TurboJay

Hey all. I bought my RX-8 in the spring, didn't do ANYTHING to it as I was planning some upgrades over the winter but 2 weekends ago I moved the car and it "flooded" while trying to fix it I looked through some stuff like the plugs etc. this is what I found:



YIKES

and the coils had nice white spots under them


I don't think in the past 5-6 years since the car was originally purchased that the plugs/wires/coils have ever been changed, that’s brutal.

So anyways, I ordered some new plugs and when I saw the price of the BHR ignition upgrade and the price of the just the plugs if I want to do my own kit ($160) I decided I would do my own.

I bought the LS2 truck coils new on e-bay for $20 each and I bought the 4xpig tails for the coils for $20 so a total of $100.

Now all I need to know is what wire matches with what and I’m good to go

These are the plugs for the LS2 coils:

This is the plugs for the stock coils:







We have:
LS2: pink-Signal wire(or alternating color wire)-brown-black

Stock: Black/White-Black-Signal wire(or alternating color wire)

So what matches up with what?

LS2 Pink -> Stock Black/White
LS2 Brown -> Stock Black
LS2 *X Color* -> Stock *X Color*
LS2 Black -> (Put tied together and grounded to engine)

???

Hopefully what I'm trying to say makes sense. I found this: http://www.megamanual.com/seq/coils.htm there's LS2 info in there.

Thanks for the help.

michaelsk8er

iTrader: (1)

I cannot answer but just had to say that looks like a dirty engine :-)

chickenwafer

iTrader: (9)

Searching is your friend:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...2+coil+project

05rex8

iTrader: (7)

you will also need to fab a bracket to hold the coils btw.

TurboJay

I can fab up a bracket no prob yes and thanks for that link, I searched and didn't find it

So, if I am reading that right as it's still not 100% clear:

LS2 Pink -> Stock Black/White
LS2 *X Color* -> Stock *X Color*
LS2 Brown -> Stock Black
LS2 Black -> Grounded on Engine

OR, do I do:
LS2 Brown AND Black -> Stock Black -> Ground on engine

?

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...9&d=1205028016

This shows brown and black goes to ground which is why I suggested connecting both of these to the stock black and then to the engine.

TurboJay

P.S. What should I do to "clean" the engine? Just use Seafoam or something?

G-Gray dude

iTrader: (1)

bhr ignition coil FTW.

xun4gvn4everx

iTrader: (2)

Some use Seafoam, some use engine degreaser, some steam clean, I personally use Simple Green and then rinse (but some ppl tend to give **** about that even though I have done it with every car that I have owned) you just gatta make sure you don't spray into the intake or directly into the alternator. But in the end, its all personal preference. Find what works best for you and what you like best.

xun4gvn4everx

iTrader: (2)

and +1 for BHR ignition coils

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

no do not do both grounds together, one the black ground is a coil ground and it can be ran togther with the other coils and be grounded wereever you want, the other is the computer ground and has to match the harness.
Look at the electrical sematics of the rx8 and it will help---or you can take the easy way out and order a plug and play harness/coil adaptor from fluid motorsports. This actually may be the best way to do this --take my word for it
olddragger

TurboJay

Guys, seriously, I ain't cheap, but I don't throw money away either.

All I needed was a couple questions online, $20 for 4 LS2 plugs, some solder and heat shrink, a bit of time and I'm done. I would MUCH rather do this then spend $160 for a Harness from Fluid.

I will do
Brown->Black
Black->Ground

That's $140 I saved will be used elsewhere and I see no need to have plug and play at that price, who in their right mind would ever want to go back to stock coils. The car is a 2004, WELL out of warranty so who cares?

And I ain't knocking BHR products I mean they look really good, great results etc. I just didn't want to spend $600 + 3 week wait I needed the car back on the road ASAP that's all. Big up to those who have the BHR's, just wasn't for me.

I'll hopefully be doing this upgrade tonight, hopefully the car will run.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

well if you are going to hardwire the coil connectors into the engine harness--i sure understand and it makes prefect sense. Most dont do that.
kudos to ya.
i did my own also and i made a plug and play. finding the connectors etc wasnt that easy.
do search in the pettit thread for details that help identify the trigger wires (each is a different color)--dont have that with me at present. rest is cake and you wont have a problem.
hint--dont get the heat to close to the coils(too hot of wire either) as it may affect them.
olddragger

Easy_E1

iTrader: (2)

Don't forget the plug wires. The connections are not the same as stock with the LS2 coils.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

very true ------and buy LS SPECIFIC ones---Summit racing has them(connectors --so you can make your on wires) and they are not expensive. If you do not use the ones for the LS engine --you are asking for trouble.
OD

TurboJay

I'm done, wired and bracket made.

I had ordered some Moroso wires from Race Roots for the stock coils and I just crimped the one section to make it fit just to see if it would work. But I'm getting the same issue as I was getting before Still not starting: https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...83#post3256383

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

Yeah, but you saved $140

Targatheory

Um, did you try both resets? Correct plug wires fittings for the ls2 coils? Ever disconnect the eccentric shaft sensor? Dunno, good luck dude

TurboJay

Ok, shop just called me, the car is FIXED!

They said I had EXTREME issues with carbon build up on Rotor 1, when I flooded it some carbon came loose and logged itself in the seal causing it no longer to have compression. He said he never had this hard of a time with getting it cleaned/loose but now the seals are free and the engine has good compression again.

I will ensure they did the Seafoam or another cleaning procedure on the whole engine if not I will do it this weekend.

So, Bottom line **MY DIY LS2 COIL UPGRADE WORKS!!!!** lol damn you haters!

shazy

wow congrats.
So your car was just really flooded.

TurboJay

yeah, crazy I never thought it would be that. But I am happy it's back on the road

It idles WAY better with the new plugs and coils, seems a little bit more responsive too which is good. We'll see if I notice better fuel mileage.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Congrats. I flooded my car once and i didn't think it was ever going to turn over (had to freaking use the yellow top out of my dads jeep after my battery died) and then it just started like nothing with a little smoke.

Now let's see picks of your coil setup.

Targatheory

Yeah lets see some pics please. Could you get some up close of your engine harness splice?

Congrats with the car, people do tend to hate here a lot lol.

TurboJay

I didn't take pics of after I soldered the wires unfortunately, but picture 2 wires with heat shrink

Here are the pics of the end product, the only thing missing is the MSD coil plug ends which are coming in today, in the meantime I modified the stock coil plug end but the MSD one will be a lot better.

My work bench is really messy as I'm moving stuff around in the garage...so disregard the mess lol











My innitial thoughts are that idle is much smoother and all in all it just feels smoother. Of course that might have to do with the new plugs since you see how my old ones looked like.

Running good through and was a good DIY.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Cool. Mine are much prettier though.

TurboJay

Good for you, lol

I didn't have to wait 3 weeks, I saved money and I certainly do not care 1 bit what the hell it looks like, lol I drive my car, I need it to funtion and that's it. I don't pop the hood to pimp my **** out.