Fake Bosch coils? or just "new style" coils?

[B234R]

Last October my ´01 530i had a few slight misfires when accelerating below 2000 rpm. INPA showed a "Ignition Zyl 3" error code. I bought a new Bosch ignition coil (PN 0221504029) in a car parts store to replace the old one and the misfire dissapeared. Good.

Two weeks after there were misfires again, exactly at the same time (accelerating below 2000 rpm). INPA showed now a "Ignition Zyl 2" code. Another new Bosch coil bought in a car parts store solved that, and my car ran great.

Now, as I have misfires again, I´ve decided to replace the four remaining (Bosch) coils and the (NGK) spark plugs. My suspicion is 20 year old coils and brand new coils don´t mix.

This time I bought the new coils in a german internet car parts web, at a considerably lower price, I must admit. The website seems trustworthy (I prefer not to say the name yet).

When I open the box the first thing I see, while the coils I bought in October in the store were exactly the same as the old ones (these seems the ones the car had from factory), the new ones are a bit different, and the thread where the screw goes seems a bit crude.

The second, and more important...when I try to fasten the new coil to the head with the screw, this doesn´t screw in...it´s like the thread is different...
I´ve just opened one coil box.

I´m thinking about it, could the new coils be fake ones? or just Bosch has redesigned the coils (for worse)...please, if somebody has bought Bosch ignition coils recently, could confirm if these are the "new style" coils?

The box has a hologram and a code, I entered the code in www.protect.bosch.com website and it says the code is right.

The coil bought in October on the left, the new one on the right

20210417_203935 (Grande).jpg

The coil bought in October

20210417_203944 (Grande).jpg20210417_203956 (Grande).jpg

The new coil

20210417_204000 (Grande).jpg20210417_204006 (Grande).jpg

[B234R]

The coil bought in October above, the new one below

20210417_204019 (Grande).jpg


The one bought in October on the left, the new one on the right

20210417_204048 (Grande).jpg


Thanks in advance!

[BMW540san]

I think I can provide some info here:
I'm a big believer in Bosch "Made in Slovenia" because I verifired there is a big Bosch plant in Slovenia and in the last few years I've bought several sets for 6 and 8 cylinders and no issues whatsoever.
I've bought all of them here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-6-Piece...M/123503076621
And if you want I can pull one and take pictures of it as it may help us confirm your suspicions.

P.S.

The more I look, the more I think you might be right, those do look fake as I see several different details and they just look "cheaper" and no markings on boot.

[B234R]

I think I can provide some info here:
I'm a big believer in Bosch "Made in Slovenia" because I verifired there is a big Bosch plant in Slovenia and in the last few years I've bought several sets for 6 and 8 cylinders and no issues whatsoever.
I've bought all of them here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-6-Piece...M/123503076621
And if you want I can pull one and take pictures of it as it may help us confirm your suspicions.

P.S.

The more I look, the more I think you might be right, those do look fake as I see several different details and they just look "cheaper" and no markings on boot.

Thanks a lot.

The new coil is made in Slovenia (just like the coil I bought in October). The boot has markings (the part number 1354489085 and the inscription "made in Spain"...hurrah...), although in the pictures aren´t visible. But as you say, the part seems a lot cheaper and cruder than the slightly older one.

Update: this morning I´ve tried it in another cylinder, and the screw fits fine. The car runs very good. But I´ve sent a email to info.protect@bosch.com with the coil pictures, to see if they are fake, or that´s the "new spec" coils. I´ll keep you informed.

[wayneawh]

The "new" one looks fake to me.
There is really no point in changing the design of the coil. I replaced mine couple months ago and they all look like the one on the left.

[f355spider]

Those definitely look suspect. But I cannot say for certain. The date code on the most recent purchase is a 2021 date, so it is possibly a production change, or different factory is all.

The only three parts suppliers I have trusted online are the following: FCP Euro, Autohausaz, and seller "partscontainer" on Ebay. All three sell legitimate parts, whether they be Bosch, INA, BMW, NGK, Bremi, etc. It truly has become a "mine field" out there with the fakes...

[StephenVA]

Multiple people have posted issue of fit and performance from sub parts, everything from the coil not locking down to high resistance during testing. The market is flooded with junk. Buy from a reputable vendor and stay no run from cheapest found on the internet. I have seen fake plugs, coils, and even oil being sold.

[B234R]

The website where I bought the coils seems rather trustworthy, it´s not a shady bloke who sells parts on ebay, and opinions in Internet are generally good (of course, I suppose that´s something that can be faked. Like it happens with car parts).

