1.8T Coilpack installation

[twoqu]

Merlin,

You can remove the rubber completely. Think there is a few dabs of glue on the top. You can then see if that improves the attachment as Dave F suggests. I think that there might be an alternative to trimming these rings by using others with a smaller id but haven'y got round to trying it yet!
I have found that ordering stuff from any of these organisations (ECP and GSF) to be a lottery. It's convenient but more often than not unsatisfactory. The most common one is if you ask for a pair of something you get two odd ones from different manufacturers!
I guess this is the way forward, so perhaps one of the resident parts experts can cobble together a kit of the components for us using genuine parts.

[merlin's S4]

Yep I've tested without the rubber and the coils are going down far enough. I was using a spare plug to test the coil to sparkplug connection which is when I found that they don't clip on properly. I have squeezed the sparkplug connectors slightly for now to aid the attachment to the sparkplugs. I went for a short drive and they seemed ok, but I'm going to have to keep an eye on it. I may get on to GSF tomorrow if I have time but I'm a bit worried that they won't replace them now that they've been modified! I'll certainly think twice before using them again.

[twoqu]

Hi!
Sorry its a bit late, but here is an out of focus pic to ruin your eyesight. Hopefully you can see what I'm saying about the writing. These came in VAG boxes.

[merlin's S4]

There is no writing on any of these coilpacks! Maybe that means they're from Beru, who knows!?!

[UrS4boy]

1.8t Coil Pack Conversion ECU Connector Solution

One of the problems with the 1.8t coil pack conversion solution has been finding a connector to mimic the four pin end of the OE POS units. Several people have been looking and so far nothing has shown up. I don't think a compatible connector will ever be found.

Recently, a fellow in Ontario, Canada, Eddy M., did the conversion. Eddy works at VW dealership and was able to snoop through the parts bins to find something that works. Turns out the four pin connector end of a TDi glow plug set or the end of a four wire Jetta IV O2 sensor is the male equivalent of the 4B0 973 724 (or 1J0 973 724) coil pack connectors. This male connector is part no. 1J0 973 824. I just checked this out at VM Autohaus and the 824 snaps nicely into the 724 connector.

So rather than use the Jetta III taillight connectors to mate with the OE ECU to POS connector, you would buy two more coil pack connectors and remove and load the ECU to OE POS pins into them and then terminate the coil pack POS wires and POS grounds with male pins in two 1J0 973 824 connectors (instead of the Jetta III taillight connectors). Buy 12 more of the red silcon seals and you will have a nice water tight solution.

And its all OEM and DIY!!!

HTH

[rotoryboy]

This male connector is part no. 1J0 973 824. I just checked this out at VM Autohaus and the 824 snaps nicely into the 724 connector.

Looks like the S3/A4/A4 Cabby/GOLF etc uses this so will be easy to get hold of

[merlin's S4]

I found 2 four pin male connectors easy when I was at the breakers!! One from a coupe cabby V6 and another from a Volvo. I found a few more on different Volvos but obviously only picked up two!

[UrS4boy]

4-wheel dyno results from the weekend

I arranged a dyno day for our Vancouver BC S-car club this past Saturday. The dyno was a Dyno Dynamics and it looks like the correction factor is about 1.25. My car (RS2'd S4 with FMIC) with a MRC chip set (conservative with no pinging) and the 1.8t coil pack conversion pulled 289 whp (360 fwhp). Point being, the coil packs don't necessarily make more horsepower but the lack of POS and coil problems definitely helps to make consistent horsepower.

On a side note, on the first set of runs, I was running an MTM (clone?) 1.8 bar WG spring. This caused some nasty boost peak spikes that caused the ECU to dial things back and my max whp was only 269. While the other five cars took their turns, I took 15 minutes and re-installed the stock WG spring. I put my car back on the dyno after the others were done and pulled the 289 whp run. I like the MTM WG spring for the tip-in feel but obviously the computer doesn't like it.

Dave F.

[merlin's S4]

I thought I'd better do an update on my 1.8t coilpack installation. I've been running this conversion for around three weeks now with no more problems. I managed to modify the dodgy set of GSF coilpacks (see earlier posts) so they now stay down on the sparkplugs. I did complain to GSF and they were very apologetic. They sent me a set of replacement coilpacks free of charge. This set came in the genuine Audi boxes but as the others are working ok for now I've not used them but it's nice to have a spare set!! Thanks GSF

The rubber surrounds on the top of the sparkplug connectors I have all but removed as they were difficult to modify in the way that is explained in the guide. I cut off the bottom 15mm leaving just the top. As I understand it, they are only on there to help seal the coilpack to the sparkplug port and to prevent the coilpack from moving around. I managed to source some rubber O rings from a hardware store to do the job and they've worked perfectly! You will still have to trim part of the plastic but that's easy with a sharp stanley blade.

Also, as I think I have already said, I managed to find plenty of cars at the breakers with 4 pin male plugs which you can use to connect straight into the original ecu-pos connectors. I was going to go with the tail lamp plugs that are mentioned in the guide but I was very glad to discover these 4 pin plugs are used on so many cars. I found the first one on a V6 coupe convertible and then found a load of Volvos had them!!

My S4 is now running sweet as a nut which is a first since I've owned the car!! All in all I would highly recommend this conversion to all of you! It's nowhere near as hard as I first thought it would be and I've got the added peace of mind of losing the original power output stages as well as knowing that all the wiring has now been replaced. All this and it's cost me under £150!!! The conversion took quite a few hours to complete but that was mainly because I decided to solder all the wiring, but you could use crimp connectors to save time. So there you go, if I can do it anyone can!

Here are some pics...

[merlin's S4]

Another...

[merlin's S4]

And the four pin connections to the ecu...

[UrS4boy]

Volvo 4 pin male pin connectors

"Merlin": Those Volvo connectors are a fantastic find. Can you tell me what year and model and the function (or location) of these connectors? I would like to go out and get some and replace the my "transgendered" Jetta III taillight connectors that mention in my installation write-up.

This is even better than the 1J0 973 724 and 824 combination option if the OE ECU to POS connections can remain intact.

Dave F.

[merlin's S4]

"Merlin": Those Volvo connectors are a fantastic find. Can you tell me what year and model and the function (or location) of these connectors? I would like to go out and get some and replace the my "transgendered" Jetta III taillight connectors that mention in my installation write-up.

This is even better than the 1J0 973 724 and 824 combination option if the OE ECU to POS connections can remain intact.

Dave F.

Pretty sure they were from a petrol S40 around 1997-1999ish. I found a few down at the breakers but I seem to remember that they weren't on the diesel version. I can't remember what the plugs were for but they were fairly obvious in the engine bay! It is also very simple to remove the pins from the plugs. I did this so that I could solder my cables directly to the pins and then push them back into the housing!!

[UrS4boy]

Thanks. Someone else has suggested to me that some Volvo four-pin O2 sensor connectors from a 940 might work. Regardless, I will be checking out a Volve wrecker (breaker) over the weekend (I hope).

Dave F.