Does This Sound Like The Coil Pack / Spark Issue ?

[Munkyb0y]

does this sound like the coil pack/spark issue i've read about?

its freezing outside tonight, and the boost climbed to 12psi. it was tuned at 10psi (unichip - 3inch zorst - 0.8mm platinum plugs - stock turbo - R33 S1)

there was a slight loss of power around 5000rpm, then all good after that.

the bit that got me concerned was my exhaust note changed from a roooaaaar, to a burbling wrx-like sound during the loss of power.

thats actually what alerted me to it. so i went again and noticed the loss of power.

Edited June 14, 2007 by Munkyb0y

[mad082]

there is often a flat spot there when the vct kicks in, but it could also be a spark issue (which would cause the noise). what type plugs are you running, and what gap and how old are they?

[redevil]

it's series 1 so doesn't have neo.....

[mad082]

all r33 have a single stage vct. it changes at between 4500rpm and 5000rpm.

[Munkyb0y]

plugs are 0.8mm platinum. AS ABOVE ^^^ open ur eyes blindman

they are only about 6000kms old

its never done this before. i can always feel the vct kicking in, but never had power loss or the weird exhaust sound.

its the exhaust sound that got me worried. i think it sounds like 1 cylinder wasnt firing maybe, and thats why i thought coil pack. also cold night, boost up to 12psi, where its never been before. sounds like the conditions where the coil pack might arc, or perhaps even the spark on the plug was getting blown out.

otherwise the car is driving normally.

[Munkyb0y]

basically what i need to know is:

for those who have had the cracked coil pack / weak spark issue. did your engine/exhaust sound like a burbling, wrx-type sound?

just trying to identify if its the same common issue.

[SECURITY]

if your coil packs are rooted, you wont be firing on 1 or more cylinders which will make it sound like a rex.

but also, as you mentioned it was cold outside, the intake air would have been denser than usual so you would've been running more power (obviously before it cut out) which explains the +2psi in boost as well as the car blowing out the spark at the plugs with a .8 gap.

if it was a 1 off thing then id blame it on the air temps. if its continuous then i'd be looking at replacing a coil pack, cas or gapping your spark plugs to .65.

i'd be doing the cheaper thing first.

[Munkyb0y]

thanks mate.

it seems like a one off (12psi - cold air), but will find out soon enough when all this rain stops.

why cas though ?

[SECURITY]

just something else to look at mate. theres no real reason...

the cas is something weird and strange to me. so i blame stuff on it if ive got no 100% solid explination.

[Munkyb0y]

lol, thats as good a reason as any.

i just took the car for a run. everything seems fine.

2nd gear, up hill (so plenty of load), all the way to 6500rpm, 10-11psi, smooth sailing.

so it looks like extremely cold/dense air was the issue. ie. boost was just too high for my coil/spark set up.

[Munkyb0y]

OR........ (i just had a thought)

could that have been the ecu - rich and retard ?

i've never experienced it, so i'm not sure.

[Munkyb0y]

damn it !!!

it just happened again.

much less this time, but i could feel the hesitation at about 5k, and the same exhaust note, but it only lasted for a sec in 1st gear, and even less in 2nd gear.

is this related to the ambient air temps?

ie. it was worse on a really cold night. today is quite cold and the issue popped up again, but to a lesser degree. the other day it was moderately cold, and i had no prob at all.

i wonder if reducing my boost level would cure this prob. hmmm. need to get it on a dyno to do that though, as its a unichip integrated boost module.

Edited June 19, 2007 by Munkyb0y

[mad082]

rich and retard is a bit of a savage cut in power, very much like someone just kicked the brake pedal. if it is popping and missing then i'd say it is your coils.

but i'd get rid of the platinum plugs though. not a big fan of them.

