Generation III External Engine LS1 | LS6 | Bolt-Ons | Intakes | Exhaust | Ignition | Accessories
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

world of a difference!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 03:04 PM
  #1  
dgcustomz's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (128)
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 20
From: FORT WORTH
Default world of a difference!

Damn I love the msd coils but they were giving me hell!
I just had my car tuned 2 weeks ago and the car was running rough. I had things I needed to fix before I took it back so they could do the full tune. Well, I had these coils on my 01' Z28 and had the same issues. I installed them in my now 00' ws6 and had the same issues but never knew It was the coils till today. I drove the car for about 200 miles back and forth to work int he last 2 weeks and it got me thinking that these same issues were on my 01 z28. SO, I though to myself what the hell is the problem... I pulled the coils off and I had a stock set from a friend of mines and installed them. WOW! Night and day difference! It feels like the car has another 100hp!. The car would bogg on me and turn off occasionally at stops. It would vibrate alot and I thought it was the stock fuel pump not strong enough for the motor since it is a forged 346 and my tunning shop recommended I get a walbro 255lph. The reason for the walbro is because when they would go w.o.t on the dyno the fuel pressure drops down to 20psi. I will be ordering the walbro either way but thought I would share my experience. I am going to do an ohms test on the coils to see which one is low and replace it. I love the msd's and with a little dwell adjustment they work perfect. Time to start testing them!
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 03:25 PM
  #2  
bayer-z28's Avatar
TECH Veteran
20 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,085
Likes: 1
From: N. Falmouth MA
Default

I have read they don't last long. Not sure what to tell ya.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 03:31 PM
  #3  
Paul Bell's Avatar
That's MISTER MODERATOR
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
Default

It's very hard to beat the stock coils. The MSD coils have had reliability issues from the start and has been pretty well documented here on LS1tech.

Dump the MSD coils and go back to stock.

Swapping to the GM truck coils with the heat sinks has shown some improvements to some people but it's not a plug and play as the brackets and plugs/harnesses are different. To get their full potential, you'll need truck dwell tunings.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 04:10 PM
  #4  
dgcustomz's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (128)
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 20
From: FORT WORTH
Default

I have had these for over 4 years and haven't given me a problem since I started to sell the 01 z28, which was the middle of this year. They have lasted me a long time but this was the first issue I have had with them. They perform as well as the stockers imo. I also have them to give the underhood a little bit of color. I will be keeping them and installing them back on as soon as I find out which one is the bad one. I see alot of people paint the stock coils red and it looks like ***.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 05:03 PM
  #5  
01ssreda4's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (96)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Default

How do you love something that's a pain in your *** AND cost you money and it has no benefit?
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 05:56 PM
  #6  
bayer-z28's Avatar
TECH Veteran
20 Year Member
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,085
Likes: 1
From: N. Falmouth MA
Default

IMO, if I don't see a solid gain for the price, I won't buy it.

Granted the MSD units may have their benefit and in your position, I'd hang on to them as well. I mean, the money is pretty much already spent for them.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:52 PM
  #7  
dgcustomz's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (128)
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 20
From: FORT WORTH
Default

Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
How do you love something that's a pain in your *** AND cost you money and it has no benefit?
SO you don't love your car? There is no benefit in throwing money into a car. Unless you are buying and selling. You never get your money back after modding a car. SO there is no benefit..... My car is a pain in the *** and I still love it! You may have different views.
Originally Posted by bayer-z28
Granted the MSD units may have their benefit and in your position, I'd hang on to them as well. I mean, the money is pretty much already spent for them.
X2.. thank you sir! Well put!
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 11:28 PM
  #8  
01ssreda4's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (96)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Default

No they aren't money well spent, they are garbage. And comparing an entire car to a useless expensive mod aint even the same thing dude.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 12:12 AM
  #9  
LS1-450's Avatar
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (33)
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,783
Likes: 9
Default

Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
No they aren't money well spent, they are garbage.

+1

OP, do some research. We prefer truck coils or D585's to even the stock LS1 coils. Although, stock LS1 coils are good enough & are more reliable than MSD's. Personally, I use D585's on all of our LSX engines @ truck coil charge time specs. Many of us have experience better idle quality this way & testing has shown stronger spark @ high RPM's.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 09:37 AM
  #10  
dgcustomz's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (128)
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 20
From: FORT WORTH
Default

Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
No they aren't money well spent, they are garbage. And comparing an entire car to a useless expensive mod aint even the same thing dude.
It's all the same thing.. If you can't afford it it's a different thing. It's not a mod either... I didn't just buy them because I wanted better performance, it was for the bling factor under the hood aswell. Stock coils are so boring looking that everyone starts to pain them red. Like I said above.. 4years and this is the first issue. I would rather have my under hood looking good and have only one issue in four years than have painted stockers or truck coils on them..
Originally Posted by LS1-450
+1

OP, do some research. We prefer truck coils or D585's to even the stock LS1 coils. Although, stock LS1 coils are good enough & are more reliable than MSD's. Personally, I use D585's on all of our LSX engines @ truck coil charge time specs. Many of us have experience better idle quality this way & testing has shown stronger spark @ high RPM's.
I did do research before I bought them and this was 4 years ago. My car is not a full race car, so no need to start putting truck parts on it because I want to be two tenths faster at the track.

