Coils!!!!!!!!!! help!

[Annabella]

hey everyone. i have a 2004 Alfa Romeo 156 Selespeed. so 1 coil has gone. i got it changed for $280.00. I'm in Melbourne.

can anyone recommend any where were i buy coils? i think the other 3 will go out eventually so im wanting to prepare myself.

this is the 2nd time ive had a problem in 2 weeks. they should call them sillyspeed.

thanks everyoneeeeeeeee

[Craig_m67]

They do

How many K's on the car and what service and driving history does it have?
You can also expect lambda sensors to fail (x4) at some stage
Critically, ensure your cambelt and waterpump has been changed when due - that's a terminal problem (financially) if it breaks.

I've used both EBspares for bits.. http://ebspares.co.uk/parts/detail.cfm?model=EB&cartid=EB605
or AlfaWorkShop http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk/parts/156_Coil_pack.shtml
and Shop4parts http://shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Results&category=22&secondary=53&opts=3381

Make sure you send them your VIN/chassis number and engine type# so they send you the correct parts.
I've no affiliation with any of the vendors and I'm sure others will point out more

Cheers

[colcol]

You can buy a 'coil on plug quick check', off ebay for about $60, i have thought about buying one, for when my coil packs start to play up, as ever shop around and get some prices, you can get a Bosch, which were original equipment or get an NGK brand replacement, give the locals a try as well, they can surprise, give Italian Automotive Spares a try, in Brunswick, phone [03] 9036 1606, if one coil pack failed, i would replace the four in one hit, Colin.

[Domenic]

Col, don't' forget club members get a discount too!!

[colcol]

And before anyone bags 'Bloody Alfa Romeo's', other cars that have COP, [Coil On Plug], they also do coil packs, they sit on top of a hot vibrating motor and produce enough power for a few billion sparks, then give up the ghost, Colin.

[Mick A]

Monza Motors in Bayswater have 2nd hand coils for sale.

[Annabella]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the heads up and info.

I changed coil 4 on thursday and the same warning came up again tonight. I figure another one has blown.

My car has done 77,000kms and its an 04. Not sure whether its time to get rid of it because i only bought it 2 weeks ago. So far ive had the selespeed pump changed and now the coils.

Anyone have any advise on whether ive bought a lemon or the coils can go unexpectly?

Thanks

[Mick A]

You need to troubleshoot your problem.

It may not be a coil pack. It could also be an injector or spark plug fault.

Might be worth paying one of the alfa specialists to diagnose it for you as you may be wasting money on coil packs you don't need. If it is an injector fault this is an expensive job labor and parts wise.

Or you could be right, your coil packs have 'packed' it in. But I can't see your car, or read the codes, neither can anyone else on here. So it's impossible to diagnose.

[colcol]

No you haven't purchased a lemon, but if you get a Engine Control Failure Light comes up, just take it to an Alfa Romeo Service Provider, so they can connect it to a scan tool and repair what's actually wrong with it, as opposed to replacing things until the light goes out.
Sometimes you can replace a faulty part and the 'engine check light' will stay on until its switched off with a scan tool.
Have a look at the sponsors page on the banner of the Forum and take it to the place that is closest to you, Colin.

[wankski]

deffo hit up Italian Automotive Spares - good lads !

the other option is - if not from overseas - go to bosch directly..

http://www.bosch.com.au/en/au/startpage_2/country-landingpage.php

go to the dealer locator and select automotive and call around quoting the part number on your coils...

last time i looked they cost around $100 from bosch.

to answer your other question - no i don't think you got a lemon. it is well known that sele JTSs go through coils (as they are the thin pencil type) and early selespeeds go through pumps and accumulators.

relatively cheap and DIY if you are minded.

you're just coming up to the age when that sort of stuff wears out. Other manufacturers like audi and bimmer specify that pencil type coils should be changed at 80k to 100k kms as part of that major service - alfa don't - so they just fail and owners get upset.

i assure you - it's much the same bosch part shared by most euro manufacturers. the real difference in longevity is if it's the narrow (thin) pencil type or the more robust rectangular coils like fitted onto the v6 models.

my 04 156 v6 is now 10yo and 100k kms - all original coils. only thing that's failed on it is the rear license plate globe - $1 part? which i'm yet to attend to.

[wankski]

if you are around melb - as in the city - happy to hook your car up and diagnose the warning light.

the diag system is capable of indicating which coil has failed (if any).

confirm by swapping the coils and seeing if the new code follows the suspected dud.

[Annabella]

I swapped the coils around and the warning light isnt coming up anymore. Drove it 45kms n nothing. Could the warning be the way i drive? I have always driven an auto and still trying to learn the selespeed. Would i need to still change gears in city mode? I think it gets stuck in gear 2 going down a hill and thats when the light usually goes off.

Thanks for ur advise every1

[wankski]

 the warning light only goes off when an error is detected - so no, not related to driving altho there is an overrev counter.

it seems that the error light may be for something not related to the coil, or that the coil failure may be intermittent. One will not know until the ecu is plugged into the diagnosis software or factory examiner and the codes read.

one thing you will want to know is that the selespeed system requires calibration. one part of it is clutch throw adjustment, the other is an automated gear selector and clutch actuator self-adjust. annual calibrations are best.

again, can be performed with the software + cable or the factory examiner.