Rb25det Coil replacement Debate!!

[rb25drag]

By all means man I do take your advice and I do look at everything that is suggested.

I have a volt gauge hooked up to my solenoid that runs all my electronics, Which is the furthest from my alternator. It reads 13.8-14.0 Even with my electric fans on. Along with everything else I run.

Ill look at it a little closer, But im just not seeing it as a problem. Its ran on that same system for a few years now.

I personally think the misfiring of the coils on my launches has either killed my coils or my plugs.

Its just weird that it will start Idle and rev free fine just like always. But in my theory of a weak coil it will do this and when I get into High boost its blowing my Spark out of the plugs causing the misfire. Thats the only thing I can think of.

Another reason I think they are weak is due to I had to run my spark plug gap so small .022 after raising my boost from 10-15lbs, it wouldn't stop misfiring until I changed the spark plug gap.

Is there a Real way to test the coils?

[d356bud]

I've been thinking about a new coil setup since one of my coils took a crap on me. I tested mine by triggering the coil myself and comparing the gap at which the spark stopped jumping and compared it to a known good coil. That told me whether the coil was weak or not and whether the coil worked. I thought about using three GM DIS coils that I have laying around. Sorry to thread jack but has anyone had problems using these, for example, a burnt up ignitor or anything like that?

[WhatsADSM]

While we are on the topic, figured I would cross post to my thread about my LS2/LS7 coil swap, in case someone runs into this thread while searching:zerothread/353832

[rb25drag]

Well im glad there is Several alternative options out there!! Everyones setup is sweet!! Good job by everyone, Im Really interested in that MSD tho, Im really worried about my Launch Control working. Does anyone have any experience with the Gizzmo launch interface on a different coil setup?

[WhatsADSM]

Well im glad there is Several alternative options out there!! Everyones setup is sweet!! Good job by everyone, Im Really interested in that MSD tho, Im really worried about my Launch Control working. Does anyone have any experience with the Gizzmo launch interface on a different coil setup?

How does the Gizzmo install? I take it you attach it to the input side of the ignitor? And you install with all 6 trigger wires right?

If so it will work fine if you use the blaster coils listed above.

As a side note. How much did you pay for that gizzmo launch control? I could probably make those things for people for pretty cheap if there was a demand... shift light and all

[gawdzilla]

How does the Gizzmo install? I take it you attach it to the input side of the ignitor? And you install with all 6 trigger wires right?

If so it will work fine if you use the blaster coils listed above.

As a side note. How much did you pay for that gizzmo launch control? I could probably make those things for people for pretty cheap if there was a demand... shift light and all

might not even be that complicated, depending if its a quality one or not. i know the cheaper ones like bee-r only have 4 wires i think. 2 inputs from CAS and +, -.

[rudedrift]

me too. we'll ahve two farting and poopin rb's. and the hood brothas will smoke us with they rb20's!!!

[rb25drag]

How does the Gizzmo install? I take it you attach it to the input side of the ignitor? And you install with all 6 trigger wires right?

If so it will work fine if you use the blaster coils listed above.

As a side note. How much did you pay for that gizzmo launch control? I could probably make those things for people for pretty cheap if there was a demand... shift light and all

The Gizzmo has 16 wires, 6 input on coil signal to ECU and 6 output to coils from gizzmo, 1 ground, 1 power, and 2 tach signals, one from ECU to unit and one from unit to Shift light. Nothing hooks to the CAS.

Im assuming it will work also, I just don't wanna buy then find out It won't work. I know the Gizzmo works with some coils and some it does not. Ill have to try and find out what it won't work with.

[rb25drag]

Well I got a few moments to spend with it today. Here is what i found. I changed Spark Plugs, Took the coils apart, They was Corroded, Cleaned them, And took a separate spark plug and seen how they fire. Every coil Looks really weak, Its more of a White spark, Not blue at all, Just seems Really weak looking to me. But after all that took the car for a ride, Its fine at low RPMs and Low throttle, Anything over 1/4 just chokes it to its death. The A/F readings Go from Cruising at 14.1 to half throttle 10.0 to Full throttle 9.0 A/F readings. Just gets pig rich. So Im sure the coils are shot. I don't know what else to test.

Also Carl H, I looked at my Volt gauge Closely, it runs about 14.4- 14.7 without the electric fans on. When I hit the Switch it goes to about 14.4 and stays there. So Im also ruling out Alternator.

Any other suggestions before I go buying coils?

[leesredgt]

do the spark wires come with that msd setup? i think this is my problem also my coils are bad.

[rb25drag]

No you have to buy the wires separate.

I have decided to go with the Splitfire setup. I have had enough wiring problems To deal with a coil wiring problem down the road. So I just want a Straight up replacement setup. I have mine set like I want it, So ill just keep it a plug n play deal.

I added up about 400$ worth of parts needed for the MSD setup. So for another 100$ Ill just take the direct fit.

[Darius]

To summarize there have been a few coil swaps successfully completed:

Splitfire direct drop-in replacementsGM wastespark setupMSD blaster coilsLS coils with built-in ignitors

Has anybody done a CDI setup with M&W, ICE, or Autronic ignition systems? I'm tempted to go this route because of the improvement over the standard/GM/MSD coil design, but it is a big dollar investment ($1400+).

