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Accel 8140 Coil Experience


quartus
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I swapped out my stock coil with the Accel 8140 Super Stock coil after reading (on this & other forums) how much better performance it provided. I don't know about other cars but on my 86 GL-10 EA82T Wagon it lasted about 2 miles before dying (@ 0530 on a DARK creepy country road :eek: ). I do not recommend the coil unless you want to change it out sometime soon after installing it, make sure you bring your old one with you :)

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That coil is not designed to operate in the horizontal position. Most coils are filled with oil, and putting them in the wrong position will cause the oil to not cover all the windings, and then it just burns up inside because the oil doesn't cool it correctly.

 

If you bought the 8140HV you would be ok. This coil is epoxy filled (for "High Vibration") and can be mounted in any position.

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That coil is not designed to operate in the horizontal position. Most coils are filled with oil, and putting them in the wrong position will cause the oil to not cover all the windings, and then it just burns up inside because the oil doesn't cool it correctly.

 

If you bought the 8140HV you would be ok. This coil is epoxy filled (for "High Vibration") and can be mounted in any position.

 

Absolutely correct.

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thats funny I put mine on in may, Still works plugs gaped at 50, no problems. OH its on sideways

Cant report any change in performance put it on first day I got the car.

 

I can report I get 32 mpg thats on the freeway

 

country roads 36 mpg......very little city driving but still 27

83 gl wagon 4WD, windows down, roof rack, 185 70 13,

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Put mine on in Jan, with no probs whatsoever. It's the standard 8140, not the HV, and even used the stock mount. I'd say performance increase is negligible, but it's still an increase. Was it the coil that died on you, or did it fry your disty? At one time, GD was saying that coil is hard on the disty, but you may have just had a bad apple too. Mexican quality control, after all! :rolleyes:

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If you buy a new, stock Hitachi coil it will outlast the car. There is nothing to be gained by the Accel coil's besides frustration and some under-hood bling. Paint the stocker yellow....

 

The one and only purpose of the ignition coil is to ignite the fuel - the stock unit performs this function at 99.95%. You will gain zilch from installing a bling yellow coil - but you may end up replacing it from time to time and it doesn't match the ignitor in the distributor so you may burn a few of those out as well.

 

GD

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I installed an Accel 8140 yellow coil nearly 12 years ago on my Brat. Never had a problem. Still using it today. My understanding on the Accel 8140 coil is that quit a few years ago they outsourced the manufacter of these coils and then the problems starting appearing. The orginals were USA made as is mine. Could be wrong as my memory isn't the greatest but a properly made 8140 will work for many years.

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My understanding on the Accel 8140 coil is that quit a few years ago they outsourced the manufacter of these coils and then the problems starting appearing.

 

You are correct - they have been made in Mexico for the past few years and the failure rate is excessively high. It has been noted in automotive forums across the internet and discussed at length here a number of times.

 

And even though the older one's seem to work fine - they aren't buying you anything. The stock coil is all that's needed for a stock engine. If you are going high compression or forced induction that's another matter (in which case an MSD system is probably the direction you should go), but to just replace it because the Accel is pretty and yellow and the box says you'll gain 10 to 15 HP..... they lie.

 

GD

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You are correct - they have been made in Mexico for the past few years and the failure rate is excessively high. It has been noted in automotive forums across the internet and discussed at length here a number of times.

 

And even though the older one's seem to work fine - they aren't buying you anything. The stock coil is all that's needed for a stock engine. If you are going high compression or forced induction that's another matter (in which case an MSD system is probably the direction you should go), but to just replace it because the Accel is pretty and yellow and the box says you'll gain 10 to 15 HP..... they lie.

 

GD

 

Ah-ha, that could be why it was suggested on the EA performance write up...it's outdated. Don't know when it was written, but probably before they made the coils in MX. Otherwise, a lot of great info. :headbang:

http://www.indysworld.com/80s/general/ea-performance-page/subaru-ea-performance.html

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but to just replace it because the Accel is pretty and yellow and the box says you'll gain 10 to 15 HP..... they lie.

 

GD

 

No. They will gain you 10 Hp. Only by that they mean on a car moving ALOT more fuel than it was stock, and is in DESPERATE need of ANY more spark it can get. Basically, a well built small block Chevy moving 800cfm, or more, and retaining a very overworked stock ignition system, that desperately needs more spark to burn up all the raw fuel that ends up pooring out the tail pipe.... It's probably good for 10 horse pretty easy then! :rolleyes:

 

So, they don't really lie. They just are telling "the wrong truth".... :grin:

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Yep JEGS has it for $42.99

45000volts!

 

Been thinking of getting on my self.

-Tom

...

you can manufacture a coil to produce high voltage any way you want..most of the volts at the beginning, middle or end..depends on the application...in this case, this particular coil has most of the voltage apon start-up..but what the manuf. does not tell you is that if you compare the stock to the accel coil at say @ 3000rpm ..the accel coil will produce Less current increasing the chance of misfires .. and the more rpms you add onto it ..well you get the picture

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Bought a chrome accel coil (the one with the yellow sticker) from a yard sale for $5. I figured it was worth it, whatever. I put it on my car and had no noticeable difference. Sold the coil to my friend with a Chrysler Conquest for $20 :P

 

:lol::lol::lol:

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