sr20 coilpack upgrade thread

[inopsey]

Since old engines have old components and the ignition system for the sr20 is aging and causing problems for many wanting to keep thier cars in fine running condition, it would be nice to have a thread about upgrading the ignition system on these cars. i know there is info out there scattered around zilvia and other places about what to do and what works, but it would be nice to have this info all in one place on zilvia



From a financal point, to get a new ignitor, coilpacks and probably a new coilpack harness the cost is going to be more than changing the system all together; just changing out the coils will cost about the same as some of these full-upgrade systems.



While some (most) of these smart coil upgrades require a standalone ecu to maximize performance, others may not.



I want to start by listing known systems sr20 can upgrade too and if people can help by adding their experience with such systems pros and cons, how to make the system work if the car has a stock ecu or aftermarket etc



it should be noted that in each case the ignitor chip needs to be bypassed either with a plug-in option or the rewiring of that part of the harness.



From what i can gather there is the LSX coil pack upgrade pros are they are readily available and not too expensive.


Also the R35, VR37, audi R8, toyota yaris, s15 smart coilpacks have been shown to work with the sr20 engine

[jr_ss]

I’ve run a pretty simple system on my VET.

Standard S14 SR ignitor and Denso/AEM dumb coils. The Denso version are the same shape, length and wiring connection as the AEM pencil coils and 1/4 the price. The only caveat is they require the threaded spark plug tip.

This setup made 500whp at 19-20psi on 93oct.

The new setup is VQ37 coils, bypassed ignitor and a PRP bracket/boots. These coils plug directly into the factory SR harness, but require two wires to be swapped. The coils are a pretty snug fit on the VE head.m, unfortunately, I do not have a DE/DET head to verify on. They fit great through the smaller opening of thr S15 VC and seal around the plug hole even without the PRP bracket. Length is perfect for the SR too. The only issue I have seen stems from the mounting hole being offset from the VR38 coils, which everyone designs their kits around.

[slider2828]

I am using the vr38 coils from rockauto. Works great and made a little L bracket and trimmed off like inch off the base.

[nmerriw]

Stock ecu, I'm running VQ35 coils, just need to bypass the ignitor (match the colors) and swap a couple pins at the connector (google is your friend).

No issues so far, and replacement parts are in every junkyard by the hundreds.

[slider2828]

Even if it is new, its not too pricey.... If you have an aftermarket ecu, there is information for dwell.

[thom]

I've used yaris and K20 coils in my sr20 when trying to source a misfire which finally wasn't coming from the coil packs.

To be honest i didnt see any difference in perfrormance. I kept the K20 on.

As an upgrade its super easy if you have a stand alone ecu . You just bypass the ignitor, and change the pinout. Everything can be found online , dwell times etc

Installation is easy. The Yaris coils i think one of them only needed some triming.
The k20 sits a little taller and you need some open spacer to fil the gap between the coil and valve cover.

https://imgur.com/a/VI2OE6q

[NiSilS14]

https://www.ignitionprojectsusa.com/...nissan-sr20det

I really like these for sr20, essentially r35 coilpacks in a sr20 coilpack casing. no bracketry fuss, straight bolt in.

[e1_griego]

On my SR I did the PRP bracket with R35 coils (hitachi from Rockauto).

Honestly, it's pretty fiddly with the cut-to-length silicon boots and the springs that you have to swap around. I thought I chucked a rocker on the dyno and taking it all apart to pull the valve cover wasn't as easy as it should have been. The setup works totally fine, just not as easy as stock to service.

That IP setup looks great. Wish I would have grabbed that instead (and still may).

[PoorMans180SX]

Originally Posted by NiSilS14

https://www.ignitionprojectsusa.com/...nissan-sr20det

I really like these for sr20, essentially r35 coilpacks in a sr20 coilpack casing. no bracketry fuss, straight bolt in.

Interesting! I'd love to see some third party testing.

