coil pack issue

[x2xtreme360]

Got a buddy with a 1st gen NA. Now, I'm not looking at it until tomorrow, but he's basically telling me that coils 1,3, and 5 are operating normally, and 2,4, and 6 are sparking only occasionally. What on earth would cause such a thing? All 3 coils failed? Doubtful. It's a waste spark system. Both secondaries should be firing at the same exact time on all individual coils.

Any specific things I should be looking for?

[Tigchamp]

Broken or faulty rear leads?
Jeff

[Emilie@GZP]

ecu.

Pull it, check the caps. I have a rebuilt one, in stock, lifetime warranty. shoot me a PM if that ends up being the problem, and he's interested in the ecu.

[CoopKill]

Ground wire on coil loose...

[x2xtreme360]

Broken or faulty rear leads?
Jeff

I typed out too fast. I didn't mean 1,3, and 5. I meant from bottom to top, he's saying that the first plug appears to be firing, second one up isn't, third up is, fourth isn't, etc. So it's a mix between front and rear bank.

ecu.

Pull it, check the caps. I have a rebuilt one, in stock, lifetime warranty. shoot me a PM if that ends up being the problem, and he's interested in the ecu.

He's had revving issues with this car too. He says he hasn't been able to rev over 4000RPM without it feeling like it has a limiter. Idk, I'll have to try to duplicate his issues tomorrow. I didn't know if it was just the 1st gen VR4 ECU's with issues, or the NA's as well.

Ground wire on coil loose...

Good assumption. I'll check the voltage drops of the coils.

[RealMcCoy]

I I didn't know if it was just the 1st gen VR4 ECU's with issues, or the NA's as well.

Any Mitsubishi manufactured ECU built 94 or earlier is at risk... Our cars, DSMs, most Hyundai, some Mazdas, ect.... Anything they built with Rubicon capacitors, (including TCM and ECS) will eventually start leaking.

I think you just need to get your own eyes on it... What he's saying doesn't make sense. The coils are paired 1-4 2-5 3-6. When the PTU signals a coil it fires both sides. If only one side is firing, that limits the problem to the coil itself.

Since the two posts of a paired coil are opposite polarity, I have to wonder if it isn't his testing method. Is he pulling each wire individually looking for arcing between the wire and coil? Another way I test them is use 6 short lengths of vacuum hose shoved in each coil tower. The hose usually has a natural curve to it since it came off a roll, so you can turn them so the paired sets are closest. since they are opposite polarity, the spark will jump between them.

[x2xtreme360]

I know it makes zero sense. To think that all 3 coils are bad is just insanity. I will just have to look at it tomorrow. I don't think his testing methods are all that accurate.