spark plugs, ignition coil wires...whats it all mean?

[jecain]

been putting together my list of stuff i wanna replace or do to the car. I came across performance ignition coil wires in my bavauto.com magazine, and it kinda had my interested cuz i really didn't know much about it.
All in all i'm tryin to figure out;
Do they make a difference?
Do they have to be coupled with other things to make a difference?
what are good spark plugs that can be changed in with the new coils...
in general any adivce is great, im just tryin to brainstorm as much info as possible on my list of crap so i can make an economically smart decision. thank ya.

[walpole5]

Our cars don't have ignition coil wires. There are 6 coils, each mounted directly on the plugs. You can get "performance" coils, but they will not work any better than the OEM models. If you don't have any coil issues, just leave it alone.

[jecain]

yea i misread and typed that cuz im an idiot, but putting in performance ignition coils wouldn't do anything?

[crdiscoverer]

yea i misread and typed that cuz im an idiot, but putting in performance ignition coils wouldn't do anything?

No.

What do you trust more? BMW engineers or a no-name Taiwanese company making aftermarket coils? For your own good leave them alone or replace them with OEM.

[CSMBlack-540i]

In theory, if you get a stronger spark, you can get better performance but most BMW are so maxed out on performance the ability to get additional gains is minimal. While you don't need to replace the coils, you can get the Coil pack ends-the rubber boot with the coil inside for about $10 each. Over the years these tend to get worn out and if you have had a valve cover leak they get soaked in oil gumming up the connection inside. So for $60, you can get 6 coil extensions for the price of one of those "performance" coils and probably "feels" just as good. Part number is 12139067831.

[jecain]

whose to say that maybe, in the scheme to make money and technology advancing, 10 years after they designed that coil that maybe one available now might be better though?

[CSMBlack-540i]

Feel free to buy a set of performance coils and let us all know how faster she is.

[Philboski]

whose to say that maybe, in the scheme to make money and technology advancing, 10 years after they designed that coil that maybe one available now might be better though?

They have been selling those for years. I don't think any extensive engineering went into them -- they're simply rigged to create a hotter spark. And if something is going to combust, fuel to air mixture does more to aid combustion than the "size" of the spark.

You might burn through spark plug connectors and plugs faster though.

[Fiziks]

I like how people get suckered into buying new ignition items when their stuff works just fine. Unless your plugs are near 100k old, then don't replace. Think about it. It's just a spark. If it's creating a spark, it's working. Don't waste your money.

[BMW05]

been putting together my list of stuff i wanna replace or do to the car. I came across performance ignition coil wires in my bavauto.com magazine, and it kinda had my interested cuz i really didn't know much about it.
All in all i'm tryin to figure out;
Do they make a difference?
Do they have to be coupled with other things to make a difference?
what are good spark plugs that can be changed in with the new coils...
in general any adivce is great, im just tryin to brainstorm as much info as possible on my list of crap so i can make an economically smart decision. thank ya.

I have a brand new set of the "Hi Perf" ignition coils straight from Bav Auto. . . make me an offer!

[BimmerDriver02]

Unless your coil packs are real old, cracked, or out of spec they don't need to be replaced. They aren't a maintenance item so if it ain't broke don't break it. Easiest way to tell is to do a quick search (or get a Bentley Manual) and get the resistance specs for the coils, grab a volt-ohm meter and check the coil resistance values. If the values are in spec then leave them alone. If they any of them are out of spec, replace all 6.

The rubber boot that connects the pack to the wire should all be replaced at 80-100K. They get old and dry and will loose conductivity.

Replace with OEM parts. "Performance coils" are a waste unless coupled with other mods.