[Thursday7]

I use Denso K20 coils with a plug and play wiring specialties harness. No spark issues with .028 BKR7E. Given what I remember my tuner saying when he first tuned it from the stock SR coil setup he barely needed to touch the dwell settings. As for fastening them, the mounting ears on the coils line up decently with the threads in the S13 SR valve cover, though there is like a 1" air gap where a spacer would be nice, and they're also too tall to use the stock coilpack cover. I just hand thread some long M6x1.0's in to hold them from popping out and I've been cool with this setup overall.

Not sure if this is constructive to this thread but thought I'd throw my hat into the ring.

[LoSt180]

S15 and all VQ/VR coils require the same wiring changes. Bypass ignitor and flip two pins at the coilpack connection. I know I documented the wires on an old thread here on Zilvia. Good thing is they all use the same connector, so those will be the most "plug n play" friendly options.

[tunermt]

On my personal SR20 I’ve run these coils:
Oem s14 + igniter
Oem s15
Oem honda k20 (denso)
VE R35 coils

They all worked but the R35 coils I’ve been able to gap my plugs back out to .035-.040” (21psi e85 twin scroll 16g turbo)

[inopsey]

Originally Posted by LoSt180

S15 and all VQ/VR coils require the same wiring changes. Bypass ignitor and flip two pins at the coilpack connection. I know I documented the wires on an old thread here on Zilvia. Good thing is they all use the same connector, so those will be the most "plug n play" friendly options.

do you have a link to the wiring changes needed?

[jr_ss]

Originally Posted by inopsey

do you have a link to the wiring changes needed?

You move two wires.

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/52/02/A1DB7D5F-BD93-4160-9EE0-84C0E0F33EB5/httpswww.efisolutions.com.auassetsfilesInstruction _Manuals200024-S13.pdf.png

[slider2828]

Originally Posted by inopsey

do you have a link to the wiring changes needed?

I used this one, really good video on the wiring..... I also cut the rubber at the bottom of the stock and bored the rubber whole at the stock a little bigger......

As for the bracket, I just got some metal brackets from home depot to make it match the holes.

Use the ones from Hitachi, VQ37 coils are same as R35.....

I probably will do a write up on zilvia soon on it.

[LoSt180]

Originally Posted by inopsey

do you have a link to the wiring changes needed?

Here you go:

Z33 coils are wired the same as S15 coils. If using S13/S14 subharness, you just have to flip 12V and Ground, pretty simple with a small flathead to move the pins around.

If looking at the end of the connector (terminal side) it goes:
S15/Z33 - [12V]-[GND]-[SIG]
S13/S14 - [GND]-[12V]-[SIG]

If you have a wiring specialties coil harness, the colors are: Ground - Purple/black stripe, 12V - Green, Signal for cylinder #1 is black, 2,3,4 are pink wires. Not sure why #1 is black, probably for backward compatibility with the S13 check circuit, but I bet people confuse it for ground all the time.

from this thread: https://zilvia.net/f/showpost.php?p=...7&postcount=22

[inopsey]

Originally Posted by LoSt180

Here you go:



from this thread: https://zilvia.net/f/showpost.php?p=...7&postcount=22

thanks for the info. it looks like you changed the wires on each of the 4 coilpack plugs. isnt each coilpack wired off a common wire (ie) a main 5v, ground and signal wire at the main plug for the harness that will split and go to each individual coilpack connector? if you swap the wires at the main plug you only have to swap 2 wires at the start of the coilpack harness.

[inopsey]

Originally Posted by slider2828

I used this one, really good video on the wiring..... I also cut the rubber at the bottom of the stock and bored the rubber whole at the stock a little bigger......

As for the bracket, I just got some metal brackets from home depot to make it match the holes.

Use the ones from Hitachi, VQ37 coils are same as R35.....

