MSD coil blew my engine
 

Last night I installed a MSD ignition coil and new Bosh iridium fusion plugs in my mini cooper s 2005. I went for a test drive and within 5 minutes the engine stalled while I was driving. I was going 45-50 mph and the engine just stopped. I thought it was a clogged fuel filter or something. I didn't think it was related to the coil pack. I ended having to have the car towed to a Mechanic. The next morning they did a compression test found that cylinders 1, 3, and 4 had no compression. They took out the new spark plugs and they were fried. This is after just 5 minutes of run time. The are saying that the MSD is producing too much electricity and it fried the plugs and blew the engine.
Has anyone had any problem with MSD coils? Do they guarantee their coils? Do you think they will pay for a engine rebuild? If so, does anyone know who to contact regarding faulty products?
Do you think a faulty coil could blow a engine?

Thank you.

On your last question, I would say no. I cannot imagine how any misbehavior of the coil could blow the engine.

The question is why no compression?

I'd try and get a bit more information.

Were there pieces of plug rattling around in the cylinders perhaps? That could raise hell with the valves I suppose, and wouldn't help the cylinder walls or rings either. But I should think that would have made quite a bit of noise, and given you at least a little warning...

And my profound sympathies!

Cheers,

Charlie

No Compression, from plugs and coil- never heard of such a thing.... Get a borescope and see if you melted a hole in the piston... If that happened, that is waaayyyy too strange. Good Luck

I'm going to have to say NO on this one.

Coil putting out more voltage is what we are trying to do to make the spark "hotter" and jump a larger gap.

Bosch Fusion plugs:lol::lol: really, those are marketing BS plugs. I think that is a bigger problem, especially if they burnt out.

Now how that would cause loss of compression??? That's going to be a stretch, and very difficult to prove.

I have seen super high output coils melt spark plug electrodes but to wipe out an entire engine? Unless the plugs blew so badly they dropped chunks into the engine, as stated earlier, I cant see any way possible.

Hate to laugh....
but....
Unless you plugged the coils wires to the wrong spark plugs...and caused detonation (user error) somehow....but it is unlikely you would have gotten the car out of the driveway...
so the story is just bs.
Trying to blame anything you can think of to get something for nothing...crap happens...it is not the coil...look elsewhere. Don't mean to be harsh, but anybody that knows a motor is laughing at the story, and while the mechanic may have dumbed down the story, the events you describe is pretty impossible.

Did you put in plugs that were too long...have them hit the pistons...and cause damage or plug them on the wrong order?! Seems much more plausable...

Ps
how does a fried plug "blow a engine"? Plug goes bad....it usually caues loss of spark.

Motor stops...if a plug came appart...and chunks fell into the motor...sounds like a defect of the plug maker...

Your other thread indicates you used plugs for a cooper not an S...
It also indicates they did not fit...were too long...
Blames the plug installer/buyer.

Please post some pics of your plugs, that will show us what your guy means by "fried"

There's much going on in this story....
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-cooper-s.html

Yup..
Like multiple threads...
each blaming something else...
pretty simple to sum it up i think...
op did a tune up..
Ordered or recieved the wrong sparkplugs on the internet...
Installed them along with a new coil..

Noticed they didn't quite fit...was longer...put them in anway...
Drove...
Put holes in the top of his pistons or wrecked the valves...car stops...no compression..needs new motor...asks about gen2 transplant (keep dreaming).
We all feel sorry for the op, but to ask the same question 10 ways, trying to get somebody to be responsible...it all comes down to the plugs...who ordered them....who shipped them....who noticed they were different, but installed them anyway...
many places the story could have ended differently, but there are a few useful tidbits here..
Using a vendor that knows mini's and can get you the right part, rather than some database on amazon is worth the extra $$. Heck most books list the oem bent on the s as far to long, no pulley..2 full sizes when i tried to do a swap prepulley days...the new belt was longer than the old stretched one...lol...
the moral...vendors products might cost a few ¢'s more, even a few $ more, but compared to a motor, the extra support, and expertise is worth it.
end rant!!

I'm with the others... I think plugs that were WELL outside of tolerances "blew up your engine." There's no way the laws of physics would permit "a hotter spark" to increase the temperature at which a given fuel-air mixture burned. While I don't think there's anything in the MSD coil that's innately superior (i.e., a "hotter spark") to the stock item, it works just fine in my car, and has for a while. Granted, I'm running the proper plugs for the head, too...

