When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
They have a reputation for eating plugs and cracking coils?
Sure, the brackets are known to crack.
Yes, cars with tunes do tend to overwork plugs and coils. Coil failures are common even in non-tuned cars.
I would approach your problem by replacing the plugs, coils and solenoid brackets. While you are in there use an ohm meter to test the O2 sensors.
If that does not fix the problem move onto the solenoid units themselves. The way to test them is to swap them side to side and see if the misfires move with the swap.
Does someone have a picture of a cracked coil? Please.
The coils don't have to be cracked to be "bad". The original coils in my 2003 Turbo looked fine every plug change but at around 140K/145K miles I had the tech replace them along with the plugs which had just 10K miles left before they were due to be replaced.
After the plug/coil change the engine ran noticeably better. I had had the plugs changed before -- several times based on miles -- and the engine never ran any better after just the plugs.
Since the car is "new" to you and possibly has a tune -- the only time I've seen 0.9 bar boost from my stock 2003 Turbo is at high (8K+ feet) elevations -- my advice is replace the plugs and coils. Be sure to use the right plugs. If the engine has a "tune" you should try to find out which one and use the plugs recommended by the tuner.
Be sure you check the plugs all have the correct gap, too.
Might add that even before I had the plugs/coils replaced I had the O2 sensors replaced. One was triggering a P0135 code IIRC. (Bad heater.) After the new sensors the engine ran noticeably better. I've replaced the O2 sensors in my Boxster, to address O2 sensor related error codes, and the Boxster engine has never run any better (or worse) afterwards.
...if you do decide to replace your coil packs and plan on doing it yourself, be aware that there are some new style coil packs that are thicker and supposedly more robust, but they are too thick to fit properly in cylinder #5 location, so you'll need to buy a 'thin' coil pack for that location.
Excellent pictures by Jayzbird on the 6speed forum, thread here
Several, if not most people, are able to install a thick coil in cylinder 5. I did it myself and it was not problem. Apparently the pipes proximity to the coil is slightly variable between vehicles.
Although checking your coils and putting in some fresh plugs is a good thing, if your codes had an acute onset (all three appeared at the same time), your true problem lies more then likely somewhere else, like the solenoid.
...if you do decide to replace your coil packs and plan on doing it yourself, be aware that there are some new style coil packs that are thicker and supposedly more robust, but they are too thick to fit properly in cylinder #5 location, so you'll need to buy a 'thin' coil pack for that location.
Yup, I think the info on the post I quoted is outdated...
I believe this is correct, but always verify with your parts supplier:
996-602-102-00 is the original, discontinued 'thin head' coil.
997-602-104-00 is the latest version 'thin head' coil.
997-602-104-02 is the latest version 'fat head' coil.
At least one tuner I've spoken with sells and uses the latest version thin head rather than the fat head to avoid possible interference.
As for OEM Beru vs Beru's stuck in a Porsche box and sold as genuine Porsche for double the price, I don't believe there is any difference.
Guessing that the composite material difference is what makes the newer coil packs more reliable, not the thicker mounting tabs of the 104-02 version?
997-602-104-00 is a "fat head" coil, visually identical to the 997-602-104-02. I assume there is some improvement made in the 104-02 one for them to justify incrementing the part number.
997-602-104-00 is a "fat head" coil, visually identical to the 997-602-104-02. I assume there is some improvement made in the 104-02 one for them to justify incrementing the part number.
Just did some digging through my files...
Feb 6, 2017 I had the coils (and plugs) in my 2003 Turbo replaced.
Coil part #: 997.602.104.02. (Retail price: $76.36; my discounted price: $61.09.)
Tech reported no problems with any interference. He said there is a "trick" in removing the old coil -- at least at one cylinder (I do not recall he provided the cylinder number) -- and installing the new coil. The old coil is removed to the right (or left -- I forget which direction he said) and then the new coil is installed from the other direction. He didn't have to bend or push anythng out of the way, or force the new coils in, and the new coils do not touch anything and the wiring harness/connector are as they were before.
Longer bolts (Torx 6x40; Part #: 900.385.025.01) were required for the new coils.
The rear bumper cover and intercoolers and hoses were removed. Oh and the rear wheels. The coils (and plugs, I had the plugs changed too) were as accessible as anyone could hope for. No part # for the plugs but I saw the new ones and they were the same as the old ones. Price? $31.50 for 6 new plugs.
Labor? Two hours. (And he cleaned the trash out of the radiator ducts at the front bumper cover.)
997-602-104-00 is a "fat head" coil, visually identical to the 997-602-104-02. I assume there is some improvement made in the 104-02 one for them to justify incrementing the part number.
Looking at the Pelican parts web site, thats not exactly what is shown...
997-602-104-00 is shown in a few versions with different suffixes for the vendor:
The Porsche OE part (997-602-104-00-OEM) one shows a picture of a THIN coil as well as a description saying it's a thin coil (15mm bolt tabs).
The BERU OEM part (997-602-104-00-INT) one shows a picture of a FAT coil, but is silent on the description of being thin or fat. Might be the wrong picture.
997-602-104-02 is also shown in a few versions with different suffixes for the vendor:
Both the Porsche OE part (997-602-104-02-M100) and the BERU OE part (997-602-104-02-M47) show pictures of FAT coils as well as a corresponding description that describes them as FAT (31mm bolt tabs).
Note that what I'm describing as 'thin' and 'fat' are the bolt tab portion of the coil... The actual coil body itself is the same size in both of these versions.
I'm not a Porsche part number expert... Just gleaning info from other sources, so as I mentioned before, verify with your parts vendor before ordering.
07-06-2017, 10:32 PM
