Time to replace ignition coils?

mattoak · 02-27-2018, 04:07 PM

I've been looking this up and have read both arguements.....some say if it ain't broke don't fix it. Others say change them out before one goes. Let me know your opinion or experience in the past.

I had an ignition coil go bad on me at around 80k miles in 2012, now I'm at 155k miles and haven't had any more give up. I changed spark plugs at 90k miles.

So should I bother replacing the ignition coils, or just wait until another one gives up? I'm thinking of grabbing one to keep as a backup but Not sure if I should go ahead and do all of them. If I do them all, I'll also change spark plugs. But if I don't do them I'll probably also wait until the current plugs have 80k miles or so to change them out.

Also, what's your opinion on spark plug interval? I know BMW says 100k.

Efthreeoh · 02-28-2018, 03:18 PM

Good question. IIRC I lost my first coil at 283,000. I replaced the whole rack based on the mileage and the cost of towing back to home if I lost one at work, which is 80 miles away. Coil death has many variables, but age is one of them. The cost of a tow was the price for 6 coils, so it made sense to replace them in my situation. I've done plugs near the 100K interval for the 2 times I've done them. Modern day engine controls don't wear out plugs like back in the day.

The Nightman · 02-28-2018, 03:59 PM

At that mileage I would replace your other coils simply for peace of mind. They're not expensive and it's easy to do so I don't see the point of squeezing more life out of them.

As for spark plugs, anywhere between 60-100k miles is reasonable.

nvturbo · 03-12-2018, 10:31 PM

I just recently replaced the coils and spark plugs with a set of Bosch coils and NGK plugs. Prior to the replacement, I had a bit of idle issue. While parked at a light (in DRIVE), I would notice the idle surge from 600-800 RPM. I can also feel like someone literally bumping into the back of the car, almost like jerkiness feeling. After the install, both issues were gone.

Zebaztian7 · 03-14-2018, 11:26 AM

Has anyone replaced coils with Eldor instead of Bosch or Delphi?

nvturbo · 03-15-2018, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zebaztian7

Has anyone replaced coils with Eldor instead of Bosch or Delphi?

From what I've read, there is no noticeable difference using them compared to others. I paid less than $110 for the set of Bosch on eBay. That's about the cheapest you will find. Other places have them for $125+

david in germany · 03-15-2018, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zebaztian7

Has anyone replaced coils with Eldor instead of Bosch or Delphi?

Did the complete set to Eldor a couple of months ago. Car does seem to run smoother now. I did it because a Bosch died on me a couple of weeks prior and I changed it out to the Eldor, a few months before that I had another Bosch die and had to swap it out with a Delphi. That was enough to push me to replace them all with the Eldor. I do keep a Delphi and a Bosch in the car to swap out if I need to and it takes 7-8 minutes to swap one out for me.

Zebaztian7 · 03-15-2018, 08:27 PM

What was the part number and where did you get yours from?

david in germany · 03-16-2018, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zebaztian7

What was the part number and where did you get yours from?

12138657273 from BMW directly.

Efthreeoh · 03-16-2018, 06:37 AM

Maybe you should try some of these

https://www.ignitionprojectsusa.com/...sku-ip-a122604

tcphoto · 03-16-2018, 11:21 AM

Preventive maintenance is one thing but why replace good parts. I had a coil go out when I bought my used E92 and never thought about replacing them all. It sounds like it's time for the plugs but I see coils as a replace as required basis.

Glim · 07-06-2018, 11:25 PM

1 coil went out at 6 years old, the other 5 are still working fine after 13 years. Replaced the one with BOS1837981 and keep a spare in the trunk.

zstreet86 · 07-06-2018, 11:51 PM

They are definitely easy enough to change as they go out if you don't mind limping the car home when one fails. I just had one fail a few weeks back at 60k miles. Went ahead and finished my day as normal limping around then stopped by O'Reilly's on the way home and bought just 1, replaced it in the morning after the engine cooled down.

