# Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be?



## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

I've read the online DIY so I'm not too concerned about the actual replacement of the coil pack. What I'm nervous about is the fact that I've been driving around with a bad coil pack for about 2 months now. 
Should I be concerned about any kind of build up or gunk in the cylinder? How critical is it that I replace the spark plug? Should I prepare to spray any sort of solvent in the cylinder prior to putting it pack together and starting the engine? If I just throw the new coil pack on and start the engine what's the chances of me royally screwing something up?
BTW, can someone point me to a PDF or something of the cylinder configuration on a VR6? I know the bad one's #5 but not sure which on that is when I look at it.
Thanks!


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## malezlotko (Nov 27, 2004)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (oxjox)*

When you look at your engine bay from the front of the car, the cylinders are in order from left to right. On the passengers side is one and on the drivers side is six.
-Was your coil actually not functioning for a period of two months, meaning that you were running the car on only five cylinders? You would have felt a nasty vibration throughout the car and a loss of power if this was so.


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## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (malezlotko)*

Yes, my car's been running really rough for the past couple months.


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## Veedub_junky (Aug 13, 2005)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (oxjox)*





































Replace the coil - and if I were you I'd replace all of them. Any that still look good and still work should be kept as spares. Continuing to run like that means you are dumping unburnt fuel through your engine. You will ruin the plug in that cylinder and can burn up you cat as it tries to burn off all the fuel being dumped through the system. 
Replacing coils is a peice of cake - the most difficult part is releasing the wiring harness (and that's not tough!). It's less than 5 minutes worth of work, it will save you a ton in fuel, and hopefully save your o2 sensors and cat


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## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (Veedub_junky)*

OK, I'm nervous now. Never thought about the Cat. Is there any tell tale sign that the cat has gone bad? Almost immediately after the coil went bad I smelled an odd oder but nothing like rotten eggs that I think a Cat is supposed to smell like when it goes bad. About 2 weeks ago the rough idle turned to a really rough stutter when climbing a hill.
I just got my Coil pack in today, I did order two to be on the safe side but can't really afford to replace them all right now. I do intend on it though in the coming months. It's been probably 15 years since I've bought spark plugs. Any recos on an average set for my VR6?
Thanks guys.


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## Veedub_junky (Aug 13, 2005)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (oxjox)*

Replace it already!!!! Seriously - if you are doing just the coil (without doing the spark plug), it's a 1 minute job. If you are doing the plug, it's maybe 5 minutes. I'm still shocked you've continued to drive it like that all this time.
After you replace the coil, clear the codes from your car (you should have misfire codes). If the light comes back on, pull the code and see what it says. I have never heard of anyone running on a bad coil for that long, so I have no idea if you fried your cat


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## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (Veedub_junky)*

So I did end up getting a new coil pack and it did the trick. I've been working out of state quite a bit so it was tough to make the time for. Fortunately that means I wasn't driving it around all that much for the past month.
I also replaced all the plugs save for the last one because the tap broke on the wire harness. So now I need to find out the best way to get this off now that I have no tab. Suggestions?
I've also noticed that the odor has not gone away completely. Bad O2 sensor? Effed up Cat?








Overall, that was actually one of the easiest operations I have ever performed on any of my cars!


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## PhReE (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (oxjox)*

I doubt you did much with just one cyl not firing except totally soak the thing and maybe leak fuel past the rings into the oil. (Change your oil!)
If the cat or O2 sensors were affected you *MOST LIKLEY* would get a cel.


_Modified by PhReE at 1:00 PM 3-10-2008_


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## antsmk4vr6. (Aug 21, 2007)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (PhReE)*

my car just started actin up and i got a code for misfiring on 5 out of the 6 cylinders!!! i changed all the plugs and i still have it. could it be the wires i dnt want to spend a 1000 on a coil pack if i dnt have too. what else should i check?


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## Mr. Rictus (Sep 25, 2004)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (antsmk4vr6.)*


_Quote, originally posted by *antsmk4vr6.* »_my car just started actin up and i got a code for misfiring on 5 out of the 6 cylinders!!! i changed all the plugs and i still have it. could it be the wires i dnt want to spend a 1000 on a coil pack if i dnt have too. what else should i check? 


24v VR6's don't have spark plug wires, and coil packs don't cost $1000... what engine do you have?


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## antsmk4vr6. (Aug 21, 2007)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (Mr. Rictus)*

thats the engine i have! idn i asked the dealer how much and he said well over a thousand i thought he was crazy so he told me to changed the wires and i was like wtf??


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## antsmk4vr6. (Aug 21, 2007)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (antsmk4vr6.)*

whats else would cause that many cylinders to misfire??


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## Mr. Rictus (Sep 25, 2004)

*Re: Replacing bad Coil Pack - how cautious should I be? (antsmk4vr6.)*

Check some online shops and order new coilpacks. Try replacing those next. 
Hopefully some others chime in with some alternatives for you.


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## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

I bought mine from parts4vws.com for about $30 each. So you're looking at around $180. I also replaced my spark plugs [$3 ea] but in the process I broke one of the clips so I only replaced 5. It still stutters a bit when pushed which I figure could be due to the one old plug or the fact that my gaps were off by about .05.


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## mightyr (Aug 31, 2008)

*Re: (oxjox)*

did you receive solution on how to fix broken tab on coil
harness? I broke mine to.
Thanks
Rich


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## vdubsunday (Jan 14, 2008)

*Re: (oxjox)*


_Quote, originally posted by *oxjox* »_I bought mine from parts4vws.com for about $30 each. So you're looking at around $180. I also replaced my spark plugs [$3 ea] but in the process I broke one of the clips so I only replaced 5. It still stutters a bit when pushed which I figure could be due to the one old plug or the fact that my gaps were off by about .05.

the spark plugs were only 3 dollars each?


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## oxjox (May 3, 2002)

No I didn't and it's time to get that fixed. I think I have another bad coil now. 
Under $3 vdubsunday [$2.87 or so]


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## PhReE (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (oxjox)*

rly? The OE plugs are usually pretty spendy


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## Sosl0w (Aug 21, 2003)

*FV-QR*

I think what confuses people is the fact that people call them Coilpacks. There not coilpacks. There Ignition Coils! A coilpack is what the 12v uses.


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