[fatty335]

Just went through an ordeal with various Delphi ignition coils for the N55 and wanted to share my experience in case it might help someone out one day. Had an OEM coil go bad and decided, based on mileage, to go ahead and replace all with new. First, I ordered a set of Delphi #12138616153 which all the major online retailers - and Delphi themselves - say is the correct coil for my car. For reference, Delphi makes the OE coils for the N55. Installed, reset adaptations, and proceeded to drive the car for about the next 300 miles. Car idled and ran like garbage - big timing corrections part throttle and WOT. Gas mileage decreased by about 3 mpg. So then I ordered a set of Delphi #12137594596, an alternate p/n for some n55 cars that one major online retailer was selling. Same issues. Then I started doing more research. While comparing both OE Delphi coils and OEM Delphi coils, I noticed the BMW-branded ones are potted in white epoxy, while both of the non BMW-branded ones were potted in black epoxy.


Also, the BMW-branded coils had "28114820" stamped along the edge, while neither of the other ones did.

It appears that the coil Delphi builds for BMW is constructed differently than the coils it sells as OEM and is not available in the OEM aftermarket. I can tell you that, in my case, they certainly performed differently. It took me two months, two orders of incorrect coils, a rough running and timing-correcting car, and finally, a trip to the dealership to buy the correct ones to figure this out. Car is, once again, running like a champ.

BL - I'm a huge fan of paying less and running OEM but, for N55 ignition coils, only use OE BMW-branded Delphis potted with white epoxy! Any of the other Delphis might make your car run like crap.

[Supermoon]

Do coils get weaker as they age? like spark plugs?
Or do they work the same until they fail? Please forgive my ignorance

[fatty335]

Originally Posted by Supermoon

Do coils get weaker as they age? like spark plugs?
Or do they work the same until they fail? Please forgive my ignorance

Great question that nobody has ever really answered to my satisfaction. The general consensus is that they work until they don't. I have a tough time believing it is that cut and dry. Take a made-in-china electronic and subject it to extreme heat cycling and vibration...I have to believe that takes its toll after a few years.

In my case, I was getting a misfire that followed the coil when swapped to a different cylinder position. Given that the set was original, I elected to replace them as a set. I'm sure someone will find fault with that logic but I'm sleeping fine.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

I went with Delphi GN10571. I'm not sure how that translates to a BMW part number. It's been good for me.

[dpark]

Any reason you went with Delphi over Eldor?

I'm fairly certain Eldor became BMW's official supplier for ignition coils back in 2016 or thereabouts...

[fatty335]

Originally Posted by dpark

Any reason you went with Delphi over Eldor?

I'm fairly certain Eldor became BMW's official supplier for ignition coils back in 2016 or thereabouts...

BMW #12138616153 that I bought from the dealership two days ago say "Delphi" right on the side of the gasket. Perhaps the Eldors are for the N54?

[vespa]

Most coils are counterfeit junk. Unfortunately these days when buying car parts outside the dealer you need to consider profit margins: If the part is easy to make in a home garage with simple hand tools yet commands a 1000% profit margin, then it'll be counterfeited like a Rolex. There are a few online vendors that source genuine parts thru the dealership or OEM network but you should always assume that any easily counterfeit-able parts sold by Rockauto, Amazon, eBay, Pep Boys, etc. are going to be useless fake junk.

[Pladi]

Even non BMW branded ones will perform great. Alot of us have installed them with ZERO issues. But you probably had counterfeit ones. Or some other issue. Buy from the correct place and ur golden. More than 60% cheaper than a BMW dealer. ITs the same coil thats for sure.

FCP Euro... no issues

[fatty335]

Originally Posted by Pladi

Even non BMW branded ones will perform great. Alot of us have installed them with ZERO issues. But you probably had counterfeit ones. Or some other issue. Buy from the correct place and ur golden. More than 60% cheaper than a BMW dealer. ITs the same coil thats for sure.

FCP Euro... no issues

Hopefully everyone has a positive experience with the non BMW-branded Delphis and my experience was a one-off. The point of my original post was to let everyone know that:

1. There appears to be differences in construction in the coil Delphi builds for BMW and the ones they provide directly to the OEM aftermarket (i.e. not just cosmetic like grinding off a logo...)

2. The BMW version does not appear to be available directly from Delphi.

3. In my 335i N55 application, the non BMW-branded coils performed poorly and the BMW-branded performed well.

...and FWIW, the first set of coils were delivered directly from FCP, second set from ECS, so I doubt both sets were counterfeit (but could have been).

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by fatty335

Hopefully everyone has a positive experience with the non BMW-branded Delphis and my experience was a one-off. The point of my original post was to let everyone know that:

1. There appears to be differences in construction in the coil Delphi builds for BMW and the ones they provide directly to the OEM aftermarket (i.e. not just cosmetic like grinding off a logo...)

