Installed MSD coil pack, car performance kind of turdish now

[blazblu82]

Installed MSD coil pack yesterday with one step cooler NGK spark plugs. I gapped them to oem specs (0.027)". Went for a drive after dark to check out new LED headlights and the car was under performing. No CEL or anything, just felt sluggish. The plugs came pre gapped to 0.031". Should I have left them there? I work nights and night drives home are typically spirited with plenty of power from the engine.

I'm hoping the turbo isn't acting up. Although, car is under warranty still, so hope it is, lol!

 

[SuperS13]

I believe the stock gap is .27. If you have a stock 1.8L max I would do is .29, .31 is overkill and too much spaced gap. Now if your running a modified and tuned 1.8L .31 gap could be run. Right now I'm running a bnr tune (7th one), and a bunch of mods and performance goodies. I'm not running the bnr ls7 ignition upgrade right now, but I am running the 9 series iridium ngk plugs and a ngk coil pack and I'm running .30 gap. If you run to wide gap you ain't gonna have a strong optimal spark and shes gonna bog down.

 

[blazblu82]

I believe the stock gap is .27. If you have a stock 1.8L max I would do is .29, .31 is overkill and too much spaced gap. Now if your running a modified and tuned 1.8L .31 gap could be run. Right now I'm running a bnr tune (7th one), and a bunch of mods and performance goodies. I'm not running the bnr ls7 ignition upgrade right now, but I am running the 9 series iridium ngk plugs and a ngk coil pack and I'm running .30 gap. If you run to wide gap you ain't gonna have a strong optimal spark and shes gonna bog down.

I have an RS with the 1.4L.

I DC'd the battery again and pulled the MSD out (unplugged) and checked plugs for tightness then put it all back together. Car seemed fine afterwards. Plenty of spunk. Other than the coil pack, I have an AEM SRI and nothing more.

 

[SuperS13]

Yeah sometimes the stupid coil pack connection on the 1.4 or the 1.8L the orange safety pin can easily break and if you dont correctly connect the coil pack the motor will bog out or buck around and this is with no cel lol...I'm doing a turbo 1.8L build and using some 1.4 parts lol

 

[blazblu82]

Yeah sometimes the stupid coil pack connection on the 1.4 or the 1.8L the orange safety pin can easily break and if you dont correctly connect the coil pack the motor will bog out or buck around and this is with no cel lol...I'm doing a turbo 1.8L build and using some 1.4 parts lol

If you're talking about the locking clip that's part of the tab, I realized after reinstall that I didn't have that pushed in after first install.

 

[SuperS13]

Thatll do it

 

[blazblu82]

Thatll do it

How strange, lol!

 

[SuperS13]

It's the way gm designed the connector it's a cheap Deutsche type connector...very common for the safety pin to break from prolonged engine heat...it get brittle