This is a long story but the short version is that my rusty ' ol 1996 2500 van with a V6 died and I ended up replacing almost the entire ignition system - cap and rotor, crank sensor, pickup coil ECM (computer) and the coil.

The ECM was the defective part and it fired right up after I replaced it as well as the aforementioned parts. I drove it around on my property for a couple of days using it to cart building materials around as I built a shed. It was running great and then I went to move it to the other side of the building and it wouldn't start. I tested spark. Nothing on the plugs and weak spark from the coil. The junkyard down the road had one and after I swapped it in, the engine fired right up.

Why did the brand new coil fail? Because it is cheap, Chinese made junk from Autozone? Because the plugs and wires are old and haven't been changed in years? Could this be why the ECM failed as well?

I need the old beast to be reliable to cart lumber to and from the lumber yards. I'm in a middle of a big building project. I can't rent a van because I don't have an actual credit card (I refuse to) and the rental companies changed the rules and won't rent to people who only have debit cards.

I'm going to change the plugs and wires just in case but it bugs me that this brandy new coil failed so quickly.

Update: After making some calls, it looks like I didn't get this coil from Autozone. It was Pep Boys and the only one available for that engine is their bottom of the line "Valuegrade" brand which even they admit are not very reliable.

 

I think you have answered your own question.

 

Kind of sucks.. The kind of stuff we get now days....

 

Yes, it sucks that we are getting so many products that have no QC because they are made in ginormous Chinese factories and they just don't care. I'm hoping that will change in coming years.

But I'm going to put new wires and plugs on this engine - this will complete replacement of the entire ignition system - and I'm wondering which plugs best suit it.

 

Just replace the plug with what ever is in there.... If its been working for you... All I can say... You have to buy good parts as much as possible...

 

Try to find a "Blue Streak" brand HD coil. I've always had great performance from them.

 

Yep.... most things we get today are Chinese junk.... I would try seeing if you can find an N.O.S coil.

 

The old coil you got from the yard down the road is probably better than a new one from china.

sad but true..........