I was looking to get a performance coil for my LO3. I was considering getttin an Accel, MSD, Pertronix, or Mallory. However, I am having a hard time finding the right one for my engine. Could anyone tell me the right one(s) to get? Any part #'s, links, or pictures would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

a coil is a prety much worthless mod. if your coil is tired just get a stock replacement and save the pennies toward a more effective mod.

later
tim

 

Get the msd blaster coil from jegs or summit.
It should be the duel conector one or something like that

 

Update: Bolted on an MSD blaster coil....no difference. Of course my plugs are only gapped at 0.035", I'll try and gap them to 0.045" and tell you if this coil makes any real difference.

 

I still consider my msd blaster coil the most effective mod for the cost. $40 and at least another 500 rpm added to powerband=great investment. Maybe my old coil was shot, and being able to gap the plugs to .045" were part of the difference-I don't know. This is the first and probably only time I'll ever disagree with Tim..... in that ignition is key. I went from bosch platnums, bosch 8mm wires, and high performance dis cap and rotor,and stock coil to Accel 8.8mm wires, Accel header plugs, high performance cap and rotor(same brand as previous tune up), msd 6A, and eventually msd coil. The 6A improved gas milage, smoother idle, and smoothed out acceleration. The coil allowed larger gap in the plugs and maintains voltage better at higher rpms.

 

Just dont get the hypertech coil....Mine went out in 2 months.

 

Doing ALL that is like doing a tune-up, you can't pin point saying the higher voltage coil made a difference.
That's like me saying that my STB made a world of difference when at the same time I had installed Alston SFCs, SLP boxed LCAs, boxed panhard, eibach pro-kit springs, Bilstiens, 36/24 sway bars, and a global west "wonder bar"! If I had the chance to do it all again I would have done it but doing JUST one I would have done SFCs. Just like the ignition, if I had to I would run better wires if stock.
BTW, I'm running a more powerful motor than most of you and I've using 8mm wires, stock replacement cap and rotor and stock spark plugs. Only thing I changed was the MSD coil and as far as performance goes, there isn't any change. When we're cranking up the rpms the coil has less time to charge before having to fire the next cylinder. The way to measure a coil is by it's reserve voltage. If you're spinning a motor at 7000+rpm and one coil has to spark 8 cylinders we're talking about not a lot of time. This is why there is waste-spark and now coil near plug or coin on plug designs. HEI is great but you can't gap the plugs too much if you plan on reving the snot out of a motor. It's up to you. I wouldn't waste my money on it because it's never been proven to make our cars faster in the 1/4. There might be a difference in gas milage from the multi-spark but it's hard to say inductive spark is longer so it should burn just as well if not better at low engine speeds!

 

Thanks for the replies. I think I am gonna hold off on the performance coil for now.

 

i think it is a worthwhile investment, but only if the rest of your engine and ignition setup is up to par as well.

if you have a high power ignition for a high revving engine, then i would definitely get it. if everything is stock, then it may be a waste until you do upgrade everything else. i heard that the stock coil starts not doing so well at above 4500 rpm, so unless you spend a lot of time spinning her faster than that, you dont need it.

-brian

 

I did a standard tune up on my car prior to getting the coil, I can say that there was a difference between my standard coil and blaster coil in the areas of idle and >4000 rpm running on the track. It's not a major difference, nothing to say I gained anything at all, but just for kicks I ran the old coil vs msd coil and the idle is much more stable in gear. Not that the old coil was jumpy or anything, just by feel.

On the trip to the dyno, the coil proved to have improved the run, the rpm climb was greatly smoothed out to a finer curve than previous runs. The gain also manifested itself in an extra 200 rpm in peak HP a total of 5 hp over the stock coil, not bad really.

My coil was 14 years old and was still running strong. It's not really in the tired category yet. I keep it as a backup in case the msd coil ever fails, hopefully won't have to. First do a tune up on your car and see if that solves any issues first, then if you are in need of replacing a coil, then get a msd one as being not too much more in price than a stock coil, its worth it.

 

I must have gotten some freak stock coil because just tonight after my school beat Michigan I went out and switched coils. I'm running the stock coil and absolutely NO difference in idle quality, nothing.
Oh well, I guess some benifit, others don't.

 

i found no difference between stock and msd coil.. i find it a waste with the money for the coil you can visit camaroz28.com and pick up 3:42's or a lt1 cam shaft.. or do like me and get both for 40 dollars.. even an open element is better then the coil mod.. sorry i must agree with tim.. i find no difference and i think the money can be spent in better places..

My msd lasted for 2 yrs. then it died.. piece..

Shawn

^^^^ the burnt TBI ^^^^
^^^^ it'll be back frankenstien style^^^^

 

I just call the way the dyno sees it.

Since I do have an msd coil, I'm gonna try gapping the plugs a bit wider. I tried 55 a few years back and had a few misfires, or something to that effect, I'm in a better position now to recognize oddball sounds than a few years ago.

 

When I built my engine, I went with the Crane PS-91 coil along with the HI-6S. The HI-6S had problems so I never ran with it and had it replaced by Crane with a HI-6 unit.

During the testing and such as to figure out what exactly was wrong with the HI-6S, I had switched back and forth between the stock coil and the Crane PS-91. For me, there was a difference, without a doubt. The enigne idle much smoother and part thottle cracks were much more responsive with the PS-91 coil over the stock coil.

After I installed the replacement HI-6 unit from Crane, I notice even more of a difference. not as much as I though I would have, but a noticable difference.

As far as plug gaps go, I gapped mine at .040".

Personally, for a daily street driver like most of us have, I think the money spent on an ignition box can be used more wisely elsewhere on the car ($135-$200)! But the the cost of an aftermarket high-output coil, I'm a firm believer on getting that!

Later,
-Mike

 

There's very little difference in price for the coil I spent vs a stock coil.. actually it was <$15 dollars in difference so I said why not get an msd coil?

 

I run the MSD coil. It didnt really help all that much except it made my idle a little smoother. Although I'd like to swap back to stock between a run since Im spinning the engine to like 5800 before shifting now, just to see if the stocker does ok above 4500. It was $40, Im happy with it. Although I dont think Id drop $150 on a 6AL quite yet.