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2G Ignition Coil Plug Order, This is Weird

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NorthstarWhite99GSX

Probationary Member
20
2
Apr 14, 2020
Lincoln, California
Let's start at the beginning. Way back in the long, long time ago, March, I changed out my wires and plugs. For the next 5000 miles everything ran as it should, then of course something happened.

On my runs up and down interstate 80 for my move from Truckee I stated feeling some hesitation going back up the hill. Not much hesitation but enough to notice something wasn't performing as it should. Trip after trip up and down the hill the hesitation would occur more frequently. I plugged my obd reader in and a #4 misfire code was being thrown, along with the multiple misfire code here and there. To make sure it wasn't something easy to fix I swapped the plug wires for #3 & #4, still got #4 misfire code. Replaced #4 plug and same things happening.

So here I am about to replace one of my ignition coils but as I take a closer look at things I see something a little troubling. All the information I see says that the plug order of the coils, from left to right as standing in front of the engine, is 4-1-2-3.

Why do I see this...20201008_105623.jpg
4-1-3-2!

Should the engine run as it does with this configuration? I'm tempted to swap the wires at the coil to the correct order. Not sure why this works as it does.
 

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Switch them to 4-1-2-3 & see if things change. Also your plug wires could be going bad. Our cars don't like the cheaper ignition components because of the higher spark energy needed for the higher cylinder compression from the turbo & are sensitive to what brand & quality is used.

If you clean up your coil bracket you will see the cylinder number each coil is firing stamped into it.

DSM run what's called waste spark. In a wasted spark system, the spark plugs fire in pairs, with one plug in a cylinder on its compression stroke and the other plug in a cylinder on its exhaust stroke. The extra spark during the exhaust stroke has no effect and is thus "wasted". This design halves the number of components necessary in a typical ignition system, while the extra spark, against much reduced dielectric resistance, barely impacts the lifespan of modern ignition components. In a typical engine, it requires only about 2–3 kV to fire the cylinder on its exhaust stroke. The remaining coil energy is available to fire the spark plug in the cylinder on its compression stroke.
 
Let's start at the beginning. Way back in the long, long time ago, March, I changed out my wires and plugs. For the next 5000 miles everything ran as it should, then of course something happened.

On my runs up and down interstate 80 for my move from Truckee I stated feeling some hesitation going back up the hill. Not much hesitation but enough to notice something wasn't performing as it should. Trip after trip up and down the hill the hesitation would occur more frequently. I plugged my obd reader in and a #4 misfire code was being thrown, along with the multiple misfire code here and there. To make sure it wasn't something easy to fix I swapped the plug wires for #3 & #4, still got #4 misfire code. Replaced #4 plug and same things happening.

So here I am about to replace one of my ignition coils but as I take a closer look at things I see something a little troubling. All the information I see says that the plug order of the coils, from left to right as standing in front of the engine, is 4-1-2-3.

Why do I see this...20201008_105623.jpg
4-1-3-2!

Should the engine run as it does with this configuration? I'm tempted to swap the wires at the coil to the correct order. Not sure why this works as it does.
You see that because its the same. Coils are paired. 4123 is the same as many other combinations
The first coil could be 41 or 14 and the 2nd coil 23 or 32. Doesnt matter. Any combination of that is the same.
 
Just finished the coil replacement and while I was there is switched 2 & 3 so the order is what it should be, 4-1-2-3. Ran just like it did before. So I then swapped them back to 4-1-3-2 and it ran just about the same. What Mello and pauleyman said makes sense so I'm going to run them 3-2 for a tank of gas then switch to 2-3 and see if the gas mileage changes. I'm thinking that's the only way I can see a change without any type of datalogging system.

Thanks for the help guys. Plug wires are Denso. Should I get better wires?
 
Plug wires could be the problem but I would check things out before throwing parts at things. What plugs are you using. General consensus is NGK only copper plugs BPR6ES unless you're running higher boost & then move to colder heat range like BPR7ES, etc. Our cars' will hesitate & misfire with other brand of plugs, very common misfire problem.
 
I'm running NGK (#7131) BPR6ES with Denso 7mm wires. Stock boost w/ FMIC because SMIC won't fit after the accident.

Swapping #4 plug and wire with #3's had same results. Next thing in the line would be the coil, well it's not that. Test drove it and still misfiring with #4 misfire code being thrown. I'm returning the coil.

So what's next? What could be causing the misfire? My next thought is the ignition control module(ignition power transistor) since the three things after it all check out.
 
Could be your ignition control module but I'd double check the spark plug gaps first & maybe tighten them up a little smaller than FSM spec .028-.03". Manual recommends new plugs every 15,000. How many miles on the motor and have you done a compression check or leakdown test to check motor's health?
 
I'm running NGK (#7131) BPR6ES with Denso 7mm wires. Stock boost w/ FMIC because SMIC won't fit after the accident.

Swapping #4 plug and wire with #3's had same results. Next thing in the line would be the coil, well it's not that. Test drove it and still misfiring with #4 misfire code being thrown. I'm returning the coil.

So what's next? What could be causing the misfire? My next thought is the ignition control module(ignition power transistor) since the three things after it all check out.
4 and 3 should not swap. Only 1 and 4 or 2 and 3. You have 2 coils combined to form the "coil pack".
 
175,xxx on the motor. The health is ok, not great. I plan on a complete teardown and rebuild of the motor soon. I just checked and regapped the plug 3 days ago.

pauleyman, I knew that might confuse people. I took the wire from #3 and used it to connect #4 to #4 on the coil. I didn't just take the wire off #4 plug and put it on #3 plug. I did this so I could eliminate the wire as the problem. If the wire was bad, I assumed #3 would misfire but I'm still stuck with #4 misfiring.

I guess my next step is to return the coil and pick up the module. The saga continues.
 
Hmm. When a coil goes bad it almost always causes a 2cl miss fire being a dsm fires 1/4 and 2/3 at same time. A single cylinder miss fire would make me think plug, wire, possibly even ground issue. Does your car still have ground strap from intake manifold to firewall? Does it have the factory noise isolator?
 
Coil is not the problem, brand new one and same misfire. Replace #4 plug and wire, still misfire. Ground strap is there. Isolator, running along the right side of the intake manifold i'm hoping, is there.
 
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