Chinese ignition coil quality?

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I need to replace a coil on my car, and all the aftermarket ones from Standard, Wells/Airtex and reboxed ones under various house brands are made in China. Should I stick to OEM or the aftermarket ones are decent ones? Denso doesn't stock non-COP coils for my application.
 
I've had mixed results with Chinese ones. The absolute worst was one from Shepherd auto parts (http://www.shepherdautoparts.com/). The one from them lasted about 1 month and then the car died in the middle of driving. Some other ones I've had trouble with are Standard Auto Parts coils as the plastic they used liked to crack and bust for no reason and only lasted a few months. Another Chinese one I had from NAPA auto parts is still working in a car I sold my brother a couple years ago so it has about 3-4 years on it now and is still going strong.
 
The problem with Chinese products is not the Chinese. It's the American companies that purchase them. China is capable of making something to the highest quality standards in the world and they will also make junk. You pay the purchase order, you pick the quality.
 
I can get locally Standard, OEM(Original Engine Management), Airtex/Wells(Duralast) and I can order OEM for a small discount. The parts house I talked to say OEM brand seems to be decent. I have a Napa nearby.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Are the junkyards near you broken?

Chock full of my car - Lexus LS400 but I don't feel like taking a chance with a 20+ year old coil.
 
They are junk. Ford used to have the 4.6/5.4/6.8 2v 3W7Z-12029-AA /DG-508 coils made in the People's Republic and they were constantly going bad. We would have to replace 3-4 over and over just to get a good one. Now they are made in the USA and no issues with quality whatsoever.
 
Many OEMs are made in china now. Look at the ones you have, could be a Chinese one or at least made from Chinese parts elsewhere.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Jimzz
Many OEMs are made in china now. Look at the ones you have, could be a Chinese one or at least made from Chinese parts elsewhere.

One coil was ordered from Toyota and it's made in Japan by Denso.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack

The problem with Chinese products is not the Chinese. It's the American companies that purchase them. China is capable of making something to the highest quality standards in the world and they will also make junk. You pay the purchase order, you pick the quality.


They will substitute sub-par parts when they can get away with it and they will rip off your designs. There is no such thing as IP in China.

Just ask Cisco how much work is involved in producing quality in China. You can do it, but it isn't like you just ask them and pay the price. You have to watch them every step of the way and implement INCREDIBLY strict QC.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Are the junkyards near you broken?

Chock full of my car - Lexus LS400 but I don't feel like taking a chance with a 20+ year old coil.


You are likely going to have a better chance from a junkyard 20 yr old one than a new Chinese one that's cheap.
 
Strange. Denso's online catalog returns no coil part number for my LS400.

"We may not make this part for this application."
 
Scour ebay for NOS Standard "Red Box" Made in USA ones.
I still get them and Bendix CT-3 USA made pads.

Don't fiddle around with Chines junk no matter who makes it, its trash.
 
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Originally Posted By: Trav
Scour ebay for NOS Standard "Red Box" Made in USA ones.
I still get them and Bendix CT-3 USA made pads.

Don't fiddle around with Chines junk no matter who makes it, its trash.

I'll give that a shot. Also, FWIW I have Chinese-made Bendix CT-3s on my parent's van. So far, so good. Compared to the American-made Wagner QuickStops I have on my rear axle, they stop without a squeak.
 
When possible avoid things made by the PRC...not just because the quality could be a problem, but because as mentioned they don't play fair with intellectual property, treat their workers like [censored](and those factories are running because you are buying the stuff), and well...remember Tienanmen Square. Why support authoritarian communism which is the antithesis of everything that made the USA a great and wonderful place.
 
I'll do some junkyard hunting - I can get a decent deal on OEM from the dealer if need be.
 
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