Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: flyrotary
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2002 20:30:06 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1803601@logan.com>
From: peon@pacific.net.au
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Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Hot Stuff was Re: mounting LS1 ignition coils
Reply-to: leon@promotorsport.com.au
Priority: normal
In-reply-to: <list-1799740@logan.com>

On 7 Oct 2002, at 18:57, Michael D. Callahan wrote:

> > Moreover,  Nissan also have terrible problems with the individual
> > coils that sit between the cams dirrectly on top of the plugs.
> 
>     Can't say as I agree, Leon. My '90 300ZXTT has 130,000mi and still
>     has
> the original coils. That's along with the extra under-hood heat of the
> turbos.  Mike C.
> 

G'day Mike,

Thanks for the reply.  I appreciate you trying to put me straight on 
this,  but I'm not in the habit of making statements that I can't back 
up with practical experience.  

It  just so  happens that I have a CA18 Turbo powered Sylvia (180 
SX) in the workshop with a dud "plug over" coil RIGHT NOW!!  
Recently,  there was an SR20 Pulsar with a similar problem.  So 
I'm NOT making this up!!

But just to confirm the veracity of my statement and my personal 
observations - (as I make no claim to being a Nissan guru) and to 
make sure that I wasn't halucinating - (the petrol companies over 
here are lacing fuel with up to 20% + Ethanol these days) ,  I took 
the trouble the other day to speak to Geoff at SSS Automotive,  
who IS a Nissan specialist.

He tells me he does a roaring trade in them! $20 AUD a pop S/H.  
Geoff says that he found by removing the cover between the cams, 
(he has a seriously tough RB26 4WD Skyline R32 GTR),  the extra 
air circulation does wonders and adds considerably to their 
longevity, especially since he races his GTR on a regular basis.

So the fact that YOUR car hasn't had any trouble YET is beside 
the point.  You probably just haven't got to the critical MTBF ... 
YET.  Perhaps you live in a really cold climate,  or maybe, just 
maybe,  you just don't drive the sucker hard enough often enough 
to get them hot enough to cause a problem!! 

So any time you wish to check the veracity of my statement,  you 
(or anyone else for that matter) are cordially invited to call either of 
my importer mates Geoff or Joe or Mark at SSS Automotive in 
Sydney.

0011 61 2 9896 6111. http://www.sssautomotive.com.au 

See Mike,  I just happened to give a practrical example drawn from 
my own personal automotive experience of Nissan coils sitting in 
the valley between the camshafts of Nissan twin cam engines 
(which,  admittedly,  is an extrreme case). 

The point I was making was that heat kills things electrical,  like 
coils,  coil igniters,  alternator voltage regulators etc..  Apparently,  
I'm in good company with Tracey as he has said exactly the same 
thing.  So just don't believe me,  but beleive Tracey,  he's got the 
runs on the board as far as rotaries in aircraft are concerned.
 
The problem equally applies to RX7s and Subarus,  Hyundais  etc.. 
  RX7 Series II & IIIs are notorious for blowing the modules on the 
dizzy,  whereas the Series I rarely have problems  The modules are 
mounted in a box on the inner skirt away from the heat.  

My own 1979 Series I,  which I have had since new (and is now 
fitted with a Series V non turbo engine has over 570, 000 Km on it 
and is still on the original modules!..  It used to be the workshop 
"Mule",  but is now my good lady June's daily driver - Paul Lamar 
took a photo of it the last time he was here. 

But Series IV & V coils blow as well with monotonous regularity,  
and I SUSPECT that a lot of the early apex seal failures on the 
Series VI REW engines is due to detonation caused coil cross fire. 
 The coils sit on top of the engine, buried under the throttle body 
and inlet plumbing.  Insanity!

Additionally,  we have already had at least a couple of rotary 
(un)powered gliders due to coil failure. We don't want any more!  
Fortunately,  nobody has been hurt so far.

So for anyone who wishes to court trouble,  by all means mount 
your coils on top of the engine,  and don't blow cold air over them.  
All I can say is that you have been warned.

To (mis)quote that shampoo advert on TV says:

"It (failure) won't (necessarily) happen overnight.  but it WILL 
happen!"   

Cheers mate!

Leon