Just did more trimming of the shielding, definitely sits inside VC more!
DIY BL Coil Fix
- Thread starter doublespaces
- Start date
I posted our findings and experience on the BL coils here, for those interested:
https://bmw.spoolstreet.com/threads/bl-coil-investigation-and-solution.3291/
Filippo
https://bmw.spoolstreet.com/threads/bl-coil-investigation-and-solution.3291/
Filippo
please stop the bullshit already. I posted my order # and you know damn well what you sent me. Yes, if u get the coil and shove a spark plug in it, of coures it seats. Doesnt mean it fits when its actually on the car. All the findings that @fmorelli found and started his own topic, proves EXACTLY why I started this thread. Maybe you should man up, admit the flaws that you either knew about and ignored, or possibly did not know existed as I emailed you about and I can post if you like, and start offering partial refunds. As I said before, 500.00 for a plug n play kit that I still need to modify for it to work properly is BULLSHIT.
I will post pics in a bit but it doesn't matter where you got the coils, whether from Bimmerlife or any other oem supplier as long as the PN is correct.
I had the same problem with Bosch branded VW/Audi coils from ECS. Trimmed them according to the instructions here and they fully seat now.
Don't buy into the "you must use coils supplied by us" rhetoric. It's hot air.
I had the same problem with Bosch branded VW/Audi coils from ECS. Trimmed them according to the instructions here and they fully seat now.
Don't buy into the "you must use coils supplied by us" rhetoric. It's hot air.
I broke the sleeves as well to get the coils to fully seat pointing front to back. Sleeves on the connectors to the coils themselves right?
Do you see any issues with heat or anything else? The wires are in there snug I tried pulling on them lightly.
These are the connectors with the IC behind them. We broke the front covers (they disintegrate if you gently push on them), plugged them in, then put two wraps of electrical tape to keep things secure. Hope this helps.
Filippo
I’m no expert on 3D printing but if you printed that part on another (90deg) axis it might be stronger.
Those I zip tied, lol. I removed the 3d printed cover and sleeve piece from the left connector in your picture.
Thanks to the instructions here I fixed my coils today. I have Bosch red coils from ECS Tuning: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bosch-parts/ignition-coil-priced-each/06e905115f~bos/
Since the exact same fixes (minus the rubber nubs, mine did not have them) made to the metal sleeved coils from Bimmerlife worked on my coils, we can conclude the fitment is basically the same. Which makes sense since both these coils are part number 06E905115F, which is what Alex told me to buy.
The "customer is not using our coils" excuse is not acceptable.
Before and after. They sit much lower and you can feel them clicking into place now. Measurements confirmed that the modified coil was fully seated.
Bottom portion of metal shielding removed. For my coils, a rubber layer covers the metal shielding which covers the internal boot. A bit confusing but the bottom section can flex to seat on the plug now.
Plastic tabs trimmed so they can sit lower in the valve cover.
All 6 modified coils
Bonus picture of the connector pieces I broke off so the coils had enough room to sit pointing front to back. These things really are flimsy, I had no problem peeling them apart. Some of these were broken from the initial install over 6 months ago.
Since the exact same fixes (minus the rubber nubs, mine did not have them) made to the metal sleeved coils from Bimmerlife worked on my coils, we can conclude the fitment is basically the same. Which makes sense since both these coils are part number 06E905115F, which is what Alex told me to buy.
The "customer is not using our coils" excuse is not acceptable.
Before and after. They sit much lower and you can feel them clicking into place now. Measurements confirmed that the modified coil was fully seated.
Bottom portion of metal shielding removed. For my coils, a rubber layer covers the metal shielding which covers the internal boot. A bit confusing but the bottom section can flex to seat on the plug now.
Plastic tabs trimmed so they can sit lower in the valve cover.
All 6 modified coils
Bonus picture of the connector pieces I broke off so the coils had enough room to sit pointing front to back. These things really are flimsy, I had no problem peeling them apart. Some of these were broken from the initial install over 6 months ago.
Glad you were able to make the changes. So I'm no expert, hell I'm clueless, on the different variations of this coil. But looking at your photos I see your coils are pretty different. One word of advise from our experience - we thought we had solved the problem a couple of times - a combination of seeing the coils go lower and honestly not being able to see what actually happens inside the whole. Based on that I'd suggest you take the long measurement (the spark plug washer up the coil) and see where 158.5mm puts you on the coil. Mark it, and make sure you are at full depth. If you are ... super ... if not, you need to take some other measurements and start figuring out what's keep the coil off the plug (i.e. you may be lower, but you're still arcing to the plug). I'd attached a photo of the measurement for clarity.
As a side note, how many variants of plugs exist for this thing?
Filippo
As a side note, how many variants of plugs exist for this thing?
Filippo
Someone should 3d scan these connector pieces and upload it for others. You could make your own harness at home for less and by r8 coils then modify them to fit for less
I'm sorry but if your selling a 3d printed kit for $500 on top of needing to modifying your coils the only thing that comes to mind is someone making these out of there garage and adding on the bmw tax hoping to make it rich with a product that needs to be modified. 3d printed plastic is cheap and breaks compared to industrial made plastic which is why you already broke yours.
The connector packaging (with the IC) was elegant, but the materials (3d print) was not at the durability needed for this application.
