INSTA or INPA - Identify ignition coil failure and reset

[BMW_User]

Hi all,

I've just set up INSTA and INPA and I'm hoping to find more information on how to use the this software.

I would like to find a quick way to identify which ignition coil has failed and is causing a misfire, so that I can replace the correct ignition coil and reset the error.
This problem has happened a number of times in the past and I would like to be able to fix it by myself if I am away from home.

If any of you can share details on how to proceed with the diagnosis and fix, it'll be great, also because part of the menus in my INPA are in German...

Thanks.

 

[Smartbear]

Hi, you could always buy a new coil - move it along one cylinder at a time until the miss fire disappears. Job done
Rob

 

[BMW_User]

Ahah, yes I guess I could do that.
Last time I tried, it wasn't that easy to access and remove all the coils because of the location and because they are rather hard to pull.
The other thing I'm worried about is that it'll require a reset of internal errors once I've replaced it.
A thorough check through INPA would probably be preferred!

 

[colb]

Using INPA read the cars errors in the Engine Module, that should come back with which cylinder is misfiring, replace the one it shows, clear the code and take the car out for a drive, code read it after and see if it shows any misfire codes, if you replaced the right one you won't have any new codes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwHODtipIsg

 

[GuidoK]

I assume you got a check engine light? That is triggered by the corresponding P code.
Any codereader can read that code, even a £10 bluetooth obd dongle and a free version of torque. (I always have such a dongle in my car, as I also always have my phone, so most/all engine related failures are at least covered)
(so the cost of this is about £10 delivered)

The P code says which #cylinder has the misfire detected.
You'll probably have a P0305 or P0306 (misfire in cylinder 5 or 6), as ignition coils usually start to fail first in the back cylinders.
These run hottest so the laquer insulation on the wires in the coil start to degrade quickest there.

 

[BMW_User]

Thanks both, very interesting what you say, Guido, about the way coils fail.
Let me clarify that at the moment, the engine is running fine, but it has happened in the past and I want to find a way to quickly identify the cylinder and replace the coil if I am travelling.
I have a USB cable and I was going to also buy a bluetooth reader, althout I remember reading somewhere that for E85 many things could not be done.

Do you have a specific tested brand you could advise?
Can you confirm that just resetting the errors after replacing the coil will suffice?

Thanks.

 

[colb]

If you want a portable code reader then as GuidoK suggests a cheap option would be something like an ELM327 Interface available on ebay either wifi or Bluetooth capable, they do both systems can be used with an OBD2 App loaded on your phone. An App such as Torque will allow diagnostics, code clearing and viewing of live data. That sort of set up is the cheap way, if you want something more sophisticated then consider a Creator 310+ scanner, that will read all modules on your car and clear codes as well as view live data, cost circa £50 on ebay or Amazon. I have INPA and BMW Scanner 1.4 on a Laptop, Torque on my phone and a Creator 310+. First one I use is the Creator 310+ as its less bother using it than breaking out the laptop and just as capable and far easier to use.
If you replace a duff coil just clear the code that led you to it and that will suffice, if one has failed others will no doubt follow the scanner will pinpoint which one is the duff one.

 

[GuidoK]

Do you have a specific tested brand you could advise?

No,

But I have someting like this
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000821598112.html
3 quid delivered. (maybe there's some extra VAT now, don't know, I'm not UK based)
Like colb says, a cheapo elm327 compatible bluetooth obd2 dongle.
I have a few, in different iterations as I've been using them for a very long time (at least 14 years or so). Sometimes I loose one.
But I got them always working, obviously with different programs on different platforms over such a long timespan :wink:
For some time now (last 8 years or so...) I think torque (android) is the best app for this.

Can you confirm that just resetting the errors after replacing the coil will suffice?

If that's your only problem yes.

But readers like these only do P codes, so engine and emission related codes.
You can't do enhanced obd2, so no reading of fault codes in your windows, parking sensors and such.
No programming either. But what do you expect for £3 :lol:

 

[BMW_User]

I had initially found an ELM327 but never bought it as I've read many are fake and can damage the ECU.
On the other hand, many others cost £15-40, but seems to have just been rebranded, so I'm not sure where to find a good source.

