I got curious and started looking at parts online and saw that MSD makes the ignition coils for my 2004 Monte Carlo LS. Has anyone put money into performance coils, spark plugs, and wires in their Montes? If so, can you tell if it made a difference or not?

 

Waste of money, don't bother.

It's been tried numerous times, especially on L67s, but there are really a few issues:
-There is no notable power benefit to them, especially on a stock or lightly modded vehicle. Plenty of L67 cars have done 500+ whp on stock coils, and some on stock wires. Sure if you got into the coil adapters with a DIS HO box there are a few benefits for an all out race car, but that's a lot of money.
-Reliability- in general these parts (especially MSD coils and the DIS boxes) have very poor reliability when compared to stock. It really makes it a lose-lose, you spend a bunch of money, gain no power, and end up with a car that breaks down more often.

In the ignition system, there are only a couple of areas that are worthwhile spending money as a 'mod':
-spark plugs. As you get into a higher power setup, you need to alter the heat range of the plugs, and it can also be beneficial to run a copper plug when you add boost. For a non-boosted application on a stock bottom end, the stock plugs (or equivalent replacements) are where it's at.
-wires. The stock wires work great, but they do have a downfall if removed a lot in that they arent particularly robust (normal plug chanhe intervals mean they'd only get removed once every 100k miles). There are a one aftermarket wires that hold up better to frequent removal, but even those don't provide any actual power gains.

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You can use the supercharger coils on the NA engine on the 3800. Give ya a lil hotter spark for about $150. but you wont see any Hp gains....maybe a lil smoother idle. Big dollar coils and wires are typically used on turbo setups. Really no benefit on a stock engine.

 

Should be able to pick them up from a junkyard for far cheaper than that. Bottom line as you said though- no real power to be found there, so why waste money and time messing with it?

 

I am running USED L67 coils on my L36 in my Monte and my LA1 (3400) in my Grand Am. No special wires (Monte is still on factory wires). For the $20-$30 I have it in them per car, good deal. More then $50, I would not bother. They basically improve your throttle response just a touch.

 

I'm glad that I went to the forum, because I was tempted to buy this stuff! Thanks for the help guys!

 

Another one here running used L67 coils. I actually think Jason got them for me from a junkyard

 

I am on stock l36 coils and made 594whp. Currently hoping to make over 700whp on stock l36 coils.

 

You are in the high dollar mods lol.

But this is proof that the coils are not a big deal. I notice a touch of improvement with the L67 coils on my L36 and LA1.... But that tiny touch of improvement is not worth any big dollars. Inexpensive used coils are fine. In all honesty, these coils last a LONG time. They really do a great job.