Ignition coils

[merqury]

I just wanted to ask how long do these actually last? I have been through about three of them in the past 1 year!! They are pretty expensive to. I was coming back from work and all of sudden the car started to hesitate. I came home and just sprinkled some water where the coils are and there you go, the 3 and 4 cylinder coil is gone again. Is there something else that might be wrong? Keep in my mind I have new wires and new plugs!

 

[luv2rallye]

It's always the 3rd cylinder acting up. It starts sparking where the 3rd cyinder wire boot fits onto the coil. The spark seems to be always there. Like I said, both coils are brand new and OEM. I also got new wires and plugs a month ago. Moreover, I took my buddies wires from his talon and swapped them with mine and it seems a little better but still there is a misfire.

It bothers me that you say it's always on the 3rd cylinder and sparks from where the wire boot fits onto the coil. The only way this can happen is if the coil is cracked, it's wet, you don't also have cyl 2's plug wire connected (this completes the circuit for cyl 3 - just as cyl 1 completes cyl 4's circuit), or the 3rd or 2nd cyl plug wire is no good (way too high resistance, cracked, internally broken, wet, etc) so the electricity will find another way to ground since the normal circuit path is not complete or too high resistance. Try swapping cyl 3's wire with another cyl's wire (but keep all plugs connected) to see effect. You could also measure plug 3 and 2 wire's resistances (should be less than 22k ohms each). Bend the wire along it's entire length while measuring to check for any internal breaks.

If none of the above helps try this: Ok your buddies wires didn't solve the problem. Try swapping in his coil also. Then swap in his power transistor. If still have problem try swapping your coil, spark plug wires, and power transistor into his car to see effect.

What voltage do you measure at the coil primary and at the battery when both idle and running over 2500 rpm? Measure both DC and AC (yes I said AC) voltages.

Leaking ECU capacitors can cause almost any type of engine problem so it would be wise to have a look see (although normally a problem here would not just effect 1 cyl).

The heat range I mentioned is the spark plug heat range. The number on the plug is the heat range, higher being colder (BPR7ES is colder than BPR6ES) - the tip has a shorter run of porcelain to conduct heat out of. But I doubt this is your current problem since you are sparking at the coil.

 

[armandovivoni]

looks like you have bad sparkplug wires, were the spark canot get to the sparkplug and looks for any ground.(thats why you see spark jumping on the coil)

first chek your sprakplug gap, change your sparkplug wires with a friend.