'Tis the season for ignition coils!

Rambling from the Sage of Oxford
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Charles
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'Tis the season for ignition coils!

Post by Charles » Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:50 pm

Having just got the B3S back with a new coil for cylinder #6, the trusty Megane has decided to throw a wobbly and needs two coils replaced :shock:

Being serious for a moment, what do people think about the effect of extreme cold weather starts followed by very hot operating conditions under the bonnet as something that would affect the life of such electrical components?

If that is the case, then I wouldn't be surprised to see a number of similar failures over the next month or so as the components have been pushed to the end of their life with the weather we've had over the last few months.
Charles
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Post by shaziman » Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:09 am

Bad luck Charles, unfortuatley these thing happen!

There never any way of working out what will go next!
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Post by JPR89 » Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:57 pm

I can certainly see larger variable temperatures having an effect on the life of electrical components, no different in other technology; computers run too hot, causes component failure (sometimes premature), Amps etc, always more prone to failure the more times they are switched on/off, run at higher ambient temperatures, so probably not a surprise more issues arise after bad weather with ignition systems.

On another note, the Renault just couldn't miss out on the action could it :lol:

Hopefully that's your years worth of car bills out of the way nice and early :)
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Charles
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Post by Charles » Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:46 am

JPR89 wrote:Hopefully that's your years worth of car bills out of the way nice and early :)
I wish!

I need to replace the diff bushes shortly along with a few other bits and pieces. Then I need to replace both front wings as the standard "E46 front wing rust on the arches" is reaching the point where it needs doing.

Then I might be clear of some bills for a while - but probably not :roll:
Charles
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Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!

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Post by rcshott » Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:09 pm

Ahh sooo Charlie... you pay velly cheep, you get velly cheep ploduk! No?

Haha, but I see so many things of all varieties breaking sooner rather than later in our 'modern' throw-away society. It irks me to see expensive equipment failure though and to read about it day-in & day-out.

Hot 'n cold changes? Hmmmmm global warming?

Really, it shouldn't be a problem I venture to say. Manufacturers can't make one for the cold & one for hot, & one for dry & one for wet... it's a matter of doing the best for a price in all relative conditions, surely? Lets face it though, there's numerous cheaper products out there that are far worse by far, so I suppose we should be thankful for the product we pay for IS supreme.
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Charles
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Post by Charles » Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:48 am

rcshott wrote:Ahh sooo Charlie... you pay velly cheep, you get velly cheep ploduk! No?

Haha, but I see so many things of all varieties breaking sooner rather than later in our 'modern' throw-away society. It irks me to see expensive equipment failure though and to read about it day-in & day-out.

Hot 'n cold changes? Hmmmmm global warming?

Really, it shouldn't be a problem I venture to say. Manufacturers can't make one for the cold & one for hot, & one for dry & one for wet... it's a matter of doing the best for a price in all relative conditions, surely? Lets face it though, there's numerous cheaper products out there that are far worse by far, so I suppose we should be thankful for the product we pay for IS supreme.
Trying to decide how to take this Jim - so let's explore your comments one by one:

The ignition coil for the ALPINA is only the third one in ten years of motoring and this one has lasted ten years - so pretty good life I think

Those in the Renault have lasted 13+ years - so, again, pretty good life

As for hot and cold - I was referring specifically to the extremes of cold weather starts and then an extremely hot engine bay - but I guess that got lost in translation

And as for the purpose of my post - well, that was to explore how electrical components fare in wide extremes of temperature ...
Charles
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Re: 'Tis the season for ignition coils!

Post by jamesa » Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:51 am

Charles wrote:Being serious for a moment, what do people think about the effect of extreme cold weather starts followed by very hot operating conditions under the bonnet as something that would affect the life of such electrical components?
Fact of life and whilst they are tested in such conditions ... not for such long periods !

Storing overnight in a garage definitely helps if you already have one, if not then some form of engine bay / block heating ...

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=621330
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Post by rcshott » Sun Apr 21, 2013 8:10 am

Charles wrote: Trying to decide how to take this Jim - so let's explore your comments one by one:
Yeah, poorly written ... speed reading doesn't always give good results. I got completely on the wrong track... sober too!
So, the idea you put forward I've never experienced but wouldn't usually have thought it a problem. But I suppose as the parts become tired from the cold/hot sequence over time they would be expected to begin to break down. In my old clunker I have to admit that many plastic parts require replacement or be carefully handled as they just disintegrate. That would have to also assist in electrical breakdown, too.
But wouldn't coils break down after a while, anyway? Mine hasn't and I've never had that trouble on any car, really. Would it have anything to do with more 'modern' parts? Plus the cold/hot over time also having an effect? Just a thought.
1989 B10 (2nd owner. For sale)
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