Another Accell super coil Dead

[78TurboBrat]

Went to garland to pick up the Brat and load it on the trailor, as i dont need any tickets for no insurance, registration or inspection. went to turn the key and the motor just went round and round, coil wire super soft. and about twice the regular size. Didnt realize i had put on my brat. Yet again another ford coil saved the day. LOL

[iluvdrt]

Mine just died as well. I replaced it with a gp sorenson unit, and some ngk v power plugs. It runs soooo much better now, than with the accel coil.

[Bill90Loyale]

coil wire super soft. and about twice the regular size.

Why was that? I've read the Accel threads, and this seems to be part of the "horizontal mount" issue - insulating oil somehow pumps its way into the coil wire? It's my understanding that a properly functioning coil runs not cold, nor hot, but warm. I assume that the coil failure involves overheating. My Accel - horizontally mounted in the stock position, runs warm (and fine - so far). Your theory?

[Bill90Loyale]

replaced it with a gp sorenson unit

Stock horizontal mount?

[calebz]

Why was that? I've read the Accel threads, and this seems to be part of the "horizontal mount" issue - insulating oil somehow pumps its way into the coil wire? It's my understanding that a properly functioning coil runs not cold, nor hot, but warm. I assume that the coil failure involves overheating. My Accel - horizontally mounted in the stock position, runs warm (and fine - so far). Your theory?

Mine did the superpuff nuber on the coil wire as well. Its from the coil leaking and the oil travelling up the coil wire. I actually had oil filling up the spot on the distributor cap where the coiil wire goes.

[rallyruss]

with so many of these things going dead remind me why people are still runing them? yeah I know about the accel coil relocation program for troubled coils, but thats not needed with a good stock coil.

 

Mine just died as well. I replaced it with a gp sorenson unit, and some ngk v power plugs. It runs soooo much better now, than with the accel coil.

whats the info on this GP coil? how is it better I am curious.

[nutt7]

My accell recently died too. I was going up hill when it took the last dive...had to coast backward against traffic to roll into a parking lot...it was mounted vertically. I am curious about this GP coil too. someone here is running an MSD with good results too I will search for the p/n

[garner]

with so many of these things going dead remind me why people are still runing them?

 

My chrome super stock adds 10 hp and unlimited bling. (actually I bought it before everyone started having problems.)

 

Has anyone talked to accell or the parts house they bought them from, seems like there could be a manufacturing problem or maybe they are not a good match for subaru ignitions?

 

garner

[archemitis]

parts break sometimes, and since thereshundreds of peepl here on the board and like 10 of them have had problems, it doesnt nessecarily mean they are all doomed to break. mine works good still, and doesnt leak, or about 5k miles now.

i always have a spare one under the seat, and when something goes wrong, i check it first.

it looks cool too. isnt there some warrantee?

[subiemech85]

this talk about the position of the coil killed it is total BS, as you can see in the pic, it is a coil that is pointed down in the origional location, and has survived harsh conditions

[TomRhere]

When this Accel coil stuff started to rear it's ugly head, I thought I would re-mount mine to the vertical instead of how it is "stock", still haven't done it. I'm just way curious as to cause of all these recent failures, just as the rest of us are.Really wondering if it may not be do to a voltage/current problem, rather than the actual coil being bad.

Years gone by, I've had the opertunity to do work on some vehicles do to not starting. Starter would crank the engine over, just wouldn't fire off and run. Found problem to be in the coil, (this being the old points type ignition system). Cause seemed to stem from owner(s) having key in the "on" position to listen to radio instead of in the "ACC" position. This will lead to overheating of the coil, therefore it's early demise, IF, the points happen to be closed at the time.

Not saying that this is the cause, or a "could be" type of situation, I know better than that. Just makes me wonder if atleast some of these coils, aren't seeing some type of over voltage/current some how.

Then again, it could be.... Y'all just happened to get those late Friday, early Monday, off the assembly line coils. Don't know, just makes this one wonder is all.......................

[MorganM]

I should start a thread everytime I foul up some spark plugs and say 'those darn NGKs!!!'

 

But lets beat this dead horse one last time

[lastchance]

My Accell died after like a week...It was my Valentine's Day present from my GF...She was pissed. :-p

[86subaru]

10,000mi running great , on a turbo a/t full time 4wd 88 wagon

[Nug]

Mine's still alive. Horizintally mounted, too. Don't know when Meeky Moose intalled it.

[Craven]

Want to see a coil leak oil, put a 6 volt coil on a 12 volt system. Did that once and only once on a VW dune buggy by mistake. Ran real good for a bit then POW

oil and crap all over the place. Sure am glad that thing wasn't mounted by our heads.

[mcbrat]

78TurboBrat. was it the SuperStock coil (same shape as the stock Soobie one) or the SuperCoil square block looking one.

 

I've had 2 of the SuperCoils and hadnothing go wrong with them, but have had a SuperStock go bad when I also had some alternator issues. once I solved the wiring issue that was the root of all eveil, then replaced the alt, the new coil has lasted....

[78TurboBrat]

It was a superstock coil, But it actually seems to run much better now with the other coil.

[rallyruss]

I should start a thread everytime I foul up some spark plugs and say 'those darn NGKs!!!'

 

But lets beat this dead horse one last time

unlike spark plugs an ignition coil is designed to last the life of the car.

