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Tuning and Coil Pack upgrade relationship?

theclutch

theclutch

Go Kart Newbie
VERY sorry if this thing has been rehashed... I SEARCHED and read through tons of threads that I could find regarding coil packs. The consensus is that if you are tuned, you will need to replace your coil packs with the red ones from the R8. I wouldn't have believed it until I got a coil pack go bad on me last week. R8 coil packs are in a truck somewhere and on their way to me.

What I haven't found is the reason why. Why do coil packs seemingly go bad when you have an upgraded tune? To a layperson like me, I'm thinking that the coil packs merely send the signal to tell the spark plugs to fire. So how would the coil packs know the difference if your tune is stock vs modified?

Thanks in advance for any answers as this has been bugging me for a while.
 
D

Dans GTI

Ready to race!
The coil packs that come from the factory are just low quality and fail without any tuning. Its pretty common unfortunately.

But the coil packs are known to fail even faster when tuned because your putting more pressure onto the ignition system when your tuned.
 
FF_animal

FF_animal

Ready to race!
Dans GTI said:
The coil packs that come from the factory are just low quality and fail without any tuning. Its pretty common unfortunately.

But the coil packs are known to fail even faster when tuned because your putting more pressure onto the ignition system when your tuned.
Click to expand...



This. The R8 coil packs are def worth the upgrade. And at 30 bucks each it's really not a wallet killer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
lilonespaz

lilonespaz

Drag Race Newbie
you have old coil packs and they get weak over time.

The R8 coil packs produce a stronger charge and higher demand capability which makes them last in a more modified car. You could have replaced with stock coil packs again and they would eventually go out again... the R8s seem to hold up well for almost everyone who uses them. Its always a good idea to carry a spare one or two in your trunk/cargo area... you never know when you will need one as there are no symptoms until one fails.
 
2012TP

2012TP

Drag Racing Champion
I put plenty of use through the original coil packs, both stock & tuned, without a problem.

Guess I'm in the minority...
 
Last edited:
sterkrazzy

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Just be glad they don't do coilpacks like they did with the vr6. $300 coilpack, if 1 goes you replace the entire thing and they were prone to cracking. It's not really a coilpack anymore, just a coil.
 
jettaglis

jettaglis

Go Kart Champion
I'm still curious if anyone ever shelled out $735 for these... http://ignitionprojects.com/ignition-coils/ip-coil/ip-coil-volkswagen/ip-a121406.html?___SID=U
 
HYDE161

HYDE161

Go Kart Champion
jay745 said:
Pretty sure HYDE did a while back. Seems insanely silly to me but then again I'm not rich like some are.
Click to expand...

I got these for testing, never paid for them. After inspection they are exact R8 coil packs with a resistor in the epoxy/black top which allows you to use their Plasma unit to turn coil voltage up past stock but then you run the risk of plugs. Had the coils for a while then sold them off. Running R8's forever now.
 
lilonespaz

lilonespaz

Drag Race Newbie
HYDE16 said:
I got these for testing, never paid for them. After inspection they are exact R8 coil packs with a resistor in the epoxy/black top which allows you to use their Plasma unit to turn coil voltage up past stock but then you run the risk of plugs. Had the coils for a while then sold them off. Running R8's forever now.
Click to expand...
so in other words them being "plasma" is just an expensive for nothing point.
 
damagi123

damagi123

Go Kart Champion
lilonespaz said:
so in other words them being "plasma" is just an expensive for nothing point.
Click to expand...

HYDE16 said:
I got these for testing, never paid for them. After inspection they are exact R8 coil packs with a resistor in the epoxy/black top which allows you to use their Plasma unit to turn coil voltage up past stock but then you run the risk of plugs. Had the coils for a while then sold them off. Running R8's forever now.
Click to expand...

to be fair. good scam. great idea for marketing purposes only haha
 
T

thzpcs

Passed Driver's Ed
Does anyone know the actual spec differences from the stock plugs vs the R8 plugs? I don't really know what the difference would realistically be, or what parameters would actually matter.
 
theclutch

theclutch

Go Kart Newbie
Dans GTI said:
The coil packs that come from the factory are just low quality and fail without any tuning. Its pretty common unfortunately.

But the coil packs are known to fail even faster when tuned because your putting more pressure onto the ignition system when your tuned.
Click to expand...

So I got the R8 coil packs. Great and they look good!

But I'm still wondering WHY the stock ones go bad. I am thinking that the ECU sends a signal to the coil packs to "fire" like an on/off switch. So when I'm tuned, the ECU STILL sends the same signal to fire on/off. I.e. - it doesn't tell the coilpacks to fire "with more voltage" or whatever. So in other words, I am thinking that the coilpacks go bad REGARDLESS of whether I am tuned or not. Is my thinking above correct? Just trying to learn...
 
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