Product development is really hard stuff. The producer of bimmerlife coils ... that was his first product ever, best as I can tell. And it looks like he put a fair bit of work into it. But there were mistakes typical of early product development. I appreciate what the BL maker was trying to do. I ponied up $500. And I also had the ability to determine he had never made a product before. I'm not going to go bash a guy that did all this work, who is inexperienced in product development - as I already knew he was inexperienced. It was my choice to buy his best effort - blaming that on anyone else but myself would be a miss.
Hence why I've focused on solving my problem, not crapping on the guy that was trying to make a product.
My 02 cents ...
Filippo
Product development is really hard stuff. The producer of bimmerlife coils ... that was his first product ever, best as I can tell. And it looks like he put a fair bit of work into it. But there were mistakes typical of early product development. I appreciate what the BL maker was trying to do. I ponied up $500. And I also had the ability to determine he had never made a product before. I'm not going to go bash a guy that did all this work, who is inexperienced in product development - as I already knew he was inexperienced. It was my choice to buy his best effort - blaming that on anyone else but myself would be a miss.
Hence why I've focused on solving my problem, not crapping on the guy that was trying to make a product.
My 02 cents ...
Filippo
I totally agree with you; however, you don't add the bmw tax on top of it for a product of low quality. Had he sold just the harness for $200 he would have made a name for himself and earned enough money to move onto manufacturing for better plastic. 3d printed plastic isn't known for holding up to heat either so that's another negative.
We are all used to the bmw tax, but you don't take advantage of it by adding it to your new company's new products unless you've established yourself. If making the harness takes too much time you do the next best thing, make it a DIY harness kit provide all the materials needed to build then sell it. Unless you have the money upfront for a properly manufactured product you can't sell your product for the same cost as someone who does. Everyone takes advantage of the bmw tax, but lately is seems like everyone is trying to get a piece of that pie.
Customer service is far more important than the product themselves. Had he come out and said, I'm sorry for your troubles I'll offer you a full refund if shipped back or a part refund for your troubles that would have gone a long way with establishing a customer base with good reviews. Now it's been tarnished and the only thing he's said is you must not have pushed it in all the way until it clicks. Just because it clicks doesn't mean it is secure since these coils are known for backing out which means it doesn't fit correctly.
If I was him I'd immediately stop selling the coils and just sell the harness with a suggested coil part number. I'd lower the price of the harness as well because it's far to high, or if it takes far to long to make myself I'd sell it as a DIY kit. Either barrow alot of money to get it properly made or go back to the drawing bored that makes it where the customer is happy and knows exactly what he's buying as well as price it where the quality fits. He didn't even list on his product page this kit is 3d printed. You only 3d print samples, test units never sell 3d printed parts unless it's a DIY kit and labeled as such.
3d printing these connectors is fine. They just shouldn't be FDM printed. SLA would produce a very capable piece so long as the material used can handle temperature and has a little flexibility to it. Ultimately though, these should not be 3d printed as a final production piece. The only time 3d printing should ever be used for production pieces is if you can't make the part conventionally.
Yes, but like I said no one expects their products to be 3d printed in this day and age and we all know how inferior it is to a true production product. 3d printing is for the home diyer not for production sales. Had he disclosed that his product was 3d printed it would be different and people could make there purchase based on that disclosure, but even he knew he'd loose sales if he did that. Honestly, he better step up because with the lack of product labeling and disclosure along with the parts not fitting and being full plug and play (without modification) he could open himself up to lawsuits very fast.
While I agree with your main point, your patently false about 3d printing. Your associating all 3d printing with the filament extrusion process that is commonly used in cheap home kits. That is just one type out of dozens of 3d printing methods. If the connectors were SLA printed with a 25-50 micron build layer and out of a high temp, slightly flexible resin, they would be perfectly fine for this application. injection molding is obviously the way to go though for bringing unit cost and mfg time down.
Also, I work in mfg for an aviation business and we make literal tons of 3d printed parts for jet engines. Lots of different 3d printing technologies out there.
Again this is why you must label what your product is and how it's made if its 3d printed. If he used what you said anyone in his position would show proof with photos of the material used to show it's quality. A lack of even informing the customer that it's 3d printed makes you wonder how cheap it really was made. You're giving him high assumptions, not everyone knows what 3d printing is let alone the difference between the material. Unless he shows proof of the quality of matrerial stuff he used then we can't assume it's what you suggested, but instead much cheaper which explains the harnesses breaking.
I actually never got into 3d printing because it's plastic. When metal 3d printing becomes cheaper I plan to invest on that. It has nothing to do with figuring it all put, it has to do with business professionalism. Running a product business it not like running a YouTube channel. You have liabilities and your actions/inactions will represent you as a company and your products.
Btw, if I built a kit I would have provided the files to 3d print for free. I did this a long time ago when I put together a DIY fuel pump kit long before we had all these people selling full kits and I released it for free for the community instead of selling them when I had alot of offers to buy them. (Not 3d printed products but a DIY kit)
Sucks I lost these photos so I never could fix the diys.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=872811&highlight=walbro
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This is how I feel as well.
My BIGGEST issue here is im PISSED BECAUSE,
1. When telling Alex about my issues he acted like there was no issue.
2. Never offered to swap my harness out. Never offered a refund for failed products.
3. Instead I feel like I was ROBBED. Cheated and lied to. Then he has the audacity to blame his customers and insinuate that issues are isolated (harness) and coils supplied with kits have been swapped out for cheaper aftermarket versions.