Calling user error stings, and I'm sorry. But I think it's time you moved past it and dealt with the issues at hand: namely, that your motor has some very serious issues that need resolving, and they're most likely ALL the result of installing plugs that were 30% too long and the wrong seat-type for the intended application. No more blaming MSD, or even Bosch. Better luck next time!

While I would agree that the individual who did the installation was at fault, I wouldn't agree that rbennett is looking for somewhere else to lay blame based upon the combined timeline of the two threads on this topic.

4:31PM Original "No Compression" thread started.
7:19PM "Mechanic" states coil caused problem posted.
7:40PM This "MSD Coil" thread started.
7:52PM Initial mention of potential plug issue as a cause.

Three other posters, two of which appear to have decent mechanical skills, completely overlooked the potential plug issue even though it was mentioned in the original post. Nearly three and a half hours went by with countless views of rbennets thread and the plug issue wasn't even addressed as a potential cause. Everyone makes mistakes in their DIY projects at some point that seem completely obvious to others who are more experienced. Buying a stock length belt for a car with a reduced diameter SC pulley is a perfect example. Unfortunately some cause damage, as in the case with the plugs, while others simply do not fit, like the belt. Whether or not the plug that rbennett used was listed in a database incorrectly or if rbennett misunderstood or misread the results is really a moot point as Amazon does not list that particular plug for a Mini at this time. Whether it was or wasn't listed for a Mini can really only be answered by someone who utilized the DB for that exact search at that exact day and time. Experience teaches one that some differences in a part matter while others don't. It's completely obvious that rbennett isn't an experienced DIY car mechanic based simply on the lack of understanding that plug reach is a critical difference.

It is all too easy to forget that everyone begins somewhere and jump to the conclusion that because someone creates two threads on a topic they somehow have an alterior motive, such as trying to avoid personal responsibility as implied above. Starting two separate threads does not equate to asking a question in "10 different ways" and as the combined timeline above shows, was more likely a fact finding effort based upon the information gathered from the "mechanic". Sitting behind a keyboard and implying that rbennett had an alterior motive doesn't appear to be accurate, based upon the combined timeline of posts, polite, or helpful.

Databases from general parts suppliers are typically for stock applications. Modifying a vehicle from stock adds countless variables which is where a vendor familiar with modifications can be a significantly better source of information. Cross referencing and double checking part fitament via multiple sources is always a good practice even when looking at replacement stock parts. Knowing to do that comes from experience and, while seemingly common sense, is often overlooked even by experienced folks doing DIY projects. Everyone here has made mistakes in their DIY efforts at some point and everyone here, even the most seasoned DIY mechanic, should be open to learning and willing to help others without implying there is some alterior motive without proof.

I have had no problems with my MSD coil - went in and ran like OEM but better. Im pretty sure the MSD doesnt produce more electricity than OEM, there are others out there that do, but it isnt one of them IIRC. Sounds like you have a plug problem, this is a good reason to buy from a vendors that supplies parts specific to your car. I bought my Brisk plugs from Alta. Way, and other vendors here can supply R53 specific parts.

To shine some light on your situation. When i had my 5r3 i changed the coil to a demon coil. It drove fine for a little while and then went into limp mode. Got it to the shop and they couldn't figure it out. They had it towed to Mini of nashville, where it was then figured out when plugging the coil in some how two prongs got bent and caused a spark to skip and fry the wire harness and the DME.

Fyi the MSD puts on 36,000 volts (same as stock), the Screamin' Demon puts out 40-45,000.

still doesnt mean that kind of voltage cant do the same thing if not plugged properly.

Just a stretch here, but maybe using the correct ( length ) spark plugs would not have punched holes in the pistons.....

<facepalm>

Yes MSD's will fry, Yes its a "known" "possibility" with minis in particular that they cook, and it has been "known" to cook computers or other electronics.

blow out pistons, less likely!

Seems like this issue was resolved almost a year ago. See the other thread started by the original poster:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-cooper-s.html

I have been running an MSD coil and wires w/ NGK laser platinum JCW plugs for 2 years without a hiccup. The poster simply put the wrong plugs in the car, in my opinion.

Well.....new coil and "fried" plugs has nothing to do with no compression in your cylinders. Sounds like either your mechanic is trying to rip you off, of you are trying to lay the blame for your damaged motor on MSD.

I'd love to see the pictures of your spark plugs....and I'm sure everyone else would too. A coil is not going to do anything to your plugs....I've ran MSD stuff for years on my street/strip cars (not mini's) and never had any issues. MSD makes good stuff.

Most info and pics please......

edit