Direct ignition cassette options

[Scott]

Hi all,

I’m just curious, has anyone fiddled around with alternate ignition coils? It seems the Subaru’s and Chevys coils can be replaced individually when they go bad, I wonder if something alternative could be more cost effective.

I swear I saw a pic from SOC with a 95 or 96 or 99 that appeared to have non Saab ignition coils.

As you may suspect I’m needing to buy a new DIC and really don’t want to buy it. :)

[Jordan]

Just buy the DIC, they last for a long time. The engine management system uses the DIC for knock & combustion detection, so it is fairly specialized. The Trionic 8 cars use individual coil packs with this functionality, but the system is different enough that they would not be cross compatible with any DIC car. If you saw a car with non-standard coil packs they were probably running an aftermarket engine management system.

[Scott]

Aftermarket engine management does make sense for what I saw. Thanks for answering.

[squaab99t]

I run a standalone with individual coils.
Like Jordan said, T5 needs the Saab DIC. Awesome packaging, but just about everyone I know has a spare in their trunk. The AC/Delcos are a set and forget.

[reiernumans]

The DIC gets a bad rep for being expensive to replace and going bad all the time, but IMO it's mostly due to age. Any individual coilpack that's 20+ years old and has probably done a few 100k miles is likely to be meh as well. As far as I'm aware, it's good practice to replace all coilpacks if one goes bad and they're all older, so I doubt you'll end up with a cheaper solution if it'd be possible in the end. You can still get new SEM cassettes, and they're cheaper now than they've been in the last few years. If you don't use the wrong plugs and you don't drive around with old, meh, plugs with a huge gap they last a looong time.

[Scott]

Squaab99T, is your standalone written up here? Curiosity and laziness prompt me to ask. :)

Reiernumans, those are fair points. I am biting the bullet and getting one.

Curious if anyone has any experience with the NGK branded DIC? I'm not taking chances and will get the Eeuro genuine saab one, but i do wonder about them. My mechanic said i could be the guinea pig, but maybe next time. :)

[Jordan]

The NGK one is a reboxed OEM one. Just make sure it has an SEM sticker on it

[Scott]

Good to know, thanks!

[squaab99t]

Squaab99T, is your standalone written up here? Curiosity and laziness prompt me to ask. :)

:)

I do not have one for the ECU. Closes I have is the engine rebuild and coil overview
http://saabrally.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2158&hilit=ems+8860

[Scott]

So Dennis, what standalone ecu are you running?

[squaab99t]

EMS 8860. Decent in 2004, but old and busted by today’s standards. New hotness AEM Infinity sitting on the shelf, waiting for me to get off my ass.