The ULTIMATE BMW Ignition Coil Guide | 2003 & Newer

In this video I discuss all the different types of ignition coil options available for your 2003 and newer BMW. This applies to all vehicles right up to the 2020 model year!
I discuss the limitations of your generic auto store replacement coils, and the various OEM coil offerings.
I have a set of Duralast coils from Autozone, original Bosch coils, Delphi coils and the latest offering Eldor coils.
I go in the really thorough detail explaining each type of coil to help you make a decision. I put the new Eldor coils on my 2008 BMW E90 335i with the N54 motor to see if they can support over 600 HP.
They will eventually make their way into my 2014 BMW F15 X5 with an N55 motor.
These coils will fit a number of BMWS.
You can purchase the new Eldor coils at this link (affiliate):
ebay.to/2U73nXx
If this is the first video of mine that you're watching consider subscribing, I upload regularly.
Thanks for watching! When you see the word "affiliate" listed beside any link in my description please know that this is a custom link and I will earn a small commission if you opt to purchase using said link. This is at no extra cost to you so it's a win all around :) Thank you!

[@prestonworden9811]

I love the fact that you kept it twin nice to see not everyone isn’t trying to go single turbo

[@RashawMusic]

Having a thicker tip is always a good thing 🤣

[@ckegman6103]

You make best the BMW related content. Just bought some eldors for my bimmer. Keep up the top notch DIY.....

[@ArtemDzhadzha]

I put Eldor coils as soon as they appeared on the market instead of proven at that time Delphi and was doubting I made the right decision until this video. This is the most useful video for those who are looking for new coils for tuned n54/55 etc.

[@adriangutierrez8177]

Some guy that builds BMW engines on instagram has a 135i with over 900whp. He swears by Delphi

[@szemijoe4586]

n53???

[@Whatever-ld4vq]

I just installed the Eldor's on my 2010 528Xi. So far so good. Many sites say that the Eldors are not compatible with the N52 motor but they seem to be working well on my car. I have 150k miles and was having a miss in cylinder 6 so decided to replace plugs and coils. I used NGK Ruthenium plugs.

[@ToeNailBreaker]

1:38 Correction (in the time this video was posted), BMW never moved from Bosch to Delphie for the N54. It was the N54 community that discovered the Delphie coils from the N55 and M3 are compatible with the N54 and started recommending it. BMW officially went from Bosch to "Eldor" coils which is the one you pointed to at the end as the better coil (agree 100%). Then they moved from Eldor to Delphie(cheaper). They went backwards technically. Eldor coils are the better OE pencil style coil for this platofrm.

[@killaforrilla5639]

Seattle mini is selling the GN10571 delphie coil as the oem replacement for a 2008 mini cooper s

[@BIMMERZEITT]

Great video, wish I saw this before buying a full set of new Bosch coils! My 07 335i with 182k had 5 original Bosch coils dated 2008 and one replacement Delphi coil installed by BMW dealer. I bought through FCP euro so free replacements for life if they fail. Next time I’ll look for Eldor.

[@EYES2CU]

You have just saved me some money and solved a problem

[@damienrodriguez3288]

Bro, I was searching for new coils for my 2003 z4 and e36. Thanks for the tip. Didn’t think when I came across the eldors that they would be better than the rest, but you have convinced me. It’s nice to hear Recomendation from someone who has done some trials. Thanks. Subscribed I am 👍🏻

[@nathanpartridge3565]

Which coils did you go with?

[@christiang2194]

The marking on the Eldor coil specifies the material for recycling reasons. PBT = polybutylene terephthalate; GF = glass fiber; 30 = 30 % glass fibers BTW love your videos

[@bentremy]

Your videos are absolutely fantastic.

