:

Sierra I just sold had the standard 20 year old coil in it and still going strong. I wouldn't worry about upgrading your coil for lpg. It's true lpg needs a good spark to run, but if it's running ok now, putting a stronger coil in won't make any noticeable differance.

Can you quantify this please.

[ajsr]

Ive repaced plenty of ign coils over the years, auto parts stores wouldnt stock them if they did not fail.
the vit I bought for parts had factory coil shit its self a week after I got it.

they are a very reliable part but like all parts will eventually fail.

I very much doubt you will notice any difference other than a lighter wallet if you lash on a msd compared to any other good brand coil in a stock ignition system

[squizzytaylor]

Old coils (original GT40 and GT40r and all OEM) were oil filled and were prone to leakage hence the high changeover rate, solid state coils should effectively last a lot longer.

[ajsr]

squizzytaylor wrote:

Old coils (original GT40 and GT40r and all OEM) were oil filled and were prone to leakage hence the high changeover rate, solid state coils should effectively last a lot longer.

Ive always found those T coils to be the least reliable.

[SuziBlu]

ajsr wrote:

squizzytaylor wrote:

Old coils (original GT40 and GT40r and all OEM) were oil filled and were prone to leakage hence the high changeover rate, solid state coils should effectively last a lot longer.

Ive always found those T coils to be the least reliable.

I have always run gt coils, oil filled jobs, but decided to run a T coil, goes well, and so far, touch wood, its run without a hiccup, bout 12 months old. This is on my 1.6l stocker.

The biggy I have, which I broke, damit, but its replacement is on its way, is a 6HVC ignition module, with a 8250 coil.

This hooked up to this makes my lil toy fairly scream for joy.

[SierraDan]

Just stopped by super cheap

[SuziBlu]

R designates for use with Points, starts at battery voltage, then reduces to 9 volts so as to stop points burn.

You want the non R

[31zook]

i have a GT40, it's never failed me

[SuziBlu]

[royce]

SuziBlu wrote:

R designates for use with Points, starts at battery voltage, then reduces to 9 volts so as to stop points burn.

You want the non R

NO THAT'S FUCKING WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

R is for use with a ballast resistor, doesnt matter a pinch of shit what switches it, you can have points with no resistor (lot of British cars) or resistor with transistor ignition (some Toyotas had this)

I am going to put coil threads in the same box as you tube and ebay soon, they keep coming up, the same bullshit gets dribbled out by the same people and the same people keep telling them they are wrong, i'm over it

its a pretty simple thing and you cant alter physics, for a given airgap and density you need so many vots to jump it, doesnt matter if you have 7 times that available it wont do any better job of it

Bosch also dont recommend the GT40 for a Sierra, go look at the listing

Che, yes gas required higher voltage than petrol, but like ive said 700 times now, if it isnt missing its not a problem

[SuziBlu]

Bosch tell us that R is for points.

Royce, we have had this discussion many times, I am no electrical genius, but, I can tell you, my arse dnyo shows that a GT40 over stock wins hands down, widen the gap, the improvement is more marked, increase initial timing, and broom. I cant go as far with my stock coil.

I was told I needed a R style coil in my zook, put it in, was not very happy with the results, put in a non R coil, performance was so far superior that it was chalk and cheese.

Bosch does not rate a GT for a zook, Bridgstone does not rate 35s for a zook, for that matter, nor even 31s, but lots of us run these. Bet suzuki does not rate rear springs for the front either.


Ill stand my zook and her tune against any.

[SierraDan]

SuziBlu wrote:

R designates for use with Points, starts at battery voltage, then reduces to 9 volts so as to stop points burn.

You want the non R

The other one GT40T I think it was looks like a coil pack.
The R looks identical to the Sierra one but a different sticker.