Replace coil packs with spark plugs?

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How often do you guys replace your coil packs? Not sure if the manufacturer recommends a certain time for these or "whenever they break"?
 
The OE packs are likely better than you'd get aftermarket. Run them until you get a problem.
 
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
How often do you guys replace your coil packs? Not sure if the manufacturer recommends a certain time for these or "whenever they break"?

What vehicle?
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
How often do you guys replace your coil packs? Not sure if the manufacturer recommends a certain time for these or "whenever they break"?

What vehicle?

Vehicles are in my sig, Both have had plug replacements on schedule but never replaced coil packs.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
The OE packs are likely better than you'd get aftermarket. Run them until you get a problem.

RockAuto sells the OE packs which are Denso most of the time.
 
Replace coil packs on an as-needed basis only. If the car is running fine with no misfires, leave them alone. If one coil goes bad, replace just the bad one and leave the rest alone.
 
Originally Posted by exranger06
Replace coil packs on an as-needed basis only. If the car is running fine with no misfires, leave them alone. If one coil goes bad, replace just the bad one and leave the rest alone.


I agree! Coil Packs are expensive(especially OE) and are IMO, a one at a time replacement item.
I also agree with others who have mentioned to stay wit OE and not aftermarket. Too often the aftermarket ones leave a lot to be desired in terms of quality & longevity(often causing misfires &/or CELs). Even the know brand name ones can be troublesome.
 
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
Vehicles are in my sig, Both have had plug replacements on schedule but never replaced coil packs.


FWIW, neither vehicle has coil packs; they are coil-on-plug.

To answer the question, wait until a misfire occurs, the coils are not hard to change on either vehicle. Rear bank on the Odyssey requires a slight amount of skill (but not much), and IME Odyssey coils are not problematic.
 
Our beloved 2006 TSX with 195K miles recently broke down; it was the #1 coil. It was about 15 miles away and was towed to a great shop not far from home.
FYI this car has been garaged and well cared for...
I would have loved to do the diagnosis and repair but due to a recent surgery could not do do.
So the repair cost was over $200; I don't recall exactly.
A Delphi coil was installed. Later I bought 3 more from Amazon for about $40 each based on good BITOG advice.

The car is like new, and it ran pretty darn good before the 3 new coils.
Gas mileage has improved, but the real benefit, to me anyways, is the improved performance.
Rock solid idle, pulls strong thru upper RPM.

If you can afford a breakdown, wait until individual coils die. Your call.
For me, the piece of mind and restored performance is well worth replacement.
Coils are wear items.

I have 8 new OE coils for our Tundra with 197K miles, waiting for installation.
Going forward, I will replace coils on any of my cars with over 180K miles, or sooner.
 
If you have short coil to plug wires, replace those. In my case with a Chevy LS3, the clip in the boot (clips onto top of plug) is extremely fragile. They break off in the boot and cause misfires.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Our beloved 2006 TSX with 195K miles recently broke down; it was the #1 coil. It was about 15 miles away and was towed to a great shop not far from home.
FYI this car has been garaged and well cared for...
I would have loved to do the diagnosis and repair but due to a recent surgery could not do do.
So the repair cost was over $200; I don't recall exactly.
A Delphi coil was installed. Later I bought 3 more from Amazon for about $40 each based on good BITOG advice.

The car is like new, and it ran pretty darn good before the 3 new coils.
Gas mileage has improved, but the real benefit, to me anyways, is the improved performance.
Rock solid idle, pulls strong thru upper RPM.

If you can afford a breakdown, wait until individual coils die. Your call.
For me, the piece of mind and restored performance is well worth replacement.
Coils are wear items.

I have 8 new OE coils for our Tundra with 197K miles, waiting for installation.
Going forward, I will replace coils on any of my cars with over 180K miles, or sooner.

Yeah the Delphi's are only $30 compared to $40-50 for the Denso or NGK's. If one died I would definitely replace them all anyways.

Originally Posted by Geoff
If you have short coil to plug wires, replace those. In my case with a Chevy LS3, the clip in the boot (clips onto top of plug) is extremely fragile. They break off in the boot and cause misfires.