 

my accel died when I was 300+ miles from home.

due to the failures reported by others before me.I had my old coil in the car and was able to swap it out and make it home on my OE 200,000+ mile coil.

 

all I will say is if you really want to keep running this example of stelar quality on your cars. carry a spare stock coil.

 

as for the failure numbers I would guess its coming up on 20+ out of I dont know how many installed. thats just here on our board. what about the general public? what about my friend at the parts store that specificly stated when I purchased it that they were junk. I said "no way man lots of guys are running them.":rolleyes: whoops.

 

tomRhere- I understand what you mean about roasting the coil with the key on but I dont thik this is the case.

[SubaRube]

Remember, you get what you pay for. The Accel is the cheapest replacement going. It's actually cheaper than the Bosch, Beck/Arnley, GP Sorensen, Borg-Warner, and AC Delco OE replacement coils. They claim "high performance", not "reliability". I haven't had a problem with mine yet, but I do carry the Hitachi with me just in case.

[s'ko]

Not sure if I am a victim for SADS. (Sudden Accel Death Syndrome).

 

But here is what I found on http://www.348-409.com/forum/showthread.php?t=581

 

When I finally figured it all out, I switched my recommendations on coils to Accel round Super-Stock, made at Andover. Good quality coils, problems stopped, up until about a month ago. IN the last month, numerous Accel coils, 8140 and 8140C, were coming up either new defective or had operating issues like missing, erratic idle, no performance. This was traced to a move in production in the Accel coils.

 

Accel was sold earlier this year, off the Dana Corporation, and the Accel coil production was moved form Andover to Taiwan. It was these Taiwan Accel coils that were having the issues. I have vended 19 Taiwan Accel coils in the last month, had 16 of them defective/develope problems with under 2 hours run time on them. No more Accel recommendations for me anymore.

 

To identify different Accel round Super Stock coils:

 

Andover Accels have segmented crimping at the top of the case to retain the top, with raised sections around the top.

 

Taiwan Accels have a clean full crimp around the whole circumfrence of the top of the case.

 

AVOID THE ACCEL TAIWAN COILS.

[rallyruss]

I just cant help my self.

 

 

 

for all you naysayers I have two words for you........ come on!

told you they were junk.

 

nobody listens to Russ:rolleyes:

[calebz]

 

nobody listens to Russ:rolleyes:

Not true at all!!

 

I actually suggested that someone listen to you the other day.

 

I just generally choose to ignore you myself

[rallyruss]

Not true at all!!

 

I actually suggested that someone listen to you the other day.

 

I just generally choose to ignore you myself

thats true I rember that.

 

its ok I am used to being ignored. sometimes its better that way.

[Craven]

Found this on another site.

 

 

MSD/Accel round coil info

As most here know, I am in the ignition system business. That said, there is information I'd like to post on coils.

 

I used to recommend MSD Blaster II and III coils for my HEI conversions. They used to work well. These coils used to be manufactured at Andover Industries, Andover, Indiana, and were of superior quality. In early 2000, production of RED MSD Blaster II and III coils, p/n's 8202, 8203 and 8223, was moved from Andover to a company in Mexico, Pro-Bobbin.

 

When this happened, I started to experience HEI module failures for no apparent reason. Others did as well, and MSD box failures when the RED Blasters were used. It was so untraceable that the problem would only be found by changing the coil. The cause was the insulation materials between the wire windings was deteroratinf and falling away from the coils, causing a layer shorting of the coils, and change of resistance/load on the module/box and failure of same.

 

The 8200 chrome Blaster II coils remained at Andover, and had only the regular failure rates one would expect from a mass produced coil, functioned correctly. Sometime last year, production of the 8223 RED Blaster III coils with the HEI terminal,was returned to Andover.

 

When I finally figured it all out, I switched my recommendations on coils to Accel round Super-Stock, made at Andover. Good quality coils, problems stopped, up until about a month ago. IN the last month, numerous Accel coils, 8140 and 8140C, were coming up either new defective or had operating issues like missing, erratic idle, no performance. This was traced to a move in production in the Accel coils.

 

Accel was sold earlier this year, off the Dana Corporation, and the Accel coil production was moved form Andover to Taiwan. It was these Taiwan Accel coils that were having the issues. I have vended 19 Taiwan Accel coils in the last month, had 16 of them defective/develope problems with under 2 hours run time on them. No more Accel recommendations for me anymore.

 

To identify different Accel round Super Stock coils:

 

Andover Accels have segmented crimping at the top of the case to retain the top, with raised sections around the top.

 

Taiwan Accels have a clean full crimp around the whole circumfrence of the top of the case.

 

AVOID THE ACCEL TAIWAN COILS.

 

Coils and their origins:

 

MSD,

8200, and now, 8223 Blaster II, III series, Andover, good quality

 

8202, 8203 Blaster II series, Pro-bobbin, Mexico, avoid

 

Accel 8140/8140C, 8145/8145C, Taiwan, avoid

 

A good black coil with the same specs as the good Andover Accel is the NAPA IC12, same specs.

AVOID the lesser cost NAPA IC12SB, Mexico made, low quality

 

Crane PS20, PS40, Andover, quality

 

PerTronix, NO, Taiwan, reboxed with USA logo, avoid

 

Mallory round coils, no info

 

Jacobs coils, overpriced Taiwan, avoid

 

Hope this info stops someone from getting a problem coil.