Hey guys my car is coming up on 70k miles and before the winter hit i wanted to change out the wires, plugs and coils. I was planning on splurging a little bit and getting MSD 8.5mm wires and coil packs. However, after reading a couple threads i see there are mixed feelings on them vs. OEM parts. Does anyone have personal experience with the wires/coil packs or any general information for me to consider?

Thanks in advance!

 

Stick with stock for the ignition system, there is no gains from going aftermarket.

Also MSD Coils screw up Dyno runs.

Also part 2, there is no reason to swap your coil packs if they are not broken. I have 180,000 miles on my original ones. Just do the plugs and wires and swap all your fluids and filters.

 

Thanks Chibi for re-affirming what i read. Just curious why aren't there any gains, looking at the data provided the resistance per foot is lower and the coils produce a higher voltage which should mean a larger spark thus better fuel burn efficiency/power? Or are the gains so minimal that its not worth it? Also, how do the MSD coils screw up dyno runs?

 

Because even in high horsepower applications people are running beautiful on the stock components so there is no reason to change anything. They have good life and function perfectly.

Better power and fuel efficiency comes from tuning the car.

I have just seen MSD Coils and dyno results and the results are just everywhere.

 

I agree tuning would increase power and fuel efficiency, but i don't think that's the only way to get those gains. So anyway, what you're saying is that the OEM parts have just as good quality as the aftermarket if not better, if its not broke don't fix it type of thing. Gotcha....

What about your dyno statement, how does the MSD effect dyno results?

(I appreciate all your help chibi!!)

 

X2, you aren't going to make any more power going aftermarket, especially not if your engine is virtually stock. Aftermarket parts also have a higher failure rate typically. If ohms per foot made more power automatically, GM could have easily put super low resistance wires in stock. Its not as easy as you might think to outsmart the thousands and thousands of engineering hours put into these cars and engines.

There are only 3 times that I see the need to change the stock ignition system:
-1) If you're going boosted (M90, turbo, whatever)- switching to a traditional copper plug seems to have better results than OEM platinum. The downside is they must be changed WAY more frequently. NA setups don't really benefit from it.

-2) If you change plugs a lot (ie you switch to coppers and you're big on reading plugs for tuning changes, or like to tinker with plug gap)- then it can be worth it to get some more beefy wires like PRJs or something. They don't make any more power, but IMO they hold up better to repeated removals.

-3) If you're planning to really rev the snot out of it (ie 7k+, 7500+), then people have run into issues with the stock ignition system not keeping up correctly, but on these engines (especially with a stock cam and heads)- there isn't any point to going that high anyways.



Its definitely not- but you have to keep in mind that these cars in stock form are set up to be the best they can given a certain set of compromises. They need to be able to operate in -20 winters, +120* desert heat, rain, snow, get abused, neglected maintenance, remain cheap to build, meet emissions for many years, etc etc.

Tuning is a nice way to get better power and fuel efficiency because it really doesn't have any drawbacks if done correctly (other than cost). You are just taking advantage of the fact that the factory had to tune conservatively to fit a large range of variables, and you can dial it in to your specific engine and driving region- something that would have been cost prohibitive at the factory.

Many other ways to improve efficiency and power have drawbacks. You could replace the stock exhaust with something less restrictive for a little power- but you have the cost and the extra noise. You could stick a more aggressive camshaft in there- but then you would lose low end power, and idle quality. The list goes on with each mod to the engine. CAFE fuel requirements have meant that the efficiency of modern engines have to be very dialed in to meet emission requirements, power needs, and cost- and there isn't nearly as much cheap/easy power as there was back in the 60's, 50's, etc.

 

Thanks bumpin, great info, answered a lot of questions! Just one thing thats been bugging me, what chibi said... Chibi can you (or anyone else) shed a little more light on this? Its just the first time i've heard of this.

 

I've been looking but I can't find it. Must have been on a Grand Prix forum, but I found a person's dyno sheet and they couldn't get a proper reading, it showed like 40hp and 600tq and just bounced around like crazy until they put the stock coils back on.

 

hmmm

just adding my $.02 the MSD coils may have a little bit more Voltage but when the lower voltage of the stocks is more then plenty to burn the fuel in high boost and turbo apps... then there is no reason to change.

my car has the MSD's only because i bought a GTP that had them... i parted out that car and desided might as well have them cause they were red like my intake manifold.

 

i agree with chibi and bumpin on the stock coils they are very reliable for majority of the performance mods down the road. if they are not busted or do not have a miss fire dont replace them. i would do plugs wires and fluids due to maintenence and it will help in the longgevity og the engine. i would ecpeccially do the colent because of it getting cold and whats in there might have to much water or just old