$20 C.O.P. (Coil-on-Plug) setup

[Pyro13]

Ok, there are quite a few threads out there about c.o.p. setups. Some of you love them, some hate them, and a couple people were even kind enough to do a "how-to". This one is probably the best: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-electrical-wiring/290665-coil-plug-wiring-install-pics.html
Only downside is his costs over $300. But, using his info I was able to make my own for under $20. Got my coils at the local Pull-a-Part for $2.50ea, spent a few bucks on hardware, and cobbled it all together using some junk I had laying around the garage. Just so everyone knows this can be done DSM-Style (on the cheap)

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[1sttimedsmr]

What kind of coils are those? And where exactly did you get them? with a little more detail work that would look perfect.

 

[ziggo0]

Stock ignition is pretty good for decent power, don't see why you'd want to rush right into COP.

 

[Achelea]

Is that a street sign?

 

[n8kerns]

You should make this a write up on how to make a $20 COP setup instead of just saying it can be done. =) What coils did you use, what "hardware" did you get for a couple bucks and how did you "cobble" it all together. Would be a good tech article.

 

[1sttimedsmr]

That is exactly in what I'm interested in. Knowing the how to. Please enlighten us.

 

[Pyro13]

To answer your questions:
1: The coils are off of a 1999 Chrysler Concorde that I found in the salvage yard.
2:YES IT, IS A STREET SIGN!!! I did my best to keep it recognizable.
3: I chose not to make this a write up because the one i refrenced is pretty good. The hardware was 8ea 8x24 3/4" bolts and nuts (to mount the coils). And to coble it all together I traced my spark plug cover, basically eyeballed where to cut all the holes and cut it all out of the street sign with my dremell

Ok, no promises but, MAYBE I'll find the time to pull it all apart and show how I did it.

 

[lag monster]

This is interesting

 

[Pyro13]

Ok, I decided I don't want to pull my setup apart to show how I did it but... As soon as I can find a couple more coils I'll be buliding one for KILLIAN and I promise I'll document the hell out of it. Still need to find something to make the plate out of that is as dope as my street sign, any suggestions?

 

[rEclipserGST]

Ok, I decided I don't want to pull my setup apart to show how I did it but... As soon as I can find a couple more coils I'll be building one for KILLIAN and I promise I'll document the hell out of it. Still need to find something to make the plate out of that is as dope as my street sign, any suggestions?

There's plates on ebay that you can pair this setup with. I'd be willing to pay like $50 for a made COP setup for a 2g

Keep up the good work, creativity is what keeps the DSM's alive.

 

[bjmauck]

Is factory cop set up better than a coil and wires? I already bought good wires so would it be worth doing a cop swap?

 

[HighPSI TSi Guy]

Is factory cop set up better than a coil and wires? I already bought good wires so would it be worth doing a cop swap?

No. Chrysler coils these guys are using for their budget COP setups are actually weaker than stock.

All of these budget COP setups are downgrades from stock ignition. Yes, the OP spent $20 and made his ignition weaker.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

No. Chrysler coils these guys are using for their budget COP setups are actually weaker than stock.

All of these budget COP setups are downgrades from stock ignition. Yes, the OP spent $20 and made his ignition weaker.

It's not the fact that he made it weaker or stronger, it's the fact that he made it... for that cheap.

Stop looking at the damned glass half empty and look at it half full. All you'd have to do is find coils that are STRONGER than or stock setup... grab them dirt cheap, and do like the OP did.

 

[rlacasse1]

Good job man. That is how I made mine when it was on my car for right around $20 as well. I used the coils off of a Dodge Intrepid. It is simple, just get the wiring diagram. There are several here on the website. Just make sure to use the right one.

 

[ramsack]

the coils are NOT weaker, it's the OEM electronics in our cars that are too weak for COP. you will get a weaker spark if you wire them in series because they are getting less than ideal voltage at the primaries. if you wire them in parallel then you have current draw problems with the power transistor. the right way to do a COP is to use a CDI or ignition amplifier. i have a dynatek with stock coils and wires still, but i can tell there was an improvement, especially with keeping the plugs clean. i can only imagine how the car would be if i got some of those coils.

 

[rlacasse1]

Yeah, when i was running the COP setup I didn't notice any bad affects. But I have read multiple posts where people say you need some kind of ignition controller or amplifier. Mine ran fine though.

 

[kottyking]

Yes, he did. I don't know why anybody uses a COP without an arc 2. I understand it's because it's too expensive, but why do it for no improvements? Stock ignition can handle lots 600 whp+

 

[ramsack]

it should run fine until you start upping boost and packing more air/fuel into the cylinders. it would be worse on a higher compression engine.

IMO the arc-2 is worth every penny and pretty straightforward versus some msd and other manufacturers. especially since they have PnP kits. i plan on buying a second arc-2 once i get an aem ems so i can run individually-fired COPs.

 

[toofast82]

the right way to do a COP is to use a CDI or ignition amplifier.

Yep, thats correct.
Plus the stock ignition has made so much power anyways, there's no need to upgrade until you've surpassed its limits

 

[ramsack]

i think it's wise to upgrade long before the limit is reached. any degradation through age of the parts will be greatly amplified by more power, and it would seem you will go through more parts. mainly wires and plugs. if you start pushing a stock ignition system, the plugs are going to foul quicker because they can't keep themselves clean. sure plugs are like $10 but every cent should count.

 

[toofast82]

any degradation through age of the parts will be greatly amplified by more power, and it would seem you will go through more parts. mainly wires and plugs. if you start pushing a stock ignition system, the plugs are going to foul quicker because they can't keep themselves clean.

I wasn't referring to riding around on a 20year old coil, wires,etc. By meaning "stock" i didn't mean original, . But as a matter of fact there are many dsms still riding around on original coil and works flawlessly. You should always have good condition stuff on the car. Weak ignition will certainly show when making any kind of power.

 

[SpeedAddict62]

Dood, guys...I added COP to my car and it is SO FAST. It adds like +50 hp. I'm going to try 2 coils per cylinder and it is going to make double the power.

....

COP is one of the biggest wastes of money on a DSM, period. $20, $100, $300, fail. To properly run COP, you need 4 ignition outputs. We only have 2, so you have to run your COP in waste spark, which has no advantages over the stock system. Normally, with a proper COP system you have twice the time available for dwell over waste spark, but since you have to run them in series, they take twice as long to charge. You can't run them in parallel either, because then one plug won't fire at all. This all goes out the window if you have a standalone, that's different. Seriously though, it's a downgrade from the stock setup. If your stock system works just fine in the first place, why change it at all? You aren't going to gain power by replacing a system that already works.

 

[badas93tsi]

I made 600+ through an old bone stock ignition with $20 dollar Advance Auto wires. Dave's right though, my GXSR cop system w/out the Dynatek doesnt like boost nearly as much as my el cheapo factory stuff. If my coil pack hadn't died, I'd still be rockin a factory ignition.

 

[ramsack]

You aren't going to gain power by replacing a system that already works.

Well said. There is no power to be gained from more spark unless the spark is being blown out, which takes a lot of power. All those crazy plugs with 50 million electrodes are a waste of money too. The spark is weakened because it has to choose which electrode to arc to, instead of just having only 1. And they will foul out easier because the arc keeps cleans where it strikes.

 

[toofast82]

Technical discussion aside, I will congratulate the OP for getting his set up for $20 though. That's pretty damn cheap,