[@donsirsimon]

Just changed mine from original bosch to delphi. 66k miles Z4 N54. Did not have any codes but wasnt running totally right... a bit ruff+ like some power missing... but it drove and no codes or CEL. After replacing coils... instant start, rock solid idle, lot smoother drive, more power down low ( noticed i had started to downshift often when accelerating, now pulls nicely from low rpm). Still felt power missing in boost, so did reset my ECU for adaptations reset. That made the difference. Pulls nicely now. Cobb Stage 1 93 tune otherwise stock car. New properly gapped one step colder iridium plugs were installed a few months before the coils. I had actually postponed my coils purchase hoping to get a code or check engine light as a sign to do the change, but it never came. Just felt wierd. So If no codes but still feels a bit wierd, probably just change the coils. Not that expensive. Got delphis 124 eur online. Did consider Eldors, but they are hard to get in my area, probably would have had to buy them from dealer for double the cost. Webshops dont offer Eldor at all here and even FCPEuro its delphi or BMW OEM.

[@joshuasherwain]

Thanks for your great indepth video about the different coils. I think it will definitely be the eldor for me for my bmw 4 series.

[@harrisj2278]

I’m just coming across this video now I wish I had seen this last week when I bought oem Bosch coils for my N52 330i I’m wondering if there’s any benefit to upgrading to Eldor coils even for an N52 not as far as power but perhaps it’s safe to assume they would last longer. Excellent videos best bmw content on KZbin by far.

[@reginald8405]

Those new turbos are powerful (13:07). Shifts are amazing with the xHP upgrade as well. Thanks for the video.

[@VehicularDIY]

Yeah thats at around 21 psi with super conservative timing. Thanks

[@deplorabledave1048]

I had to sub after watching this video. The BEST video on BMW coils on You Tube. Well done. I have an NA Dyno tuned very quick 2005 E46 M3 with a LOT of tweaks and mods. However, NO BOOST. I am Soooo jelly of your boost. Getting a built motor and E85 flex fuel boosted motor with all the other support items and mods is on my bucket list. It's minimum $40K to really do it up right with an AEM Infinity ECU, plasma coils, 1000 RWHP axles, Fuel system that wont starve on the track because of G forces etc etc etc. Then to TUNE it all so you have a really effective traction control and variable boost depending on amount of E85 in your tank. I NEED about 800 RWHP on pure E85 and 25 to 30lbs of boost. Anything less just will not do. But 500 plus with TURBO boost is nice. 500 RWHP with a super charger on my S54 motor is NOT worth the money. No torque. Terrible dyno curves. Its gotta be turbo on 3.2 liter 6cylcnder. Besides, I HATE the super charger whine with a passion. I LOVE turbo whooshes and pops!!!!

[@zikroulah]

Hi, thanks a lot for the video, it really help. looking coil for my E90 328i xdrive, i heard about HP Ignition coil! need advice as comparison with eldor coils.

[@christopherswaby7432]

Very informative.. This video helps me a lot.. Keep doing the great work..

[@Dustinsfishtanks]

Great videos all around.

[@nickolascain2994]

Nice interesting video as always. I'm actually doing valve cover gasket and swapping to NGK 97506 tonight. Current one step colder plugs looked like they could be getting a bit warm lol. Florida heat etc these 2 step colder plugs should do well. Getting close to where I want a custom tune from ken.Thanks for sharing man!

[@nickolascain2994]

@@user-io4sr7vg1v worked great. Ended up going with bimmerlofe coils as well. Had a custom tune done by Trebila running full e85 and meth.

[@brianl5607]

Informative and clear. Thank you

[@CRodx]

I just put Eldor coils in my F30 328i with 75k and what a difference. The engine is noticeably quieter and idles very smooth now. Thank you for your hard work on your videos and Congrats on the new M340i.

[@s9811929]

Hi Chris, which Eldor coils did you purchase? I have the same car as yours, just wanna make sure i'm buying the right coils.

[@justinrobert6573]

Another great video. Thank you!

[@robertpurvis6106]

I noticed you upgraded your turbos. Any recommendations on a brand/size for a 135i single turbo? Nothing extreme just a slight bump up from stock turbo. I imagine making it fit in the small area can be a challenge.

