Engine Drivetrain 2nd Gen S Okada/Ignition Projects Plasma Coil Packs Any Good?

Discussion in 'Tuning and Performance' started by AM_AUTOS, Jan 27, 2016.

  1. AM_AUTOS

    AM_AUTOS New Member

    Dec 27, 2012
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    Anybody got these on their MINI?

    If so whats your take on them?
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

    Mar 30, 2009
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    No direct experience, however, in all my years it seems that anything in the automotive realm that uses "plasma" as a descriptor is a product designed to remove money from wallets only.
     
  3. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    May 4, 2009
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    Stick with OEM Coil, Plugs and Wires.

    If they are good enough for a 400 hp race MINI they are good enough for you.
     
  4. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Ex-Owner (Retired) of a custom metal fab company.
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    Welp... In the sheet metal realm, itsa godsend....

    Have a plasma cutting torch in the shop and itsa wonderful piece of equipment... :Thumbsup:

    It'l cut through 3/8" thick mild steel with 120 volts and shop air like its butta....
     
  5. ZippyNH

    ZippyNH Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2010
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    There was tons of endless debates "back in the day" about this...
    Some swore their cars idled better, somehow, or seemed faster....
    But nobody could ever quantify WHAT they did....dyno's, etc all seemed inconclusive from what I remember...everything was well within the range off errors for all the tests done....
    But some folks swore by them as their "special sauce"....
    I always thought of it as a plceabo...
     
  6. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    IIRC, from the discussions on an air-cooled VW list years ago, some guys took stock wires and the big 8.5 mm wires and cut them. It was found that the stock wire diameter was a couple og gauges down from the stock size. The fancy wires just have more insulation, and after all...bigger is better:rolleyes::D, right.
     
  7. myles2go

    myles2go Active Member

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    Stick with the OEM coil pack. You won't gain anything by switching except the potential for problems. As Dave pointed out the OEM items are more than capable to function in extreme conditions.
     
  8. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    May 4, 2009
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    OEM. Basma Ploosters and hotter-than-hell coilpacks are designed for one thing: separating suckers from their money.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. AM_AUTOS

    AM_AUTOS New Member

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    Fair enough guys.

    I just wondered if they were any good.

    I will just stick with OEM item and get better spark plugs than stock on a JCW
     
  10. CarlB

    CarlB Active Member

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    All you need is enough energy to jump the gap of the plug. The systems are self-regulating. You can have a 50,000 volt coil and if it only takes 25,000 volts to jump the gap, it only makes 25,000 volts. As things wear, the cylinder pressures go up, or the RPM go up you need more voltage. If things are working correctly the stock MINI ignition and most stock ignitions work fine.
     
  11. Grizld700

    Grizld700 Well-Known Member

    Feb 2, 2016
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    I have them. I installed them the same time I did a walnut shell blasting service to the back of my intake valves. I'm 99% positive all the extra spunk my car had after that was due to the carbon cleaning, not the coil packs. But they sure look nice :Thumbsup:
     
  12. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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    Sep 18, 2010
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    I took my MSD off and went back to OEM as had been suggested by others. I think I might paint it Chili Red though, just for the go faster feeling I'm now lacking.
     
  13. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
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    Sep 30, 2011
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    The people selling the fancy coil backs are still trying to milk the times when a hotter coil did do something. Back in the carburetor days.
     

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