As the other guy said, I have coil on plug's, not coil packs. I thought they were one in the same.
 
I can say one thing about the coil pack on a 2012 Chevy Cruze. I had to replace the original one at 40k due to issues of light hesitation under light throttle. Then it started up again in another 30k miles. So I replace the GM coil with an MSD. Same price so why not try it. All I can say is WOW. Huge difference and the mpg increased. Usually averaged 27.4mpg and now getting 30mpg.

If anyone has a Chevy Cruze with the 1.4 I highly recommend changing out the coil for and MSD. You can get it at Summit Racing. It cost me $90.
 
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
How often do you guys replace your coil packs? Not sure if the manufacturer recommends a certain time for these or "whenever they break"?

What vehicle?

Vehicles are in my sig, Both have had plug replacements on schedule but never replaced coil packs.

I would definiately change cables on Honda since you are doing spark plugs.
 
I recall that it was recommended to do the "cartridge" on my 2004 Saab around the time of plugs. I think it was because all the coils were in that monolithic piece, so failure of one was a bigger issue.

I replaced a set on a friend's 2002 GTI at ~180k. That car self destructed around itself (VW poor quality days), but the engine ran great (sludgemonster, but we ran M1 0w-40 to prevent) until the end, even with CELs and broken breathers.
 
Coil packs are stressed by the spark gap increasing, along with other factors (oil contamination, oxidization, rough handling). Replace the spark plugs at recommended or earlier intervals to keep the gap to spec and maximize the coil life.
 
Rather than preemptive replacement of all of them, buy a spare and keep it in the car along with a code reader. Swap the failing one if you see mayor misfire counts on a cylinder, if it fixes the problem buy another and throw it in the vehicle. Most vehicles go their lifetime on the original COPs.


Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Our beloved 2006 TSX with 195K miles recently broke down; it was the #1 coil. It was about 15 miles away and was towed to a great shop not far from home.
FYI this car has been garaged and well cared for...
I would have loved to do the diagnosis and repair but due to a recent surgery could not do do.
So the repair cost was over $200; I don't recall exactly.
A Delphi coil was installed. Later I bought 3 more from Amazon for about $40 each based on good BITOG advice.

The car is like new, and it ran pretty darn good before the 3 new coils.
Gas mileage has improved, but the real benefit, to me anyways, is the improved performance.
Rock solid idle, pulls strong thru upper RPM.

If you can afford a breakdown, wait until individual coils die. Your call.
For me, the piece of mind and restored performance is well worth replacement.
Coils are wear items.

I have 8 new OE coils for our Tundra with 197K miles, waiting for installation.
Going forward, I will replace coils on any of my cars with over 180K miles, or sooner.
 
Originally Posted by exranger06
Replace coil packs on an as-needed basis only. If the car is running fine with no misfires, leave them alone. If one coil goes bad, replace just the bad one and leave the rest alone.


I have never had a coil failure on any car with a Coil Over Plug. I replace plugs every 75k miles.

If you have a coil or plug misfire, the ECU should detect it and give you a code when the CEL comes on.

Even my older 1999 S-10 V6's software picks up a plug misfire.
 
Originally Posted by Rat407
I can say one thing about the coil pack on a 2012 Chevy Cruze. I had to replace the original one at 40k due to issues of light hesitation under light throttle. Then it started up again in another 30k miles. So I replace the GM coil with an MSD. Same price so why not try it. All I can say is WOW. Huge difference and the mpg increased. Usually averaged 27.4mpg and now getting 30mpg.

If anyone has a Chevy Cruze with the 1.4 I highly recommend changing out the coil for and MSD. You can get it at Summit Racing. It cost me $90.



Very interested in this. Were you getting misfire codes before you swapped?
 
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
How often do you guys replace your coil packs? Not sure if the manufacturer recommends a certain time for these or "whenever they break"?

Coil packs are not considered a maintenance item. If a failure were to occur, I would only change out the defective one with an OEM part. If you change your plugs before they get worn out, taking more energy to fire, you may never have a COP fail.
 
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