AEM IGN-1A Mercury Marine ignition coil info/install
04-30-12, 01:24 PM
#26
found this info direct from C. Ludwig:
The AEM coils are the Mercury Marine IGN (no ignitor) and IGN-1A (built-in ignitor) coils. They are HOT. Output is around 100-115mJ @ 2.5ms charge time and up to 250mJ at 6ms charge time. For perspective, the MSD 6A boxes are around 105-120mJ and the "street" M&W boxes are 115mJ. We've constant dwelled the coil at 4.5ms on rotary applications with great success. You will not be able to run them constantly at 6ms. With the PFC it is possible to throttle the dwell versus RPM though to give a hotter spark when you're asking for it.
We were recommending customers purchase the Mercury coils from another shop over the parts we had available through our distributors long before AEM began rebadging them and they became available to us at a decent price through AEM.
In short, the new inductive coils are as hot as most street appropriate CDI boxes. They're spark duration is much longer (better starting, idle, and low-speed performance). They're usually less expensive. Are less complicated to install in most instances. And do not give off the high amounts of electrical noise that CDI boxes are known for.
We were recommending customers purchase the Mercury coils from another shop over the parts we had available through our distributors long before AEM began rebadging them and they became available to us at a decent price through AEM.
In short, the new inductive coils are as hot as most street appropriate CDI boxes. They're spark duration is much longer (better starting, idle, and low-speed performance). They're usually less expensive. Are less complicated to install in most instances. And do not give off the high amounts of electrical noise that CDI boxes are known for.
06-15-12, 09:48 AM
#29
Wastegate John
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06-15-12, 04:19 PM
#30
For those asking about a CDI or "amp", with the IGN-1A/smart coil, this is not even an option. The built-in ignitor precludes the use of any kind of external device. As has been stated in the posts quoting our site, the coil is capable of outputting anywhere from around a 100mJ up to 250mJ based on dwell. Again for comparison, the common MSD 6A, M&W street, and Dynatech boxes are rated around 100-125mJ. This coil can deliver the same spark energy at a relatively low dwell period AND delivery a spark duration than is several times longer than any CDI. They really are the best of both worlds.
I can sell you an M&W box, and stand to profit a whole lot more, but the IGN-1A coils will produce more spark energy than most will ever need, are a relatively inexpensive choice, and have the potential to produce a better idle and low engine speed response because of a longer spark duration than any CDI.
The quoted peak output requires a dwell time of around 6ms. The coil can NOT be run at a constant dwell time of 6ms under continuous operation. It will fail. The most dwell we recommend for continuous operation is 4.5ms. Many aftermarket ECUs only allow a single, universal dwell setting. In this case, you need to select the highest setting that will allow the coil to live under continuous duty operation. Higher end ECUs allow mappable dwell, and in this case you can charge the coil harder on demand. For instance you would charge the coil around 3.0ms under normal loads but ramp dwell up versus boost and have more potential ignition energy available under high loads when it's needed.
Lastly, RENESISFD's comment that the coil would not fire at the correct time if it were charged too long is not accurate. The coils do NOT auto discharge like a few inductive coils are known to the do. If cycle time at high RPM becomes less than the requested charge time, you will simply not achieve the requested dwell time. Spark instant will remain the same.
I can sell you an M&W box, and stand to profit a whole lot more, but the IGN-1A coils will produce more spark energy than most will ever need, are a relatively inexpensive choice, and have the potential to produce a better idle and low engine speed response because of a longer spark duration than any CDI.
The quoted peak output requires a dwell time of around 6ms. The coil can NOT be run at a constant dwell time of 6ms under continuous operation. It will fail. The most dwell we recommend for continuous operation is 4.5ms. Many aftermarket ECUs only allow a single, universal dwell setting. In this case, you need to select the highest setting that will allow the coil to live under continuous duty operation. Higher end ECUs allow mappable dwell, and in this case you can charge the coil harder on demand. For instance you would charge the coil around 3.0ms under normal loads but ramp dwell up versus boost and have more potential ignition energy available under high loads when it's needed.
Lastly, RENESISFD's comment that the coil would not fire at the correct time if it were charged too long is not accurate. The coils do NOT auto discharge like a few inductive coils are known to the do. If cycle time at high RPM becomes less than the requested charge time, you will simply not achieve the requested dwell time. Spark instant will remain the same.
06-25-12, 08:56 PM
#35
I ordered a set of these coils from C.Ludwig last week. I decided to do my own harness. I used braided sleeving through out with a sealed relay for power and a Delphi connector to connect to where the OEM ignitor used to be. I took the label under clear heat shrink idea from TwinCharged7.
I mounted the coils to the old A/C location similar to what was done here
Car fired right up today for the first time with the new coils. The car feels smoother at idle and cursing around, additionally I noticed a slight increase in vacuum at idle.
I have not changed the dwell settings in the PFC yet as I'm not quite sure how the values in FC-Edit relate to dwell ms. However after running it for a while the coils stay bone cold so I know they are not being overworked. Im going to look into setting the dwell on the PFC, however I'm not going to stress over it too much as I will be switching to a different ECU in the coming weeks.
I mounted the coils to the old A/C location similar to what was done here
Car fired right up today for the first time with the new coils. The car feels smoother at idle and cursing around, additionally I noticed a slight increase in vacuum at idle.
I have not changed the dwell settings in the PFC yet as I'm not quite sure how the values in FC-Edit relate to dwell ms. However after running it for a while the coils stay bone cold so I know they are not being overworked. Im going to look into setting the dwell on the PFC, however I'm not going to stress over it too much as I will be switching to a different ECU in the coming weeks.
06-25-12, 11:20 PM
#36
Wastegate John
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Everything looks great jhnrx7 except I think you should move your fuse closer to the battery.
Ideally you want the shortest distance to the fuse from the battery in case of a short.
Ideally you want the shortest distance to the fuse from the battery in case of a short.
06-26-12, 02:08 PM
#38
For the record, I called C. Ludwig today and he said the harness runs about $100. So you're looking at $388 before shipping for 4 coils and the harness. Can't beat that. Compare it to that much if not more for a Twin power, plus you can sell all your factory stuff and come away with a less cluttered, less failure prone, new, and better ignition system. No brainer.
07-18-12, 08:19 PM
#39
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easiest thing to install, my grand mother can do it!!!!
at first when i received the coils, i was a lil scare to mess up, my friend had a lot of trouble installing the MSD or something coil and ignitor on his 240. i ask theWird and C.Ludwig for advise, but i only got it when i was done with it lol, but the good thing about it, its when i was done i have something to look at to make sure i didnt mess up.
i'm not a electric engineer, but i have a very good knowledge of electricity, even if i'm an Ironworker by trade. i often study Tesla and watch MIT class too. its a MIT course for free
(for anyone interested, pm me and i'll tell you where to get the class videos.) anyway not to write a book. they easy to install and they are very good and not expensive at all. my idle is steady, better vacuum and no more hesitation. AEM ICHIBAN!!!!!!!!
at first when i received the coils, i was a lil scare to mess up, my friend had a lot of trouble installing the MSD or something coil and ignitor on his 240. i ask theWird and C.Ludwig for advise, but i only got it when i was done with it lol, but the good thing about it, its when i was done i have something to look at to make sure i didnt mess up.
i'm not a electric engineer, but i have a very good knowledge of electricity, even if i'm an Ironworker by trade. i often study Tesla and watch MIT class too. its a MIT course for free
(for anyone interested, pm me and i'll tell you where to get the class videos.) anyway not to write a book. they easy to install and they are very good and not expensive at all. my idle is steady, better vacuum and no more hesitation. AEM ICHIBAN!!!!!!!!
07-19-12, 03:04 AM
#41
I ordered a set of these coils from C.Ludwig last week. I decided to do my own harness. I used braided sleeving through out with a sealed relay for power and a Delphi connector to connect to where the OEM ignitor used to be. I took the label under clear heat shrink idea from TwinCharged7.
do oyu still use the stock power steering pump?
do you use stock-lenght spark wires or custom made ones?
Last edited by GoodfellaFD3S; 07-19-12 at 08:14 AM.
07-19-12, 03:23 PM
#43
Honestly, I'm not sure. The numbers I've been quoted at 100-115mJ at 3.0ms and up to 250mJ at 6.0. Assuming a linear curve they should be in the 175-190mJ range at 4.5ms.
I'd like to build a board so that I can test the output, amp draw, spark duration, etc. Finding the time to do it will be the challenge.
I'd like to build a board so that I can test the output, amp draw, spark duration, etc. Finding the time to do it will be the challenge.
07-19-12, 04:01 PM
#45
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Honestly, I'm not sure. The numbers I've been quoted at 100-115mJ at 3.0ms and up to 250mJ at 6.0. Assuming a linear curve they should be in the 175-190mJ range at 4.5ms.
I'd like to build a board so that I can test the output, amp draw, spark duration, etc. Finding the time to do it will be the challenge.
I'd like to build a board so that I can test the output, amp draw, spark duration, etc. Finding the time to do it will be the challenge.
07-19-12, 06:54 PM
#47
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I have a PFC custom tune on a single turbo, will these coils PnP without a retune? I plan to get the car retuned down the road, but I'm doing a lot of work on it at the moment. I don't want to not be able to drive it if I install new ignition coils.
07-19-12, 06:56 PM
#48
Also, you will need access to a datalogit to adjust the dwell settings.
07-19-12, 07:02 PM
#49
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I need to just research tuning a rotary and tune it myself. I've personally tuned every other car that I've owned, but the 13b has me a little intimidated. I'm sure that everything is working well on my car at the moment, I just want to upgrade the ignition for future power goals and coil relocation.
My ignition seems to be a well functioning OEM system, and the tune was done by Rotary Performance in Garland, TX. I'm sure that it's pretty good in it's current state with only 300whp and 8psi.
My ignition seems to be a well functioning OEM system, and the tune was done by Rotary Performance in Garland, TX. I'm sure that it's pretty good in it's current state with only 300whp and 8psi.
07-20-12, 06:50 AM
#50
This is the way to go for me, I hope you don't mind if I copy your design
@C.Ludwig
Is it possible to do a plug and play harness for this location without routing the harness to the stock igniter location?
So, that the adapter harness plugs into the stock ignition harness conector and a "dummy" connector for the stock igniter plug?
