High Performance Ignition Coils...?

[WhoU4]

I was browsing the latest Bavarian Autosport catalog and read about their "High Performance" ignition coils. I know that Bavarian Motorsport's version are one of many, but has anyone gone through the trouble of replacing them? Any recommendations and do you have to do anything with the ECU?

http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp
Bavarian Autosport High-Performance Ignition Coil Set - Set of 6

Thanks,

Dave

[ssummers]

I can't see how you would get $260 worth of performance out of those unless you have some significant mods including higher compression that might take advantage of, or require a hotter spark.

[WhoU4]

Originally Posted by ssummers

I can't see how you would get $260 worth of performance out of those unless you have some significant mods including higher compression that might take advantage of, or require a hotter spark.

ssummers, I going to have to agree with you. I've been browsing a thread over at BimmerForums and it really sounds like a waste. It was in an E36 M3 thread and one person claimed an added 4 whp with them installed. Most others complained that there was no difference, and a couple users complained of failed coils.

Someone mentioned OKADA Projects Plasma Direct coils, but at $1199 I could just stick with stock and put that money towards a Turbo or Supercharger down the road.

Since I'm not having any issues I may as well leave things alone for the time being.

Thanks!

[ssummers]

Originally Posted by WhoU4

ssummers, I going to have to agree with you. I've been browsing a thread over at BimmerForums and it really sounds like a waste. It was in an E36 M3 thread and one person claimed an added 4 whp with them installed. Most others complained that there was no difference, and a couple users complained of failed coils.

Someone mentioned OKADA Projects Plasma Direct coils, but at $1199 I could just stick with stock and put that money towards a Turbo or Supercharger down the road.

Since I'm not having any issues I may as well leave things alone for the time being.

Thanks!

4 rwhp is pretty large for just coils unless he has some other significant mods. I suspect the same guy got some huge improvement out of Splitfire plugs as well. Back in the carb'd days, when a single coil serviced many cylinders it was easier to see a small performance improvement from the hotter spark a replacement coil could provide. With injected motors with a coil per cylinder it is pretty unlikely to see much improvement as the motors run pretty lean already, adding more spark(if they really do) doesn't help a lean charge burn any faster. Not sure about BMW's but the best electrical/electronic bang for the buck I have seen on other motors is reprogramming of the ECU.

[Leonardo629]

I once read about the coils installed on an E46 M3, and the owner actually returned the coils to Bav auto because he felt no difference.

[O-cha]

Upgraded coil are for very heavily modified cars, of which the 335 is not even able to be yet. For instance It's a solution for when you are running so much cylinder pressure that the spark dies and you start getting misfiring. Instead of running a tighter gap you can put coils in. It's a tool not really bolt on horsepower (despite advertisements), but horsepower can be gained from utilizing them as a tool.