coil change fuel increase
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
One thing that guys like Smokey Yunick found during the 60s and 70s (he was tasked by several different companies including Ford) was that while there were improvements to be had with some aspects of the stock engine designs, the OEM ignition wasn't one of them.
It might look like underkill but you can use a standard issue mustard top Ford ignition coil on the biggest baddest high compression blown monster engine and it will work great.
That's not to say that a defect in the ignition system somewhere won't cause a noticeable decline in fuel economy, power, pollution emissions etc, because it damn sure will. A good hot spark is crucial. But if your ground points, cables, connections and wiring is straight, coil isn't shorted, plugs reasonably fresh, good charging system, serviceable battery etc etc it will be just fine.
It might look like underkill but you can use a standard issue mustard top Ford ignition coil on the biggest baddest high compression blown monster engine and it will work great.
That's not to say that a defect in the ignition system somewhere won't cause a noticeable decline in fuel economy, power, pollution emissions etc, because it damn sure will. A good hot spark is crucial. But if your ground points, cables, connections and wiring is straight, coil isn't shorted, plugs reasonably fresh, good charging system, serviceable battery etc etc it will be just fine.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 10
One thing that guys like Smokey Yunick found during the 60s and 70s (he was tasked by several different companies including Ford) was that while there were improvements to be had with some aspects of the stock engine designs, the OEM ignition wasn't one of them.
It might look like underkill but you can use a standard issue mustard top Ford ignition coil on the biggest baddest high compression blown monster engine and it will work great.
That's not to say that a defect in the ignition system somewhere won't cause a noticeable decline in fuel economy, power, pollution emissions etc, because it damn sure will. A good hot spark is crucial. But if your ground points, cables, connections and wiring is straight, coil isn't shorted, plugs reasonably fresh, good charging system, serviceable battery etc etc it will be just fine.
It might look like underkill but you can use a standard issue mustard top Ford ignition coil on the biggest baddest high compression blown monster engine and it will work great.
That's not to say that a defect in the ignition system somewhere won't cause a noticeable decline in fuel economy, power, pollution emissions etc, because it damn sure will. A good hot spark is crucial. But if your ground points, cables, connections and wiring is straight, coil isn't shorted, plugs reasonably fresh, good charging system, serviceable battery etc etc it will be just fine.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Originally Posted by Blue and White
A coil capable of higher voltage will not actually make higher voltage in a stock or mildly modified engine, If you increase spark plug gap it may make higher voltage... and also fail your rotor, cap and wires faster with little benefit.
But a "40,000 volt coil" doesn't apply a higher voltage. The plugs just ... plug away (heh) like before. Wide plug gaps also increase the likelihood of arcing or crossfire in older designs, make the coil itself run hotter, burn up rotors like you say. The wide gaps will put the wiring and components to the test for sure. I seem to remember reading Chrysler tried .060" gap for a while. A really short while. Oops.
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