[@alexnaoumov]

My car had a recall where they replaced the bosch ones with the delphi ones for free. I’m from Europe and I have an 118i with the N43 engine. Very nice video, thanks :)

[@danieltoth3152]

hi when was this called back? Because I also have an N43 engine in the car.

[@Cryformeshaftlicker]

I’ve got duracraps no problems yet but once I upgrade turbos I’ll be going with eldor

[@scotth7686]

Great video. I think I found the answer to my question about whether the same coil can be used in many different motors. It sounds like those same Eldor coils used in 2015+ models and your E9x 335 will work perfectly fine in a S85 motor, correct? Edit: After more research I’m more confused. I thought these BMW coils had internal igniters because I thought all coils with 3 terminals had internal igniters. Now I’m reading that these coils you’re talking about don’t have internal igniters.

[@glock23fan50]

You sure know alot about these bmw solutions.Tks question does a 08 335i with N54 engine have a Disa valve? Possible bad idle, sputters until throttled up. Cant find it.

[@jjung2005]

Bought Eldor!! Thank you!!!

[@loekfelten548]

Got my coils from ECS tuning for My N46 engine. They have the N54 specs. Fitment is fine and so far they feel very good.

[@youbarajsharma7603]

Hi Loek, I also have a N46. BOSCH bit failed twice in last 10K kilometers, I was planning to change to Delphi/Eldor was not sure if it fits, as none of the seller lists N46 as a compatible engine (amazon/ebay). Which one did you replace with?

[@loekfelten548]

Youbaraj Sharma, hi, I ordered mine from ECS in the USA. Straight fit on my N46B20 and performing well. For N54 motor to be exact.

[@mty3606]

Was going to get the Delphi coils for my n52 but apparently not all of them fit correctly on the n52 due to fitmit issues with the clip. Getting a set of Bosh's for a perfect fit and the originals lasted 100k so they can't be too bad,.

[@PartiBuoy]

Most of my mistakes were not torquing plugs. had some coils back themselves out. So I torqued them and have stuck to delphi only and stock plugs even going even colder next

[@chesteryao]

I just got the Delphi coils from fcpeuro. I should had just got Eldor coils. I guess previous owner put in some duralast coils on my n54. It ran fine for a year 4k miles later and started misfiring. Fbo jb4 mhd bef

[@phenyothabe913]

When my OEM Delphi's went at 60k miles had them replaced with Bosch aftermarket coil packs they didn't last more than 2k Miles had to go back to OEM stuff...F20 118i

[@oscarvelasco1255]

So I got a mhd stage 2 plus on my n55 135i so did you recommend too get the Eldor coil packs ???

[@zmanphx]

My 07 335i with over 100k miles still on OEM coils. Only misfire was with worn plugs. I am running AP stage one tune 14psi . Boost pressure requires more energy from the coil. I guess the only way to test these coils is with high boost applications. Will Elder fit the N54 if my OEM start failing?

[@thatflywelshguy9662]

do you have to tune for these? I did plugs on my n63 and had 7 bosch and 1 delphi. Was looking to swap them all out as its getting to 90K

[@toto14101]

The eldors of this links will function on my 2011 n55?? Becouse Ebay advice that they would not work :/

[@JorgeChavez-eg1lc]

My friend. I have a 2009 BMW 128i with N51 engine 3.0 i change new coils the past winter and new spark plugs and new fuel injectors. was driving nice. just for a cople months. And now i have problems with coil number 1 and number 5. Do you thing this Eldor 12138657273 fits the N51 or its just for the N54 engine.?

[@chaznymale1]

hi great video i just subscribed...i have a stock 335i convertable 2008 i have code p0303 and p0304 misfire i changed all spark plugs to stock bosch sparkplug cylinder 2 and 3 had some all on the plugs i have a question can i just change the 2 stock bosch coils that ar misfiring or should i just change the 2 with the eldore plugs they are only 6 bucks more but i dont want to change all 6 just the 2 can i do that? or just stay with the stock bosch coils...my car is all stock i dont want to upgrade...thanks

[@lavon_don9337]

Im looking to replace my coils and plugs for my 2014 F15, did you install the ELDOR ignition coils in the F15? what plugs are you running also?