[r32woohoo]

check your cooler piping for leaks!

i must sound like an idiot since ive said it in numerous threads

but as secur1ty said, denser air, tiny bit more boost, might be a leak somewhere

thats what it was in my case

[Guest tosboost2]

OK MATE THIS EXACT THING HAS HAPPENED TO ME

and it used to piss me off all the time.

u would be driving along all good and then bang. (well not a bang) your driving a wrx. sounds cool and all. but no power. = coil packs dead.

now the easiest way to tell which one it is, is this.

go for a drive, wait for it to do it, and then pop your bonnet. take the connecting plug off each coilpack 1 at a time only.

if when u take a coilpack off it starts to die down even lower, its not that coilpack so put the plug back in and try again. until you find which one it is. because there will be one plug u take off that wont make the revs drop anymore and that is the busted coilpack.

i hope this help. i know its a little hard to read so if u want gimme a call on 0409890760 and i will explain to you over the phone.

cheers

scott

[Munkyb0y]

na i dont think it's the same problem as yours ^

mine does it for a second, at high rpm, but it goes away right then and there, before i even get a chance to shift.

it doesnt do it on idle, so removing each lead would not be any help

i spoke to my mechanic. he reckons its overboosting at prob 12+psi, and the ecu is backing it off. ie boost cut.

he puts it down to the cold air.

i'll do some more research, and see if this problem persists.

if it's the coil packs, it should start becoming more frequent yeah?

its never done this before, but now its happened twice, both times in freezing cold weather / higher boost than usual.

[Kranker]

If it sounds like a Rex its missing. ie. missfiring.

But whats causing it is another matter, but problems with your spark plugs is fairly likley the cause.

Best take it back to the tuner and get his opinion them either fix it, or have him fix it.

[Ultimategtr]

hey man. i was in the same boat.. i still get it on a VERY cold night or morning(5 degree air) it starts to misfire around the 12-14psi mark.

i have R33 Series 2. stock turbo, full exh and fmic.

trust me its your coil packs, just like mine.. i would gap the plugs to say .7 or .65 as someone else mentioned.. or you could try copper ones pregrapped to .8mm.. as coppers are alot better then the plats. and save up for splitfire coils. really. thats the way to go.

im gettin mine for about 500 sooooon!

EDIT - r33's dont hav a boost cut.. its more like a AFM cut, the afm senses too much airflow and the ecu retards the timing and dumps more fuel in to save the engine, causing it to lose loads of power.. which in turn WILL/MAY blow out the spark, because the sparks too weak..and there u have your misfire..

For now, dont worry.. im in the same boat as you so i know how it feels!

i lost to a friggin B4 twin turbo cos of my misfire! damit.

EDIT # 2 - have u cleaned out ur coils? and checked for any arc residue???

Edited June 19, 2007 by Ultimategtr

[mad082]

EDIT - r33's dont hav a boost cut.. its more like a AFM cut, the afm senses too much airflow and the ecu retards the timing and dumps more fuel in to save the engine, causing it to lose loads of power.. which in turn WILL/MAY blow out the spark, because the sparks too weak..and there u have your misfire..

it is known as rich and retard, and i'm sure munkyboy knows that. a lot people (even people who know it's proper name, unless they are majorly anal and have to call everything by its 100% correct name) will refer to it as boost cut. i do for 2 reasons. 1. it's easier to say. 2. it sounds a lot less gay.

but you aren't hitting it munky. you have a missfire problem caused by your coils.

r&r is a sudden, violent cut in power. anyone who has actually felt it will know that. there are too many people who have heard about it but never been in a car when it has done it so they will jump to conclusions. if you want to know what it feels like, go for a drive, floor it then with your left foot stab the brake pedal with a fair bit of force.

[Munkyb0y]

rich and retard sounds quite gay. like a wealthy kid who's been touched in the head :laughing-smiley-014:

but yeah, i was refering to the same thing.

mine doesnt feel like a violent jerking, so thanks for clearing that one up mad082. its hard to know if you havent felt it.

it sounded like coil/spark to me too. i was just hoping it wasnt. still better than something more serious.

so how do you indentify the coil pack thats playing up? i read about idling (at cold start?) in the dark and watching for arcs. i doubt its gonna do it at idle though. it idles smooth as always.

i might have to try cleaning the coil packs ...ala SECURITY