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[DaveyDavey]

Afternoon all.

Following on from my enquiries last week about my misfiring Astra, I dropped it off at the VX dealership this morning having asked them to investigate the problem.

I've just had a call to inform me that it is a problem with the spark plugs and coil pack which need replacing. Apparently they will also have to update the ECU as well. Total cost including labour of £270.

My question is this: Do they really need to update the ecu if they are swapping one coil pack for another?

Any answers in the next half hour would be greatly appreciated as I will be leaving then to head over to the garage for a long chat. TIA  

[Jimbob]

Bet you could do it yourself under £100!

ECU may be possible to apply an update, they do come out, but not neccessary!

[TheBoy]

Don't know the engine well enough to comment, other than they say it needs DIS, plugs, and ECU update? Pissing in the wind methinks.

[DaveyDavey]

I have my doubts about the truthfullness of the garage anyway, considering I put brand new sparkplugs in at the weekend.

My thinking is that replacing the coil pack is simply swapping one part for an identical one. They will both operate in the same way and should therefore (in my mind) not require any ecu updates. To me it's like suggesting you need to update the ECU after changing the battery!!

[Jimbob]

I have my doubts about the truthfullness of the garage anyway, considering I put brand new sparkplugs in at the weekend.

My thinking is that replacing the coil pack is simply swapping one part for an identical one. They will both operate in the same way and should therefore (in my mind) not require any ecu updates. To me it's like suggesting you need to update the ECU after changing the battery!!

If youve done spark plugs you already know how easy it is to swap the coil pack!

[Marks DTM Calib]

Moving to general chat as not Omega specific.

Two questions

1) What engine and model year.

2) Can you do basic work?

To answer some of your questions, no, it wont need the software updating.

its also worth noting that the coil pack swap takes about 15 minutes tops to change and is very easy to do......and I bought a brand new Delphi part (original manufacturer) for a 1.6 16V Astra only last week for a shade over 60 quid

[DaveyDavey]

Exactly, I am quite confident I can stick a new coil pack on there. Seeing as how I took the old one off, changed the plugs and refitted it.

The thing which puzzles me most is the suggestion that the ECU needs updating.

[Kevin Wood]

Only thing in my mind is that maybe there's an ECU firmware problem which has caused coil pack failures and there's an advisory to update it when changing coil pack. Either way I'm sure there are cheaper ways than main dealer.  

Kevin

[Marks DTM Calib]

Exactly, I am quite confident I can stick a new coil pack on there. Seeing as how I took the old one off, changed the plugs and refitted it.

The thing which puzzles me most is the suggestion that the ECU needs updating.

Like I said, what year and what engine.

The dealer need to be careful here as if they state that the upgrade is essential (which it wont be) then why is it charged for and no recall has been sent as clearly it would have been a fundamental design fault.

I haev played with a few Astras and yes, there are a few software updates but, I am yet to find anything really significant and most relate to improvements in cruise control operation!

[DaveyDavey]

It's a 1.6 16v Astra on a V plate (2000 model)

[Andyb]

hi i have a 2ltr vectra and its 10 yrs old now
the dis pack went approx 2 years ago now all i did was replace the pack with a pattern part from the local motor factors
no ecu update needed  come to think of it the car has never been updated since it was new

[Marks DTM Calib]

Which should be the Z16XE engine (Non twinport).

Coil pack details are:

19005212 - £126+Vat retail, £102.14+Vat trade club.

Available here:


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200212721582&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=010

And that IS a genuine part as I ordered one last week!

[DaveyDavey]

Thank you very much gents, you are now all on my "I owe you a beer" list.

MarksDTM - you can have an extra one for that link  

I'm off to make the service manager feel very uncomfortable now  

[DaveyDavey]

PS: I rang another Vx dealer in Bristol and asked them what is involved in changing the coil pack.

Funnily enough they didn't mention anything about it requiring an ECU update. Just said that they take the old one off and put a new one on.

I've not played the belligerent angry consumer for a while now, looking forward to this