[@Wergrun]

Ordered me some of them neat looking Dinan coils in red, not 3 coils in my car are the same brand currently, should’ve done this when i first got my car. Got two cylinders per brand lol

[@JerainJezza]

After putting in some E85 in my N20 engine, the engine developed a rough startup and humming noise. When checking my coils I find out they are the Delphi ones and they are very loose in there! Like even when pushing in and the connector clip close a can relatively easy pull them out? Could this be a problem or is this normal with the Delphi coils? Thanks

[@Mr_BUSINESS_24_7]

So what am I supposed to install in an early (upto 4/06 production) N52 that has the key off to the side ?

[@machtschnell7452]

Eldor it is, then Well presented.

[@alexgunner1882]

Eldor also makes audi's high performance ones

[@sammyjames1929]

Been running eldor coils for 6 months now in my 08 n54 zero issuses. I bought through fcpeuro so warranty for life

[@jameslandry2959]

Great info, change my mind after video

[@papi7rx7]

Would the Eldor ignition coils be a good upgrade for a 2010 BMW 328i Xdrive sedan non-turbo? Currently running delphis. Thanks

[@Bensuken]

What would be the best coil pack for my 2004 bmw x3? It has 104k miles

[@bernardtinashe]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@jayrocksfire]

Hey man wondering what you think about the bavauto high performance coils?

[@rightcoastimports]

not sure if this has been answered but I have an early 2006 model E91 with the connector tab on the left, not the center. does eldor make coils for the older style connector as well? or do you have a recommendation? id rather not change the connectors or the harness if possible.

[@TelstarTAK]

I have a 2008 E90 N43 318i 2.0 litre, approaching 125,000 miles. Have just installed NGK plugs, replacing Bosch. The existing original coils are also Bosch. In the UK, recommendation for coils seems to be Delphi, but would Eldor coils be better? Many thanks.

[@s9811929]

Hi, could your Eldor coil fit into N20 engines? Searching on ebay and most of them list Eldor with Deplhi Coils for F30 n20 engines.

[@angrysal2355]

what gap are you running after putting in the new coils?? looking to get b58 coils(n55 fbo and pure stage 1)

[@pavelhorak1888]

Hello, today I checked these my ignition coils and secondary resistace They has about 15-17 MEGA Ohms, 1 of them have 14,5M Ohm. I have problem with bad idling, spark plugs are black and dropping down the RPMs when engine decelerating (injectors, throttle body, hpfp. lpfp, pcv, plugs okay). According the Bimmerprofs blog this method for a testing secondary wiring is not good, but I am not sure about your Delphi's 100kOhm and mine Delphi's 15Mega Ohms. Are you sure, about good working coil? Can I buy a Eldor for my engine N43 105kw and they will works safety?

[@Vite_F82]

just bought a set with your link! I honestly don't know why I am still running OEM bosch. Also if you guys are in Canada this was the cheapest option!

[@JoseDeLeon1110]

I'm gonna ask because I want to be sure, these would work with a 2006 530xi?

[@unlimitedoutdoors3307]

I’m curious of which spark plugs you’ve chosen to run?

[@JrIza_914]

Do you have or are you getting headers and/or performance exhaust?

[@walkereurosport944]

Very informative 😌👌

[@mathewmouw5345]

Is there an eldor coil option part number for 2013 f25 x3 n55?

[@atomicdetailsoc]

i have an 07 525i so i probably have a bosch ? im at 117k miles but i have no idea if they changed the coils. wondering if u should upgrade to the 3rd or 4th ones in your videos i just swapped the gasket on the valve cover tho it was starting to smell bad in the cabin

[@m.lymann2185]

Are the Eldors an overkill on a E60 engine(2006 3.0L 530i Inline 6)? I am concern about fitment. My 530i was manufactured in 5/2005. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[@JR-si6ef]

I used eldors on my single turbo .. e40 mix with a conservative tune pushing 540 .. no misfires at all

[@BimmerM5e39]

What gap, which plugs?