2. The BMW version does not appear to be available directly from Delphi.

3. In my 335i N55 application, the non BMW-branded coils performed poorly and the BMW-branded performed well.

...and FWIW, the first set of coils were delivered directly from FCP, second set from ECS, so I doubt both sets were counterfeit (but could have been).

Great thank you.

Another thing for you to note is that no matter which coils you decide to use a rough running idle will be noted for a while until the dme adapts to the long term fuel trims. The N55 seems to be finicky with idle when you replace ignition components for the first few miles until the dme picks up the changes.

PArts that are sold to manufactures from the vendor will have to have some type of difference.. Same with the injectors on the N55. Bosch makes them and they are identical but have some markings that are a bit different. Buy from bosch $99. Buy from BMW $270. Same injector.. i have replaced th bmw marked ones for bosch. Flawless ..

So the fact that you noticed a different epoxy color is not really an indication that the coils are different. So the "BMW version" as far as you know is just black epoxy or white or red or whatever.. but you cant conclude that the specs are different. OR that the performance or construction. These are the types of conclusions you are making but lacking data

We need more people complaining and you are the first one. But thanks for the input.

[lwgrenier]

yeah my coils have white epoxy and they are fine. I'll check to see if they're aftermarket but I know that I never replaced them and I'm at 65k, owned since 50k.

[vespa]

Originally Posted by fatty335

Hopefully everyone has a positive experience with the non BMW-branded Delphis and my experience was a one-off. The point of my original post was to let everyone know that:

1. There appears to be differences in construction in the coil Delphi builds for BMW and the ones they provide directly to the OEM aftermarket (i.e. not just cosmetic like grinding off a logo...)

2. The BMW version does not appear to be available directly from Delphi.

3. In my 335i N55 application, the non BMW-branded coils performed poorly and the BMW-branded performed well.

...and FWIW, the first set of coils were delivered directly from FCP, second set from ECS, so I doubt both sets were counterfeit (but could have been).

When Delphi, etc. make BMW, etc. branded parts the one thing they always change is the part number. Other than that, there's really no reason for them to change anything. They already gave their best effort making the Delphi brand part so they likely have no tricks left up their sleeves to give to BMW. The white/black potting difference might be indicative of an update or a counterfeit, who knows? But here is a counterfeit Delphi alongside a real part and while the white/black potting is obvious, the real indications are the differences in mold parting lines and materials. Note that the part on the left is made from re-melted toothbrushes while the part on the right is made from glass filled nylon (GF30) as evidenced by the fibrous matte texture. You can also see that lots of notches, grooves, dimensions, labels, etc. are very slightly different between the parts, suggesting that the counterfeiter copied the part by eye and did not have access to the original design drawings.

As far as part numbers go, 12138616153 is just an updated version of 12137594596. And beware that the BMW branding adds legitimacy to parts so the branded parts are generally the most commonly counterfeited.

[stroker15]

Originally Posted by fatty335

Just went through an ordeal with various Delphi ignition coils for the N55 and wanted to share my experience in case it might help someone out one day. Had an OEM coil go bad and decided, based on mileage, to go ahead and replace all with new. First, I ordered a set of Delphi #12138616153 which all the major online retailers - and Delphi themselves - say is the correct coil for my car. For reference, Delphi makes the OE coils for the N55.

Delphis might make your car run like crap.

I have had the same issue with Delphi coils. I ordered mine from Bavauto, before they went out of business. I can't tell if they are fake or not but who knows. I bought 4 Delphi coils 12138616153, and one of the 4 went bad in just a few weeks. As soon as I went full throttle, it failed, and this was when my car was bone stock. I replaced that one, and a few months later that replacement also went bad when I installed my downpipe and intercooler. The mechanic test drove my car and came back with the coil failed. He happened to have a used BMW coil lying around and we used that, and yes, it does have the white filler, my Delphi ones are black.

I only have a 4 cylinder engine and two of my Delphi coils have failed in a matter of months. I doubt Bavauto was selling fake parts or at least not doing it intentionally. I don't trust my Delphi coils, and I'm not paying double to buy BMW branded Delphi coils. I'm done with Delphi.

I just ordered some Bremi 12138616153 coils, made in Germany for $28 each, same price as Delphi coils. I'll get them in a couple days from Pelican Parts, hopefully they aren't selling fake parts, which I doubt they are.

I also noticed that NGK is also selling coils now. However, I cannot find out where they are actually made, or if NGK makes them or someone else and NGK just brands it. Also, the NGK coils are $50 from sparkplugs.com. Almost the same price as OEM coils.

I'll let you know if I have any issues with the Bremi coils.

[stroker15]

Originally Posted by fatty335

Hopefully everyone has a positive experience with the non BMW-branded Delphis and my experience was a one-off. The point of my original post was to let everyone know that:

1. There appears to be differences in construction in the coil Delphi builds for BMW and the ones they provide directly to the OEM aftermarket (i.e. not just cosmetic like grinding off a logo...)