 

[GuidoK]

I've never seen an ecu bricked by a fake elm327.
And there's no reason for it. The elm327 is a design, but the bus standard it connects to is open.
There are of course always users that can get anything to break, and thats where stories start. But a user should always evaluate his competence level.

That said, if you're worried about that, then certainly don't start using INPA/ISTA, because ALL the interfaces are fake, unless you're willing to spend the 40k or so on a BMW supported dealersystem.
And by just using INPA/ISTA you can do way more damage.
And there is of course also ftdi gate 1 and 2. If you don't know what that is, google it.
Lets say there has never been an elm327 gate :wink:
The fact that the elm327 doesn't write, it would mean that bricking an ecu would be a result of maybe shorting out the 12V to a data bus. That would take place on the pcb of the dongle itself, thus a result of the donglemanufacturer, not the elm327 manufacturer.

 

[BMW_User]

You're simplifying and generalizing way too much.
If you wire an ELM327 device wrongly and the circuit is crap, you can literally damage your ECU. It's electronics.
I'm looking to find a good source to avoid such problems, I'm not talking about software or knowledge.

The thing I'm pretty certain about though is that there are very view EML327 producers and a lot of vendors who put their brand on it overpricing it.

 

[GuidoK]

If you wire an ELM327 device wrongly the circuit is crap, you can literally damage your ECU. It's electronics.

Wiring the device wrongly can happen with any manufacturer, it's not the elm327 chip.
ELM is not an interface dongle manufacturer, it's just the chip, and wether it's fake or not has nothing to do with the dongle it sits in.
A codereader with a fake elm327 is just as safe as a codereader with a geniune elm327
It's a bit strange that a person that has never held or used an interface and is a complete novice accuses a long long time user of elm327 interfaces and a whole bunch of other obd2 multiplexers to generalize and simplify stuff.
I'm pretty sure you can't teach me anyting on this subject...

You're willing to use a fake inpa/ista KKL cable but not a fake elm327?
What's that about?!?

 

[BMW_User]

Considering your boasting about what you supposedly know, you're becoming very touchy even tough you didn't explain anything apart from giving opinions. I suggest you become more humble.

I said that I don't program cars, not that I don't know anything.
The chip is one thing, the cabling and the whole circuit is another thing.
You're simplifying and denying that some people had problems, taking for granted that they are unable to distinguish when something damages their car without doing anything, which obviously cannot be true.
Don't make the mistake that because you can program a car you know it all. There are things which are "slightly" more complex in life..
Take care.

 

[GuidoK]

So why are you not worried to use a fake inpa interface but are to use a fake elm327 interface?
That's some selective scaremongering....

even tough you didn't explain anything apart from giving opinions...
...
Take care.

So you haven't read my posts....
You also take care with your novice questions, I see you've got all the answers covered.
Good luck from someone who was modifying early KKL interfaces to work with INPA back in the day they even weren't available commercially....

 

[BMW_User]

I'm not worried about INPA interface because I knew the source I got it from.
I might have novice questions, but you make novice comments.
Try and learn how to have a "conversation" with people, not giving a lecture on how to use a piece of hardware 20 years old saying nothing.
I didn't force you to respond to my enquiry.

 

[GuidoK]

you're unnecessarily scaremongering, even without the faintest real experience and don't even realise that.
I don't think that gives the right signal.

Apparently the "I have read" is for you what sets the bar.

I didn't force you to respond to my enquiry.

And I didn't force you to read my response. What's your point?

Good luck with your learning process in the novice journey in obd2 analytics, and good luck with your german menu's in INPA.
Learning a new language is a virtue, and once you learn german, a whole new world can open up to you (the german Z scene is very large)

 

[BMW_User]

The level of stupidity of your answer says it all.
Go back to your box, mom doesn't know you're out.

 

[GuidoK]

Leave it to a noob to revert to pointless insults instead of staying on topic....
so childish.... :roll: