[rescue] Fun With Statistics

[rescue at sunhelp.org]

~ -----Original Message-----
~ From: Sheldon T. Hall [mailto:shel at cmhcsys.com]
~ On Sun, 02 Jun 2002 04:40:29 +0200 Stefan Skoglund 
~ <stetson at ebox.tninet.se>
~ wrote:
~ 
~ >Leslie Connally wrote:
~ >> He was telling me the new 5 series (?) now had 6 coils in 
~ them.. one for
~ >> each cylinder. We discussed how an old 2002 just needed 
~ one, and they
~ never
~ >> ever failed anyway.

Distributor-less ignition has been around awhile. My previous Suzuki SUV had
it on a 4 cyl and my current Suzuki has it on a 6-cyl. I think its a great
idea. It gives the engine management system more control than a mechanical
system, no more vacuum or centrifugal advance, no more condensation in
distributor caps and no more worn distributor bushings. However, shame on
BMW for being so stupid as to not have a failsafe limited run mode on their
management system.

The Suzuki uses a hemi-head design, so there is a deep well in the valve
cover for each plug (the hallmark of a hemi engine). The coil assy. lives in
the well and sits on top of a normal spark plug. The only wires are low
voltage (12V) lines from the computer module that tells the coils when to
charge/fire. There is a hall effect sensor on the crank to judge "timing".

I haven't had a bit of trouble with the 1st Zuki and drove it for 220K
miles. Original coils and only one plug change needed in the whole time I
owned it. The second Zuki is too new to tell yet.