Not really a question here; I've done a bit of research on coils, and thought I'd post it here at the Club for future shoppers who might be as confused as I was when I started.

Here are the coils that you will currently see when you go shopping:

ACDelco D576 - most expensive; direct OE replacements for SSEi (price is around $55-$75). These coils have blue tabs on the bottom side. Can be used in SLE and SE as a "mod" upgrade as long as all three coils are the same.

ACDelco D555 - Direct OE replacements for SLE and SE. Puts out slightly less spark than D576 (voltage and amperage are different). (Costs around $40-$60.) These coils do not have any blue on the bottom. Not recommended for SSEi; will work but decreases performance and may cause longer-term issues, especially if blue and non-blue are mixed on same car.

ACDelco E530C - a "one size fits all" replacement; suitable for L36 engines in any car. Appears to be pretty much the same as D555, but some feel that it is slightly inferior. (Costs around $40-$60.) As with D555, is not recommended for SSEi.

Delphi GN10123 - Same as E530C. Possibly made in same factory. Just a different brand name on the box. As with E530C and D555, is not recommended for SSEi. Delphi used to be a part of General Motors, and still makes many parts for AC Delco.

Airtex/Wells C849 - aftermarket equivalent of E530C (sold under "Duralast" brand at AutoZone) (around $22-$27). Felt by many to be of lesser quality than Delphi/ACDelco. Coils that are not Delphi or AC Delco are not recommended here at the club, unless you do not plan on keeping the car for long. Junkyard parts preferred over Airtex/Wells.

Standard Motor Products DR39T - very low-priced. Commonly found on eBay, also on Rock Auto as "Economy option." (around $15-$20) Coils that are not Delphi or AC Delco are not recommended here at the club, unless you do not plan on keeping the car for long. Junkyard parts preferred over SMP.

MSD 8224 - These are comparable to D576 and are suitable for SSEi. Considered by some to be a "mod" due to their red color and association with racing. Some feel that they are slightly better than D576 and others say they are slightly less good. Either way, most seem to agree that they are pretty close to D576, however, so the differences may be negligible. Prices are similar to D576, if not a little lower. As with D576, can be used in SLE and SE as a "mod" upgrade.

Junkyard coil prices vary widely, ranging from $15-$50. These used coils will typically be AC Delco D555 or D576 (definitely are if they still have white printed numbers on top). Club member Harofreak00 dismantles crashed 00-05 Bonnevilles and typically has good used AC Delco coils for low prices. He is highly recommended at the Club.


A note about the white printed numbers on the tops of the original coils: such coils are original coils installed at the factory. Other than the numbers, all three coils are exactly the same. The numbers were only printed for convenience, when changing out spark plug wires. Replacement coils do not have these numbers, so that they can be used in any position. You can write your own numbers on top, if you wish, using a silver Sharpie marker.

[ Edited 11-7-2011 to add MSD and add additional info to the others. ]

Ken_W

_________________
2000 SSEi "Gypssei" - 206k miles - Light Bronzemist Metallic - stock
1999 Grand Am GT - 168k miles - Red - stock DEAD -- transmission died
2004 Pontiac Montana Ext 2WD - 207k miles - Blue Black Metallic - stock

Some of us run msd coils as well, it is important to note also that on summitracing (where I ordered my coils a few years ago, they have a summit brand that in the image looks just like the msd coils. However when I ordered them they looked just like the accel coils only these were orange instead of yellow. They lasted all of a few weeks before causing catastrophic misfire issues and then were returned and I got a free upgrade to msd from summit

_________________
2000 ssei gone but not forgotten

Current fleet:
2009 G8 v6, 2009 Avalanche LTZ, 2013 Volt

MSD's really aren't worth the money, IMHO, when you can get a set from haro that works just as well for the price of 1 MSD coil.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

At the time, I needed new coils badly and I didn't have the knowledge I have now, and like I said...they were free. My point was that they work fine and are a safe choice. Mine have been on the car for several years at this point

_________________
2000 ssei gone but not forgotten

Current fleet:
2009 G8 v6, 2009 Avalanche LTZ, 2013 Volt

So am I robbing myself of performance or efficiency with two stock and one BWD premium from O'Reilly?

_________________
2000 SSEi, Napa Belden wires, Monroe rear shocks conversion, Dexcool delete
2000 SSEi with custom glass, body, door, and light kit

Edited original post to include AC Delco D555 coils to the list.