2. The BMW version does not appear to be available directly from Delphi.

3. In my 335i N55 application, the non BMW-branded coils performed poorly and the BMW-branded performed well.

...and FWIW, the first set of coils were delivered directly from FCP, second set from ECS, so I doubt both sets were counterfeit (but could have been).

I agree with you, I think the quality of non BMW Delphi coils is not the same. Considering half my coils went bad in less than a year with not much mileage. And ECS Tuning took over from BavAuto. My Delphi coil seems quite legit. It's solidly made and does not look or feel fake at all.

Who knows maybe Delphi just put out a bad batch and we got them. Regardless, I'll never buy another Delphi coil again. Now if the Bremi coils I bought also fail, and every other brand I buy fails, then I'll rethink buying Delphi coils in the future. For now I'm trying other options.

[FamilyManTrackSedan]

Originally Posted by stroker15

I agree with you, I think the quality of non BMW Delphi coils is not the same. Considering half my coils went bad in less than a year with not much mileage. And ECS Tuning took over from BavAuto. My Delphi coil seems quite legit. It's solidly made and does not look or feel fake at all.

Who knows maybe Delphi just put out a bad batch and we got them. Regardless, I'll never buy another Delphi coil again. Now if the Bremi coils I bought also fail, and every other brand I buy fails, then I'll rethink buying Delphi coils in the future. For now I'm trying other options.

How have the Bremi coils been for you so far?

[CoffeeBean]

An extra nugget of info: the Delphi coils have a glued on rubber boot rather than all one piece like the Bosch. One of my Delphi boots came off and was stuck on the plug - was not fun getting off. Therefore I'd recommend just sticking with Bosch or any other one piece design.

[stroker15]

Originally Posted by FamilyManTrackSedan

How have the Bremi coils been for you so far?

Absolutely perfect. Car runs smoother with the Bremi coils and Bosch plugs. Smoother than with new Delphi coils and new NGK plugs, what I replaced.

I love them, no problems at all, still going strong.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by fatty335

Hopefully everyone has a positive experience with the non BMW-branded Delphis and my experience was a one-off. The point of my original post was to let everyone know that:

1. There appears to be differences in construction in the coil Delphi builds for BMW and the ones they provide directly to the OEM aftermarket (i.e. not just cosmetic like grinding off a logo...)

2. The BMW version does not appear to be available directly from Delphi.

3. In my 335i N55 application, the non BMW-branded coils performed poorly and the BMW-branded performed well.

...and FWIW, the first set of coils were delivered directly from FCP, second set from ECS, so I doubt both sets were counterfeit (but could have been).

Very informative article- I am also seeking to buy in advance coils, but your experience deters me. There is one weak point in your argument: Premise 1 implies that these were Delphi coils. However, am inclined to agree with someone else here, that they were counterfeit. Did you buy them via ECS?

Recently replaced the girl's 2011 328ixi spark plugs and coils, and could have saved 300$ via a small garage. But I opted fro the dealership precisely to ensure OEM compatibility. Her gasket VANOS was also replaced, so a big costly job. But, a sensor popped up, the Service Centre re-cleaned the car, 24 hr observation, before determining that the sensor, previously flooded with oil, had not yet adjusted. 0 additional cost and her car feels as good as new.

Had we gone to the small shop, the combination of spark plug and coil origin, gasket and sensor would have been brutal headache. To top it all, BMW guarantees this job for 2 years.

Although tempted to force bringing part to the SC and have the swap, I understand their argument that they cannot guarantee the authenticity. this industry is filled with billion($) worth of counterfeits.. Supply chain is critical. In comparison, when this happened in the aviation industry, quite a few planes crashed killing everyone on board.

In some cases, real suppliers get fooled too, contracting parts to a company that, without knowledge, introduces counterfeits as a third sub-company is set up in Asia to sell fakes. The end client gets counterfeits.

With SC (ad, i hope, ECS and Turner), the supply chain is far more stringent.

[2004z4Nick]

The cheaper version that will cut out after 10k miles is made in China. If you want the Portugal version you have to go genuine.
I just got some genuine coils from FCPEuro but they didn't have the BMW Logo on them, am I missing it, are they just OE and not Genuine coils or am I unfamiliar with ignition coil branding? Any help would be great.

[flapeo]

I have half white epoxy half black from the same order on FCP euro. Car runs fine

[2004z4Nick]

Originally Posted by flapeo

I have half white epoxy half black from the same order on FCP euro. Car runs fine

Did the white ones come with made in portugal stickers on them and how many miles have you run them?

[flapeo]

Originally Posted by 2004z4Nick

Did the white ones come with made in portugal stickers on them and how many miles have you run them?

Not sure, bought the car with 77k miles and did fbo. Have around 85k now never a misfire and only small timing corrections on 91 octane tune prolly cuz the gas here sucks.