[@karstenk9467]

Would my 05 e46 be alright with the Delphi or the Eldor coils or should I stick to the Bosch coils

[@SVarBG]

Hi, i have 4 old style bosch coils (1220703201). Primary resistance is OK, but the secondary on 1 of my coil is 500000 ohm and the others are beyond the limit of my multimeter(2000k). Is this OK? My engine start hard with high octane fuel.

[@greeked]

what grease did you use on the coil packs sorry i didnt catch the name you said

[@GregPentecost]

Can any of these coils be used in pretty much any BMW from 2003-on? Can I use the Eldor coils on my 2011 328i AND my 2011 535i? Would it be the same part number? Thank you for your help!

[@cportugal25]

Hello, I have a 2010 BMW X5 and although I don't race, I like the power and smoothness. What brand would you recommend?

[@General1Cal]

Thank you for the info I have 2003 x5 ill try then. I'll see if I can send a vid also.

[@kenyattamallory8236]

Hey! Did the coils work out for you? I have a 2006 X3 and haven't made the purchase yet because eBay told me it doesn't fit my vehicle.

[@tomasprieto9746]

Excellent video

[@sparkey196]

I bought the NGK U5039 48147 ones as they were a bit cheaper. Weighed in at 220g. The outer silicone sheath and top plastic cap is identical to the Bosch but the whole thing is 10g lighter. Made in China - was hoping for Japan.

[@keanusalimi1750]

I'm about to drop the ball on a set of 6 coils - 2009 n52 128i, should i go for delphi's or Eldors?

[@sirius6beta]

May i ask - does the Eldor coil fit into a BMW X5 e53 4.8iS? The OEM list denied it but that doesn't actually mean anything out of my experiance.

[@HuaweipHuaweip-oh7tu]

I want to ask I have n54 335i. I have ngk gaped plugs with delphi coils.I pulled them out and cylinder 5 and 6 the rubber of the was expandet and soft and it couldn't go back it was too soft to pop just bouncing. I don't know the reason. They're a few months old. I lef the coils for a few days and the seems much harder and it got it's shape back to normal. And when I pulled out the coils the car was not driven for 1 week. I do not know the reason why the coils where in this condition when I pulled them out. Help please!

[@bpet2237]

Are you sure this fits N55? I followed your link and entered my 2017 M2 N55 and it said it does not fit.

[@Serenity5812]

I have eldor coils but I was wondering my if you can mix the brands ?

[@paulhernandez5529]

Would these eldor fit 2014 335i xdrive? I clicked on the link for them and ebay is telling me it doesn't fit?

[@Trump-The-GREATEST]

Whished FCPeuro carried these cause they would be great with Lifetime warranty. The OE Bosh & Delphi are a hit or miss as many are getting defected ones and seems QC is messing up!

[@seanc5827]

Very good video, thank you!!

[@cmcevill]

thankyou bought the coils using your link

[@aslandogar7779]

car running OK?

[@cmcevill]

@@aslandogar7779 yes, but I had found out that I needed to replace the mosfets on my msd80. This was the same code that I was getting prior to replacing the mosfets and the coils. I found a V..DYI video on that 30BA code and did the soldering my self. for $50 for all parts I saved myself $1300 to replace the DME. The car has been runny really strong for about 2 weeks now.

[@Linoge279]

I use NGK coil, no issue so far.

[@iannicholson9705]

So for the N20 with 60,000 miles I ordererd Bosch coils before I saw this video Are the Bosch coils ok For a daily NON performance type owner driver ?

[@michaelpast19]

Can you tell me if I should get the delphi or Bosch for 2007 bmw 328i e90 ?

[@YZFMANIAC08]

I got the Bosch coils for my 2009 e87. These coils seem to fail within 15.000 to 30.000 km’s 🥴

[@Darkrosejvo392]

I’m a tuned 650i with 650 horses and I’m misfiring so I put all ngk spark plugs and car quest coils and my car still misfires and it says injection off is it because the coils aren’t good to handle that power ?