If I were you and you just want to replace one at a time I'd just keep a spare in the car because you never know when one can go out. That's what I do now. Good luck!

austin.tillison · 07-14-2018, 11:24 PM

I changed mine one as a time as they went out. I think I was paying like $60 a pop until I finally had them all replaced. I did spark plugs around 130k if I remember correctly and I'm at 180k now

02-27-2018, 04:07 PM	#1
mattoak Private First Class 13 Rep 120 Posts Drives: 06 325i Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Fort Collins, CO iTrader: (0)	Time to replace ignition coils? I've been looking this up and have read both arguements.....some say if it ain't broke don't fix it. Others say change them out before one goes. Let me know your opinion or experience in the past. I had an ignition coil go bad on me at around 80k miles in 2012, now I'm at 155k miles and haven't had any more give up. I changed spark plugs at 90k miles. So should I bother replacing the ignition coils, or just wait until another one gives up? I'm thinking of grabbing one to keep as a backup but Not sure if I should go ahead and do all of them. If I do them all, I'll also change spark plugs. But if I don't do them I'll probably also wait until the current plugs have 80k miles or so to change them out. Also, what's your opinion on spark plug interval? I know BMW says 100k.
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02-28-2018, 03:18 PM	#2
Efthreeoh General 19912 Rep 19,256 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Verginny iTrader: (0)	Good question. IIRC I lost my first coil at 283,000. I replaced the whole rack based on the mileage and the cost of towing back to home if I lost one at work, which is 80 miles away. Coil death has many variables, but age is one of them. The cost of a tow was the price for 6 coils, so it made sense to replace them in my situation. I've done plugs near the 100K interval for the 2 times I've done them. Modern day engine controls don't wear out plugs like back in the day.
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02-28-2018, 03:59 PM	#3
The Nightman Cometh 1306 Rep 1,445 Posts Drives: Boy's Soul Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Boy's Hole iTrader: (4) Garage List E90 LCI "330i& ... [10.00]	At that mileage I would replace your other coils simply for peace of mind. They're not expensive and it's easy to do so I don't see the point of squeezing more life out of them. As for spark plugs, anywhere between 60-100k miles is reasonable.
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03-12-2018, 10:31 PM	#4
nvturbo Private First Class 23 Rep 115 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Charlotte iTrader: (0)	I just recently replaced the coils and spark plugs with a set of Bosch coils and NGK plugs. Prior to the replacement, I had a bit of idle issue. While parked at a light (in DRIVE), I would notice the idle surge from 600-800 RPM. I can also feel like someone literally bumping into the back of the car, almost like jerkiness feeling. After the install, both issues were gone.
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03-14-2018, 11:26 AM	#5
Zebaztian7 Private 6 Rep 97 Posts Drives: 2011 e92 335i xDrive Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: West Texas iTrader: (0)	Has anyone replaced coils with Eldor instead of Bosch or Delphi?
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03-15-2018, 08:27 PM	#8
Zebaztian7 Private 6 Rep 97 Posts Drives: 2011 e92 335i xDrive Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: West Texas iTrader: (0)	What was the part number and where did you get yours from?
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03-16-2018, 06:37 AM	#10
Efthreeoh General 19912 Rep 19,256 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Verginny iTrader: (0)	Maybe you should try some of these https://www.ignitionprojectsusa.com/...sku-ip-a122604 __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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03-16-2018, 11:21 AM	#11
tcphoto Brigadier General 4437 Rep 3,319 Posts Drives: E92 335i 6MT Coupe Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Nashville, TN iTrader: (1)	Preventive maintenance is one thing but why replace good parts. I had a coil go out when I bought my used E92 and never thought about replacing them all. It sounds like it's time for the plugs but I see coils as a replace as required basis. __________________
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07-06-2018, 11:25 PM	#12
Glim Captain 23 Rep 780 Posts Drives: 2006 330i & 2013 X5 35i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Victoria, BC iTrader: (0)	1 coil went out at 6 years old, the other 5 are still working fine after 13 years. Replaced the one with BOS1837981 and keep a spare in the trunk.
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07-06-2018, 11:51 PM	#13
zstreet86 Private First Class 116 Rep 161 Posts Drives: 2011 E91 328i, 2008 e90 M3 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: 35824 iTrader: (0)	They are definitely easy enough to change as they go out if you don't mind limping the car home when one fails. I just had one fail a few weeks back at 60k miles. Went ahead and finished my day as normal limping around then stopped by O'Reilly's on the way home and bought just 1, replaced it in the morning after the engine cooled down. If I were you and you just want to replace one at a time I'd just keep a spare in the car because you never know when one can go out. That's what I do now. Good luck!
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07-14-2018, 11:24 PM	#14
austin.tillison Private 12 Rep 93 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 325i Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Alabama iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 BMW 325i [0.00]	I changed mine one as a time as they went out. I think I was paying like $60 a pop until I finally had them all replaced. I did spark plugs around 130k if I remember correctly and I'm at 180k now
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