I probably will do a write up on zilvia soon on it.

did you just use some angle iron and made each coilpack an individual adaptor, or did you go all out and make something similar to what they sell here?



https://www.wiringspecialties.com/pr...ket-hw-stalks/

[LoSt180]

Originally Posted by inopsey

thanks for the info. it looks like you changed the wires on each of the 4 coilpack plugs. isnt each coilpack wired off a common wire (ie) a main 5v, ground and signal wire at the main plug for the harness that will split and go to each individual coilpack connector? if you swap the wires at the main plug you only have to swap 2 wires at the start of the coilpack harness.

If you only swap it at the main plug like you're suggesting, then the color code gets all jacked up. Good luck to the next guy that has to figure out wiring hacks. I understand the desire to be lazy, but it's really not hard to swap two wires at each coilpack connector.

[inopsey]

i was thinking more from the persepective of less chance of possibly breaking the old plastic connectors on heat tempered/weakened plastic with an oem/original harness. (less chance of breaking one if only opening one vs 4)



im kinda suprised that the ignitor bypass connector dosent take care of the coilpack wiring change needed, and why the ws harness for the coilpack conversion is almost double the cost of the oem replacement coilpack harness

[cured13]

Originally Posted by inopsey

i was thinking more from the persepective of less chance of possibly breaking the old plastic connectors on heat tempered/weakened plastic with an oem/original harness. (less chance of breaking one if only opening one vs 4)



im kinda suprised that the ignitor bypass connector dosent take care of the coilpack wiring change needed, and why the ws harness for the coilpack conversion is almost double the cost of the oem replacement coilpack harness

Exactly!................

[blksylv]

just use the s15 cp harness with the z33 coils. its what i did

[splitfire]

Originally Posted by LoSt180

If you only swap it at the main plug like you're suggesting, then the color code gets all jacked up. Good luck to the next guy that has to figure out wiring hacks. I understand the desire to be lazy, but it's really not hard to swap two wires at each coilpack connector.

One cannot find any reference of wire coloring in official Nissan FSM. Only numbered pins from terminal to terminal. And that's the only correct way, in my humble opinion, to make wiring write-ups. Leads could be mixed up, color perception of different persons could be shifted, insulation could change color due to aging, etc, etc. That's why I'm pissed off a bit by "red wire to green, blue to yellow" manuals type.

[LoSt180]

Originally Posted by inopsey

i was thinking more from the persepective of less chance of possibly breaking the old plastic connectors on heat tempered/weakened plastic with an oem/original harness. (less chance of breaking one if only opening one vs 4)

im kinda suprised that the ignitor bypass connector dosent take care of the coilpack wiring change needed, and why the ws harness for the coilpack conversion is almost double the cost of the oem replacement coilpack harness

I figure most of the time you'd be using a newer harness anyway for this type of upgrade. Plus you'd want to keep the pinout as correct as possible.

For the second part, ignitor bypass just removes the ignitor from the signal path between the ECU to the coils. So there's no way for that to have any affect on the coilpack harness anyway. Technically the only difference in the sub-harness is the pins for 12V and Ground at the coils, so no change in the signal wires.

I'm not sure about their pricing (my guess is just because it has "GTR" in the name, it gets taxed) but you can always just get either an S15 replacement sub-harness, and it'll be plug-n-play. Or get the S13/14 sub-harness and swap the wires at the coil packs as I've described above.

Right now WS the S13/14 harness is on sale for $69. Add in the ignitor delete for $35 and at $104 you're saving a few bucks compared to the $150 they want for a "conversion" harness ...for essentially the same darn harness.

[tunermt]

R35 coils for another RB, nothing better than swapping out a tired old set of oem coils for some hot R35 coils. (spark blowout is the absolute worst HATE driving a car into boost that starts to misfire!)


***IMO making your own harness or modifying the oem harness is not to hard just be sure you know exactly what your doing and record the changes. (I will even mark my coils with + S - (12v, signal, ground) right by the connectors just to ensure NOBODY gets confused down the road.
As others mentioned though OEM harnesses are often OLD and crusty in which case replace don't modify***

[inopsey]

installed the coilpacks and just a few tips: 350z and 370z coils will both work and are the same overall length, (you will be able to install the oem coilpack cover for an oem look) it should be noted that the 350z uses the same diameter spark plug as the sr20, while the 370z uses a slightly narrower spark plug. these coilpacks fit very tight on the plug and the difference between the boots (350 vs 370) is enough to cause the spring in the coil boot to not make good contact with the top of the plug. alternatively custom boots can be ordered and cut to length https://www.brewedmotorsports.com/r3...-applications/ if using the oem 350z boots you can take the rubber insulator ring/seal that goes around the oem coilpacks and transfer it to the 350z coilpacks to 'seal' the coilpacks to the valve cover (to keep shit out of the spark plug holes). even though the plug fits tight to the coilpack it is recommended to make a small bracket to hold the coilpack down. this can be done with a bit of trial and error measurments and cutting/bending 1/8 metal, and drilling and threading the sr20 oem coilpack bolts to the brakcets, rather than buying the 300$ install bracket available at several retailers. set the dwell to about 4ms. there are several dwell times that seem to be recomended for the 350z/370z/r35 coilpacks across several sites that sell these upgraded coilpacks but 4ms should be hot enough to eliminate spark blowout without overheating the coilpack causing unconrolled coilpack discharge. also dont forget to convert the harness this upgrade made a noticible difference in low throttle response and spool with a noticible increase in top end this video should answer most questions about how to convert the oem sr20 harness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrrN...nel=RyanCoffel

[slider2828]

I've been running this for a year. I left the dwell time same as whatever stock SR was... I think its around 4ms....

I like the 370z coils because the coil itself is a nice forward back design to align the holes like stock. But the boots are very tight, so I might try to 350z.... thanks for the tip!

[Bigben71]

There are a couple of easy inexpensive solutions to get the coils to fit the SR size sparkplug. Replace the tighter R35/370z coil stalk/boot with an early 350z boot (pre 2007) these only cost a few dollars each on rockauto. The other quicker and free solution is to pull the rubber tip off the end of the 370z coil stalk and cut out the inner rubber sleeve. This is easiest to do by turning it inside out and using scissors. Leave the bottom 1/4" intact this will fit anug to the SR sparkplug but be loose enough to allow it to slide on and off the plug. For the coil mounting bracket use a 1/2" square aluminum bar 1.5" long. Drill two holes about 1" apart. Tap one hole for the coil to bolt to it on oneside and drill the other hole a little larger to bolt the bracket to the valve cover.

[jcquick]

My SR Coils were old and beat. Just like me. So I found this upgrade. It was quick, cheap, better and easy.
Wiring Specialities ($150) are reliable and they make the wiring for this upgrade. Including the Ignitor Delete.
https://www.wiringspecialties.com/au...s-for-sr20det/

Then order from RockAuto the Audi R8 coils. The only 2 negatives are that you have offset the coils or the wiring will hit the next coil and they are not secured. So far...they haven't popped off or anything.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...WGQN45uk470%3D

The Aussies also sell a complete kit with coil holder but crazy expensive and they won't sell you the holder alone. Piss on my leg.
https://www.50ignite.com/nissan-silvia-s13-s14-180sx

[inopsey]

Originally Posted by jcquick

My SR Coils were old and beat. Just like me. So I found this upgrade. I was quick, cheap, better and easy.
Wiring Specialities ($150) are reliable and they make the wiring for this upgrade. Including the Ignitor Delete.
https://www.wiringspecialties.com/au...s-for-sr20det/

Then order from RockAuto the Audi R8 coils. The only 2 negatives are that you have offset the coils or the wiring will hit the next coil and they are not secured. So far...they haven't popped off or anything.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...WGQN45uk470%3D

The Aussies also sell a complete kit with coil holder but crazy expensive and they won't sell you the holder alone. Piss on my leg.
https://www.50ignite.com/nissan-silvia-s13-s14-180sx

thanks for contributing your coilpack conversion setup one thing to note is you can lose your engine from a bad coilpack if one was to fail or (pop off the plug) and you keep driving as what apparently happened to this guy here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktxB...hannel=Aimless