[@sipmeister3611]

Was curious I have to replace a single Bosch coil but Amazon claims that their is different sizes how would I know what size to get.

[@juancarlosathome101]

YOU... ARE... AMAZING!!!! First of all, I'm TOTALLY nerding out on this!!! I am such a stickler when it comes to attempting to get the best of the best for my car--I'm looking to do a full maintenance overhaul on it before dyno-tuned by Jordan @ RK... I'm almost at 60k miles (2011 E92 335i M-Sport-N55) and coils are one of the things that I wanted to replace. Now I know which ones I'm getting!! A humble request: PLEEEEEEEEASE do a comparable injector video for us N55 folks!!! My target is a reliable 500whp tune from RK with a Pur Stage 2 turbo upgrade (all other relevant peripherals have been upgraded as well, except for my stock clutch--manual transmission--and I don't want to do that until I have to because $$$$$$$). I want to get the best possible injector for the car to enhance performance and reliability as much as I can. Thank you for what you do man--DO NOT STOP!!! Your vids and the depth of detail you cover are an absolute gold mine for anyone who is serious about taking care of their Bimmer. You are the MAN!!!

[@VehicularDIY]

Thanks for the kind words! Maybe I should build the X5 lol.

[@nickolascain2994]

I think that would help ya with even more content down the road. I don't believe there is any way around the bench flashing the N55 ECU first to unlock it ? I have not looked into it much as i dont have a N55 haha. Dont see many get in depth with bmw repairs like you. So I think it would work well!

[@vintagetrk]

So if the Eldor coils work good in a tuned N54 they should work Great in my 2010 BMW Z4 35i Twin turbo N54 right?

[@eddquake1830]

hey just wondering will the eldors fit a 2008 128i

[@andreyzozulya1181]

Which recommends for Bmw E 87 N45B16A ignition coil?Bosch or Ngk or something another?

[@kNiFeNuTt]

Love your videos! What spark plugs are you using?

[@VehicularDIY]

Thanks! I'm running NGK plugs that are two steps colder than stock.

[@jamiestanley8774]

Hi e60 525i n52b25 0/8 . Check light ,obd2, missfire cyln #6. Bosch ign coils. Swapd #6 for #2 . No diff . Swapd same ngk plugs , no diff obd still #6 missfire.nxt move! #6 injector ,check and clean . Any thorts on next move .?

[@williamsanderson9751]

Would you suggest the Eldor coils for my 2010 X3 will it fit rite is also my question needing to put plugs and coils on in the next day or two any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks for your video keep them coming !!

[@VehicularDIY]

Yeah that would be fine in my opinion. Thanks for watching!

[@RidwanMaassarani]

Can the eldor work on a 2006 330i ? Production date: 09/15/2005...

[@andynba1221]

Intermotor, try that one manufacturer by SMP they do BMW and almost all cars around ! Nice video !

[@kylerumsey8942]

Please tell me more about the intermotor coils. These are local to me. Are they any good?

[@lucyferr5571]

Would this be a better option for a stock M2 or Delphi would be fine?

[@Kipitrl]

Have delphi fbo 23 psi meth custom tune e85 no missfires at all.. had a ton with the Bosch.. Going with precision rw when my new turbos arrive :)

[@BimmerM5e39]

How are the Delphi's holding up? I've been using eldors for about a year under 5k on them and with ngk 95770 at .020 from .022 but getting misfire's fbo e50 custom tuned. Im just under the impression that these pencil style coils don't last more than 8 months of abuse and are a headache waste of money.

[@Kipitrl]

@@BimmerM5e39 havent had a misfire issue since I installed the delphi its been pretty nice. I am using the NGK Laser Iridium replacement plugs that are two steps colder than stock N54 plugs also set the gap to 0.020" Just finished installing upgraded turbos and helix will see how they like the extra whp.

[@Oghy931]

what do u think about delphi 10210-12b1 for 400hp?

[@thebrownboy217]

i wanna upgrade to the the delphi coils for my M54 E46 would it be compatible???