Proactive coil pack replacement?
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Proactive coil pack replacement?
'98 A4, 199,000 miles. I haven't noticed any problems but parts are hard to find. Should I proactively replace the ignition coil pack while I can still find the part?
I know it can go bad but do they get weak after 25 years?
I know it can go bad but do they get weak after 25 years?
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From: Canada
Is there rusty corrosion on the metal sheaves of the coil frame? Corrosion can cause physical swelling and lead to failure. Also the chassis of the coil needs a good solid ground connection to the engine as the mounts are rubber. Maybe post a pic.
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A4 Coil Pack
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From: Bellingham, Washington
Not to be an alarmist, but the coil pack on my '97 A4/B5 quattro 2.8 12v went out on me while on the freeway. I had just left town for an out of state conference and had to be towed. This was several years ago, with my car having about 220,000 miles on it at the time. There were no symptoms leading up to this failure that I was aware of.
This was a catastrophic failure of sorts, causing a surge that blew the ECU fuse. Luckily, all was well after the coil pack replacement.
This was a catastrophic failure of sorts, causing a surge that blew the ECU fuse. Luckily, all was well after the coil pack replacement.
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DesertSage's situation is concerning, plus the 30v pack has an integrated ICM. So if it's the OE part at nearly 200k miles then sure that's not a bad idea as they do lead a pretty intense life.
From what I hear, what will really strain the coilpack is if the plugs & wires are in poor condition which causes it to work harder. So I'd start by giving your plugs & wires a lookover, maybe check the resistance values & make sure they are in spec before sprinkling parts around.
If you are feeling ambitious, you could also do the coil on plug conversion and eliminate that style pack entirely.
From what I hear, what will really strain the coilpack is if the plugs & wires are in poor condition which causes it to work harder. So I'd start by giving your plugs & wires a lookover, maybe check the resistance values & make sure they are in spec before sprinkling parts around.
If you are feeling ambitious, you could also do the coil on plug conversion and eliminate that style pack entirely.
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Ok. Thanks.
I keep my plugs and ignition wires maintained but sounds like picking up a Bremi pack for ~$100 is a good insurance policy.
I don't think a conversion kit is available for the 30V and the ones out there are 5x more expensive than the original part.
I keep my plugs and ignition wires maintained but sounds like picking up a Bremi pack for ~$100 is a good insurance policy.
I don't think a conversion kit is available for the 30V and the ones out there are 5x more expensive than the original part.
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From: Canada
IMO the 2.8 is one of the most reliable engines Audi ever made. With basic maintenance the 2.8 can last a very long time.
There is a list of parts that can cause engine shutdown or risk of cascading failures so if you want running reliability from the 2.8 then consider replacing items such as:
Coil pack and plug wires
Fuel Pump
Fuel Pump Relay
Crankshaft Position Sensor
Timing Belt Kit including water pump and thermostat
Coolant Expansion Tank (turns brown and develops cracks with age)
Coolant Temp Sensor
PCV components
Accessory Belt and roller / tensioner
And more depending how far you want to go
There is a list of parts that can cause engine shutdown or risk of cascading failures so if you want running reliability from the 2.8 then consider replacing items such as:
Coil pack and plug wires
Fuel Pump
Fuel Pump Relay
Crankshaft Position Sensor
Timing Belt Kit including water pump and thermostat
Coolant Expansion Tank (turns brown and develops cracks with age)
Coolant Temp Sensor
PCV components
Accessory Belt and roller / tensioner
And more depending how far you want to go
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