I see alot of guys who get on the band wagon on this site who have never tried the part but yet read about it and agree. 1 problem in 4 years is awesome to me. You might never have problems with the ugly truck coils but my underhood will look alot better.

But let me guess... You guys did try them... Yeah..... right. Thanks for the comments though guys. I was just sharing my experience and I will keep saying this over and over.... 1 problem in 4 years from the msd coils is great. It is worth it to me. Don't just jump on someone's band wagon until you have tried them yourself. Nuf said. Oh... if the "mod" isn't worth the money to you then it's not the "mod" you don't like... it's the fact that you can't afford it so you buy red spray paint.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 09:56 AM
  #11  
Paul Bell's Avatar
That's MISTER MODERATOR
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
Default

Very well then. I suppose four years out of those coils is pretty good considering they're track record here.

I agree, many here jump on the band wagon without doing the wrench turning themselves. I for one did the truck coil swap and started a pretty long thread which includes a detailed write-up. Most things I comment on are from experiances with a LT1 and LS1 car.

While bling is nice I think most here place performance gains under the hood before looks.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 11:16 AM
  #12  
X-ray's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 548
Likes: 1
From: Harrisburg, PA
Default

Most of us don't care what our car looks like under the hood, as long as it's clean. We just care about performance and reliability, which is why most of us don't see it the same way. In your case, however, the MSD coils seem like a good choice since you have a show car I guess. I don't have my hood open except to work on the car, but if you're showing your car off a lot then it's a different story. Different strokes for different folks
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 11:25 AM
  #13  
01ssreda4's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (96)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Default

If you were worried about underhood appearance you woulda done coil pack relocation.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 11:38 AM
  #14  
slt200mph's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
iTrader: (42)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,067
Likes: 9
From: HOT'LANA, GAWJA
Default

MSD coils have a poor track record when compared to the stock GM coils...I relocated mine so that they do not show...my stock coils are 10 years old with 221,000 + miles on them .. car is a DD heads/cam all the bolt ons making 452/418 ... outside of being a pretty red color the MSD coils are pretty much money wasted when it comes to preformance and reliability..
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 07:08 PM
  #15  
dgcustomz's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (128)
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 860
Likes: 20
From: FORT WORTH
Default

Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
If you were worried about underhood appearance you woulda done coil pack relocation.
Why hide the coils... if they are pretty in red. lol! I don't get my butt hurt this is just a forum to talk about cars. I hope you don;t take this very seriously to hold a grudge. We are all here for the same thing bud.
Originally Posted by X-ray
Most of us don't care what our car looks like under the hood, as long as it's clean. We just care about performance and reliability, which is why most of us don't see it the same way. In your case, however, the MSD coils seem like a good choice since you have a show car I guess. I don't have my hood open except to work on the car, but if you're showing your car off a lot then it's a different story. Different strokes for different folks
Thanks you sir! Different strokes for different folks

Originally Posted by Paul Bell
Very well then. I suppose four years out of those coils is pretty good considering they're track record here.

I agree, many here jump on the band wagon without doing the wrench turning themselves. I for one did the truck coil swap and started a pretty long thread which includes a detailed write-up. Most things I comment on are from experiances with a LT1 and LS1 car.

While bling is nice I think most here place performance gains under the hood before looks.
Alot of guys here have both performance and looks. Why have a dirty underhood, hacked up wiring, dirty air filters. oil spills everywhere etc etc... we can have both worlds. Thanks alot for not being a nutswinger. You actually do the research and wrench time yourself which is rare on this board. I am all for doing things for myself, you live and learn. We need more leaders and less followers.
Originally Posted by slt200mph
MSD coils have a poor track record when compared to the stock GM coils...I relocated mine so that they do not show...my stock coils are 10 years old with 221,000 + miles on them .. car is a DD heads/cam all the bolt ons making 452/418 ... outside of being a pretty red color the MSD coils are pretty much money wasted when it comes to preformance and reliability..
I agree that the stock coils will outlive the msd coils.. I even said that in a post above. I will take pics before and after the coil swap so you guys can see the diffference.

For everyone on this thread.. don't get butt hurt about my comments it is just a good'ol argument. I have been very entertained and I honestly could not wait to get home to see the responses on this thread. Thanks to everyone for commenting!
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:22 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE