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996 > 997 coil pack upgrade


Eden
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Hi all,

My newly acquired 996 C2 is due for a service and I'll be doing the plugs as they're due. Given how annoying the job is I'm debating whether to do the coilpacks at the same time.

Has anyone done the 997 coilpack upgrade? I hear it's worthwhile, but never had any firsthand accounts. 

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Did my 996 C4S 3 weeks ago after #4 failed and left me stranded - terrible misfiring and Check Engine Light on constantly.

I went with genuine 997 packs from Porsche (about $750 for all six) - plugs were only 6 months old so I reused those.  If you are doing plugs, invest in a magnetic (not rubber) plug socket and tape the socket to a 4" extension so you don't lose it in there.  Make sure the car is cold and jack the car up on stands - and you don't need to remove the bumper or mufflers.  You'll need a nice stubby 1/4" ratchet with a flexible head and low-profile sockets for the heat shields. 

Make sure you disconnect the wiring fastener BEFORE you loosen each coil-pack. The original packs have 5mm hex-heads and the new packs use 8mm FEMALE torx (you can cheat with an 8mm socket but be careful not to strip.  I found a great little $50 ratchet set at Total Tools - it is super low profile , and and made the coil pack change over job very easy (photo attached).  The coil-pack shaft is flexible and it will also separate from the head of the coil-pack if you need - but I was able to maneuver each one out pretty easily.  Getting the new ones in is a reverse of pulling them out but #4 is a bit bitchier than the rest and your view is limited.  Start with #6 as it's the easiest and will get you familiar with the feel.

You're working in and out of the headers - It helps if you have average to smaller hands and you'll find yourself contorting into all sorts of shapes to get it done but it is a home job...

The car is definitely starting quickly and running very smoothly since the new packs went in.  Acceleration seems crisper too - but I might just be imagining it.

IMG_0579.jpeg

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  • 2 months later...

Just as a follow up here - I chickened out on doing it myself, but thankfully my brother is a great local mechanic (EB Prestige - plugging him here) and since it was due for a service he did these at the same time. Anecdotally it seems to turn over easier on startup and a smoother idle, but did do the plugs at the same time. I think well worth it either way as a preventative maintenance measure.

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As I understand it, they are now up to the 5th iteration of coil packs.  My 996 GT3 is currently having an engine out clutch change and general go over, and all my plug packs were cracked, so my mechanic replaced them all (and spark plugs) with some he had just received, and he said they are noted as v5......

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1 hour ago, TwoHeadsTas said:

As I understand it, they are now up to the 5th iteration of coil packs.  My 996 GT3 is currently having an engine out clutch change and general go over, and all my plug packs were cracked, so my mechanic replaced them all (and spark plugs) with some he had just received, and he said they are noted as v5......

Yes, everyone of my original packs had at least one hairline (or greater) crack.  The latest packs look distinctly different to the originals - plus the 997 part number.

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On 04/04/2021 at 17:58, Eden said:

Hi all,

My newly acquired 996 C2 is due for a service and I'll be doing the plugs as they're due. Given how annoying the job is I'm debating whether to do the coilpacks at the same time.

Has anyone done the 997 coilpack upgrade? I hear it's worthwhile, but never had any firsthand accounts. 

Yep, did mine and upgraded plugs with some recommended NGK RUTHENIUM HX Spark Plugs (FR6BHXS). Old coils were well passed used by and plugs weren;t too bad. Both made the car much more responsive and recommend the change.

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