I´m waiting for a answer from info.protect@bosch.com before contacting with the seller, but I´m starting to think Bosch has redesigned the coils. The US Bosch website talks something about "newly redesigned" ignition coils for BMW and "the change of the collar/housing around the coil body from a metallic to a plastic housing" (like my recently made coils), although it seems my part number is unaffected.

https://www.boschautoparts.com/en/au...ignition-coils

[BMW540san]

This thread gave me an idea: Maybe we should have a separate thread with a list of trusted parts suppliers.
Besides few obvious ones already mentioned, I'd also like to mention Rmeuropan.
They sell "Altrom" OEM parts and in 10+ years I've used them I had only few minor issues.
Also the ebay seller German Auto Parts has also their website and I they're based in NC IIRC.
I've used them only few times for Bosch coils and ATE rebuild calipers and no issues.

[CPHES]

Good idea

[B234R]

Just to finish this issue: I sent back the coils to the car parts web where I bought them, and I got the refund.
Then I bought new coils from another car parts web, this time from Oscaro (an Internet car parts store well known in France and Spain), and...the coils were exactly as the ones I bought before from Germany. But they fit properly, and the car runs great, the slight hesitation it had accelerating below 2000-2200 rpm has vanished. Oh, sweet inline six...

The new coils came in their sealed Bosch box, with what it seems a date (25 03 21), and a code you can introduce in www.protect.bosch.com . I put the codes and the website said they were correct.

So...it seems that effectively Bosch has redesigned the coils, and they look cheaper and cruder. Don´t be surprised if you buy new coils and you get these.

I hope they work well for a few years.

[B234R]

Hi, almost a year and 7000 miles later, and the car runs great with the new, ugly, cheaper-looking redesigned Bosch ignition coils. Good performance and mileage, and no problems with the emissions test.

So if you buy new Bosch coils and you see they´re different to the old ones, don´t be surprised and discard them as fake ones. They´re genuine.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Have you guys seen the coils that Dinan is seing? They say 10% stronger spark, ECS had them on sale for $24 a coil. Someone in the know told me that they are made by Mallory.

[StephenVA]

Yep they are. Dinan is part of the same auto consolidated group.

https://www.holley.com/brands/mallory/

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Ahh yes, it was you, Stephen, let me know when’s a good time, I have a present for your silver wagon!

[StephenVA]

Yep this is the group that brought up all the parts of my old company as well from the other merger/consolidator.

Come by anytime as I am working at home and playing with cars as usual. Still cleaning and detailing the M5 for the Concourse coming up on May 1st. I am planning on bring out the 528 as well, so there will be at least three e39 there.

Link: https://www.nccbmwcca.org/event/38th...rque-concours/

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Oh cool! This was the same show that they used to hold over at that small park out in Vienna? Dude, remind me about this! I’ll get Robert to come too. At least that park in Occoquan is actually a pretty nice place for a car show! That was where I used to store my boat, and put it into the water. I’m a bit busy now with a few things, but sometime in the middle of next week, I’ll make some time, come out and see you.

[grahamsound]

I have two experiences with counterfeit ignition coils. Fake Denso's from eBay for a "too good to be true/not original packaging" price for my toyota sequoia. Less than a year and I started having rough cylinders. They all pretty much failed.

I just bought a used e39 and the guy said he got a really good deal on Bosch coils from eBay. Immediate red flag for me, so I put it on the list of things to watch for. Once I got my cable/INPA working I saw rough performace was all over the place so I ordered coil packs from FCP Euro.

The car had sluggish performance and the rough readings were all over the place. I bought "made in Slovenia"-marked Bosch coil packs from FCPEuro and they look different than the "Bosch Germany" ones that were in there. The car runs MUCH better now. Watch our for good deals, esp on eBay. lots of counterfeit parts out there and not just for cars. Electronics etc.

There is no such thing as a good deal, esp when maintaining a BMW, right?

Good luck all and happy inline-6-ing.

[BMW540san]

I know sometime people are on a budget and may justify going for risky stuff on ebay by saying to themselves: I only got this E39 for $800 on Craigslist, FM or whatever...therefore I can't justify the set of OEM Bosch coils and I will go ebay special brand at the moment which costs 1/3 of the price.

And sometimes it even works well enough where fake part is well made enough to last until the car inevatibely changes hands again in a short period of time and make next owner come up with inventive curse words.

Well, regardless if you paid $800 or $8000 for E39 or any other 90's BMW, the fact is they all require good quality parts in order to run correct.
So, personally, I will never ever buy "ebay special" part or part claimed to be certain brand but from a seller that raises some alarms.

[B234R]

12,000 miles and 20 months after replacing the coils the car runs great. Each coil was about 40€ in Oscaro website (well known in Europe).
I would like to know if somebody has bought Bosch coils recently for his/her E39 (and recently made coils, not NOS), and how they look compared with the two "coils style" I´ve put in the pictures.