I think I'm personally going to settle on the upgraded Coil-Near-Plug setup, but I am not sure I like the exposed power terminal on the MSD blaster coils. I'd rather have a plug to insulate that power wire, but again, I'm anal.

Someone mentioned the Summit coil pack (which appears to be a generic Accel/Jacobs coil pack) Has anyone heard of Jacobs Electronics or had experience with Accel? The Jacobs C-4 coil pack is supposedly compatible with CDI ignition systems as well as inductive.
Modified by Darius at 11:14 AM 11/6/2008

[Largekid]

i've used jacobs before on my 383 S-10. It worked fine for that, I wouldn't see why it would be different. Seemed like a good product.

[240z4u]

Darius, your forgetting about the LS series coil upgrade. If I get off my butt, mine would be done already. Bracket built... lazyness set in!

[Darius]

Oh yeah. I'll edit my post above to include that. Nice thing about the LS coils for both the S1 and S2 RB25's is that it gets rid of the external ignitor or "power transistor unit".

[Darius]

I was doing some research on the aussie forums and found a thread about coating the OEM RB25 coils in Flexane94, silicone, or epoxy. I just happened to have some left over Flexane from when I filled the RB25 transmission isolator so I gave it a shot. I had to trim the flexane that got a little out of control, but for the most part was very manageable. It has a short pot life (10 minutes) so I had to rush.

Before:

After:

Verdict: The misfiring is gone and the car pulls as hard as it used to all the way to redline. There were no visible cracks on the coils other than what appeared to be seams where the plastic was molded together. Either way, there must have been a short between the coil and head before arriving at the plug. All fixed now, so we'll see how far the stock coils can be pushed before needing an upgrade. Booztd3 seems to have no problem on stock coils and he's at about 550 whp.

gawdzilla - your splitfires arrived in the mail today, but I missed the mail man. I'll have the gf pick them up from the post office tomorrow.

[Cjmartz2k]

Boostd3z is making a lot more than 550rwhp now if he's knocking off 132mph trap speeds in a 3700lb car. I'd say he's well over 600rwhp for sure.

I'm making high 500's to the wheels on stock coils. I did this same trick to a couple of them, and did the trick where you grind out the brass bucket that the spring sits in a little with a dremmel. Between those two, I fixed my missing problem from long ago, and haven't looked back. I'm running the 1.1mm gapped plugs BTW. It's a ***** to find coppers over here.

[gawdzilla]

wow, that is impressive that you brought them back to life! good stuff. start opening up the gap and see if the splitfires are better

[gawdzilla]

updates?

[cdorhout]

It's been pretty crappy weather here this week, so I don't think he's tried the Split Fires yet. Have you Matt?

[gawdzilla]

It's been pretty crappy weather here this week, so I don't think he's tried the Split Fires yet. Have you Matt?

all good. i think that crappy weather is making it's way here now. i'm still struggling with finding the proper fittings for this new setup, so my car isn't going to be anywhere close to needing the coils back this coming weekend.

[Darius]

That's good because my damn girlfriend hasn't even picked them up from the post office yet. Pisses me off. Sleeps til 11, then complains that she barely had time to make it to work by 1:00...

[ANVIL]

so all you did was coat the coils with flexane and it fixed it? are they holding up with your launch control?

[Darius]

Yep I just coated the plastic parts above and below the metal frame on each. It must serve as a better insulator than the plastic and prevents the spark energy from arcing to the head before it gets to the plug. i.e. it is easier for the energy to travel through the air surrounding the coil than to travel thru the plug, thru the compressed air/fuel mixture, to the plug ground.

I still haven't gotten a chance to try out the copilot LC yet. My car wasn't running properly before now, and it has been raining/snowing here for over a week. Sucks ***.

[ANVIL]

wow. with all the "bad coils" that ive seen people have over the years (myself included) i wonder how many of them could have been fixed through this method. let us know how that copilot thing goes... once you test it maybe i can do a write up? ive been watching that thread waiting

[Darius]

I installed the Splitfires this afternoon and took it for a spin. The car pulled the same as the coated OEM coils and I couldn't notice a difference between the two. Actually the Splitfires had a slight hesitation at ~2500-3000 rpm that the OEM coils did not.I could start opening up the gap until I got a misfire for both sets of coils just to compare, but I'm feeling lazy today.

Gawdzilla - Do you still need those back before this weekend?

[meet07]

wouldnt it suc if ya found out that the splitfires are the same as the oem's just colored red......

[fast_s14]

can you buy the flexane94 at a local autoparts store or do you have to order it online?

[Darius]

I ordered it online. I don't think many places would have much reason to carry it. You can use epoxy too, which is sold in the varnish/stain aisle at Home Depot, Manard's, etc. It is probably about $20 for a kit vs $35 for Flexane.

I'm not sure what the hp range of either are, but that would suck if splitfires were OEM components with better pack housings.

[Cjmartz2k]

wouldnt it suc if ya found out that the splitfires are the same as the oem's just colored red......