Any experiences with aftermarket coil boots?

[troymcclure]

Getting ready to do 100k maintenance on the cars. Seems like doing coil boots would be a good idea along with the spark plugs since the next time I will be in there is in another 100k miles and I don’t want to deal with rubber degradation. However, I haven’t seen OE boots available through Honda or Nissan.

Interestingly from pictures, it looks like one manufacturer, PJC makes the boots for every aftermarket option from NGK to Denso to Carquest to TRQ. Anyone have any bad experiences with these?

 

[SC Maintenance]

I used NGK boots on my OEM hitachi coils for my Nissans. Got them from rock auto.

 

[Hall]

Neither coils or coil boots are maintenance items with any, regular automaker. Coincidence that Honda or Nissan doesn't sell 'em ?

 

[Leo99]

I'm unfamiliar with this. Do you mean change the boot but keep the old coil? I always assumed they were one piece. I had a coil go bad on my old RAV4 at about 300k miles but the rubber boot part that went down the tube to the spark plug didn't show any degradation.

 

[meep]

I bought NGK boots on RA for my f150 and they did not fit. Ford changed the design at some point. It later started misfiring, even though the coils were new. I read that the boots do develop pinholes that allows arcing. The boot in the f150 is 6” long and has a flexible conductor all the way down it. If it’s like these, I’d replace. I’ve never replaced the little 2” boots usually found.

 

[Escape08]

Aside from NGK, Denso is a good brand too. Both makes OEM parts not to Japanese vehicles but to other vehicles around the globe as well

 

[Falcon_LS]

NGK or Denso are both good choices. I've also had good luck with Standard branded boots.

 

[Kira]

For all you guys who've refreshed boots:
What would you call a reasonable lifespan?

Also, not every coil design has a separate boot.

 

[SC Maintenance]

For all you guys who've refreshed boots:
What would you call a reasonable lifespan?

Also, not every coil design has a separate boot.

I had a latent misfire on my Xterra nearing 400K after a plug change. Not enough to have a misfire or even pending misfire, but I could feel it and found it on torquepro. I found that coil and another one i checked had cracked boots - again this is 15+ years, 400K miles.

Hindsight I would just replace the whole coil. I would not replace just the boot. however the NGK boots did fit the Hitachi coils perfectly?

I would not replace the boot pre-emptively.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I get those Iridiums out by no more than 120K, and change the entire coil pack at the same time with an OEM one in my Toyota's and Honda. Peace of mind IMO. Those coils get hot under the beauty cover, and I just don't trust them. Thankfully, their all 4 bangers, so it doesn't hurt the wallet too bad.

 

[The Critic]

I installed a $10 set of Standard Motor Parts (SMP) coil boots into an Eclipse last week. The old ones had been marinating in oil for the last decade or so.

The SMP's have lasted 300 miles so far, that's all I can tell you...

 

[Arc]

When you swap them out throw any good ones up on the shelf in case of a future failure. Black tape and or gasket goop doesn't make for a very long lasting repair on a cracked plug boot.

 

[troymcclure]

I may or may not replace them if the factory ones look fantastic. But both my cars require tons of disassembly to access the plugs so I want something on hand in case I get in there and they are disintegrated. I think 14 years is a lot to ask of rubber on an engine and it will be another 14 before I get in there again.

 

[troymcclure]

Following up on this. At 15 years and 100k, the original Hitachi boots were perfectly soft and pliable. The Denso boots I bought to keep on hand were identically molded and seemed really well made. Even came with new spring, resistors and a pack of dielectric grease. They were stamped with the PJC logo, a company I don’t have any experience with, but if Denso and NGK trust them to rebrand them, I suppose they must be decent. I did go ahead and replace the originals because the outsides were smeared in some kind of hardened compound, either from the factory or from a warranty job early on. They fit perfectly and sealed well at the coil, plug and valve cover. Keeping the originals on hand for backup.

 

[D60]

I just put SMP on a 3.5 Explorer. I generally figure fresh rubber is better than old, provided it's a fairly reputable manufacturer

 

[Leo99]

When you swap them out throw any good ones up on the shelf in case of a future failure. Black tape and or gasket goop doesn't make for a very long lasting repair on a cracked plug boot.

Or throw them in the trunk with a tool to replace one should it go bad.