Aftermarket coil recommendations??
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1
From: Bahston Mass.
Aftermarket coil recommendations??
As some of you may know, my motor is out, having a few 'things' done to it.. Well, without getting into that, I'm wondering if there's a coil that works WITH an Opti(just bought a brand new one, so I'm sticking with the GM Opti), or should I stick with stock??
Thanks, in advance
Thanks, in advance
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1
From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by pwrful c4
I have a fairly new MSD coil ,which I donot need .Iwent to the Delteq 
unit
unitIs the MSD a good unit?? Plug and play??
What are the advantages over the coil you went with??
And last, if the MSD is a direct drop-in, do you want to sell it?
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: NORFOLK VA.
Originally Posted by JB666
Is the MSD a good unit?? Plug and play??
What are the advantages over the coil you went with??
and last, if the MSD is a direct drop-in, do you want to sell it
What are the advantages over the coil you went with??
and last, if the MSD is a direct drop-in, do you want to sell it
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,858
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by MR.KIDD
Keep your stock coil in the car somewhere your going to need it.TRUST ME
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by Lone Ranger
Also, someone on the forum once stated that the "hotter" aftermarket coils will take a toll on the ignition module. It might have been Tom Piper, or CFI-EFI... can't remember, but it was one of the ignition/electric gurus.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,858
Likes: 2
For what its worth, I have a spec sheet on the GM coils for 92 - 95 LT1 and 96 LT1/LT4 as a PDF file (113K file size). It shows the energy specs for each, and at least as far as millijoules of spark energy goes, they're both higher output that several of th aftermarket brands. Its millijoules of spark energy delivered that matters, not the primary voltage. The GM coils are rated at 32,000 volts, but have higher millijoule output than the 45,000 volt aftermarket coils.
Performance Specifications Delphi (GM) coils
.................................. .Standard..................Fast Charge
....................................Sing le Coil............... Time Single Coil
Energy (800 V zener)............62 mJ.................... 70 mJ
Peak secondary current ........45 mA................... 74 mA
Secondary voltage available...32 kV.................... 32 kV
Spark duration (800 V zener)...3.1 ms .................2.6 ms
Secondary resistance.............8.3 k ohms........... 5.8 k ohms
Primary resistance.................0.40 ohm............. 0.20 ohm
Primary charge time...............2.0 ms................ 2.0 ms
The Standard Single Coil is the '92 - '95 LT1 coil, the Fast Charge Time Single Coil is the '96 LT1/LT4 coil.
Performance Specifications Delphi (GM) coils
.................................. .Standard..................Fast Charge
....................................Sing le Coil............... Time Single Coil
Energy (800 V zener)............62 mJ.................... 70 mJ
Peak secondary current ........45 mA................... 74 mA
Secondary voltage available...32 kV.................... 32 kV
Spark duration (800 V zener)...3.1 ms .................2.6 ms
Secondary resistance.............8.3 k ohms........... 5.8 k ohms
Primary resistance.................0.40 ohm............. 0.20 ohm
Primary charge time...............2.0 ms................ 2.0 ms
The Standard Single Coil is the '92 - '95 LT1 coil, the Fast Charge Time Single Coil is the '96 LT1/LT4 coil.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,337
Likes: 0
From: Brighton, MI
For what it's worth, I run an MSD blaster coil and have been eating opti's like crazy (I just posted in another thread a few minutes ago). I've killed 2 used and 1 new GM opti in 1 year's time. I have no idea if the MSD coil is the culprit, but I think I may switch back to the stock coil this time around. I'm tired of the opti swap bs.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
The energy in the spark is equal to 1/2 the primary inductance times the current (in amps) squared. To get more energy you can increase the current, but this can shorten the life of the spark control module. You can increase the primary inductance, but this causes a longer time to build the magnetic field in the spark coil which reduces energy with increasing rpm. GM made a good compromise for high spark energy all the way to the rev limit and long component life when they designed the spark coil to match the spark control module and the remaining spark system components. When you buy an aftermarket coil, you have no idea how the coil was designed. My advise is to stay with your stock coil. Unless you defeat your rev limiter and are racing, the stock ignition system works very well!
