CEL P0351 Ignition Coil "A" Primary Control Circuit/Open

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Gords_zenith

I'm open to suggestions.........

Just replace the packs and enjoy many miles of trouble free motoring before they fail again, time will tell if the updated parts are better.

I feel like they degrade over time and maybe only certain positions bring out the failure, but I'm an outlier with #1 and #2 failing on mine.

[JoeC]

my 2014 BRZ threw a P0351 code over the weekend. 22k miles. I took it into the dealer and mentioned the well-known chirping fuel pump just because it was sitting there beeping like normal when I pulled in and I figured I'd see if they would replace it if there was an updated part available. Well I got a call from the service manager who said they are gonna replace the fuel pump and everything should be good to go. I'm like, "ok cool. so what about the P0351?" and he tells me they think the fuel pump is starving the motor for fuel and the fuel pump should take care of everything. I'm just thinking oh, ok. good luck. They gave me a new loaner car so I don't really care if it takes a couple more days for them to decide they're gonna replace the ignition coil.

[Ragin Gti]

So they didn't read the part of the fuel pump TSB that says the noise is "non-detrimental"... They also didn't read the TSB for P0351...😔


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[JoeC]

Originally Posted by Ragin Gti

So they didn't read the part of the fuel pump TSB that says the noise is "non-detrimental"... They also didn't read the TSB for P0351...😔


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I guess. I have no idea what TSBs exist or what they say. I just hear a lot of people here say the chirping is a non-issue. And I hear a lot of people say that an ignition coil needs to be replaced with the p0351 code.

I wouldn't say I trust my dealership with the BRZ because I think they have very little experience with that platform... but I do like them, haha. They've always been good to me.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by JoeC

I guess. I have no idea what TSBs exist or what they say. I just hear a lot of people here say the chirping is a non-issue. And I hear a lot of people say that an ignition coil needs to be replaced with the p0351 code.

I wouldn't say I trust my dealership with the BRZ because I think they have very little experience with that platform... but I do like them, haha. They've always been good to me.

To clarify, I trust that my dealership will do the right thing. I just don't think they are experts on the platform.

[JoeC]

so, the dealership called last night and said they had to order a new pump and "were shipping it overnight from Japan" but because of the Hurricane Irma, it'll be delayed a day.

I actually laughed out loud and I'm not totally sure they're not trolling me... That's just so Fast & Furious it hurts. But it does give me the impression there is a very new pump that no one has in stock so hopefully it'll actually fix the chirping.

[sickmint79]

how to fix p0351 for brz/frs/86

[Bonburner]

I wonder if you can increase air cooling to the area near the coils/header to reduce the heat .. maybe borrow some air from some aftermarket brake coolers and split some of the air into the engine bay
Or modify the underbody panel to suck air out from slightly behind and under the headers.

I honestly would experiment this if it wasn't a DD, had the time, the money, and the skills to do it

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Bonburner

I wonder if you can increase air cooling to the area near the coils/header to reduce the heat .. maybe borrow some air from some aftermarket brake coolers and split some of the air into the engine bay
Or modify the underbody panel to suck air out from slightly behind and under the headers.

I honestly would experiment this if it wasn't a DD, had the time, the money, and the skills to do it

It seems like people are having this issue less and less (or they're not bothering to post yet again), I'm banking on the new parts being the proper fix and not having to do any shadetree mechanic backyard science projects to get the coilpacks to survive a reasonable timeframe.

If it's like a 60k replacement interval, once every 4-5 years, I could live with that, it's when you're adding ~$100 of 'maintenance' to every handful of track days you attend that this becomes a real problem to me.

[JoeC]

So I finally got the car back last night. The dealer replaced the high pressure fuel pump to remedy the the P0351 code. The code has not come back on and the new pump is very quiet. The tech indicated on the paper work that the coil pack connector may have been loosely connected. He re-seated it.

the service manager was telling me that the new fuel pump delivers more fuel especially at the top of the revs and that's why it resolved the P0351 code. when the car gets starved for fuel the ignition coil detects a mis-fire and throws the code. perhaps not co-incidentally, before I took it to the dealership the car would periodically clear the code on its own and then come back on when I'd take it up to redline. Their diagnosis seems logical.

interestingly the car feels like it's running better than ever. could be totally placebo or just the fact that I've been driving their loaner impreza for the last week... who knows.

so far, quiet fuel pump and no P0351 code... I'm happy.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Bonburner

I wonder if you can increase air cooling to the area near the coils/header to reduce the heat .. maybe borrow some air from some aftermarket brake coolers and split some of the air into the engine bay
Or modify the underbody panel to suck air out from slightly behind and under the headers.

I honestly would experiment this if it wasn't a DD, had the time, the money, and the skills to do it

I tried adding more air, it did nothing, same life duration out of the coilpack.

Originally Posted by strat61caster

It seems like people are having this issue less and less (or they're not bothering to post yet again), I'm banking on the new parts being the proper fix and not having to do any shadetree mechanic backyard science projects to get the coilpacks to survive a reasonable timeframe.

If it's like a 60k replacement interval, once every 4-5 years, I could live with that, it's when you're adding ~$100 of 'maintenance' to every handful of track days you attend that this becomes a real problem to me.

New parts are still the same, every coil pack I've put in last around the same (3-4 track days).

Originally Posted by JoeC

the service manager was telling me that the new fuel pump delivers more fuel especially at the top of the revs and that's why it resolved the P0351 code. when the car gets starved for fuel the ignition coil detects a mis-fire and throws the code. perhaps not co-incidentally, before I took it to the dealership the car would periodically clear the code on its own and then come back on when I'd take it up to redline. Their diagnosis seems logical.

This is very interesting, as I've had two track days where I've gone in with a coilpack that had already shown the code (so not in good shape). Since the time attack champ is over, and its only lapping, I havent run the car so close to dry on gas. The code hasnt shown which is very weird. Then again, its getting cold here and its roughly 10-20F lower than it was last time the code showed up.

Its probable a combination of things. I have just assumed that I will burn thru a couple of coilpacks a year. Cheap maintenance if that is the only thing the car requires.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

This is very interesting, as I've had two track days where I've gone in with a coilpack that had already shown the code (so not in good shape). Since the time attack champ is over, and its only lapping, I havent run the car so close to dry on gas. The code hasnt shown which is very weird. Then again, its getting cold here and its roughly 10-20F lower than it was last time the code showed up.

Its probable a combination of things. I have just assumed that I will burn thru a couple of coilpacks a year. Cheap maintenance if that is the only thing the car requires.

I don't know if what the dealer is telling me is true or if maybe my engine code was indicative of a different problem from what many others here have experienced. Were talking about fairly anecdotal information.

I've done 5 track weekends this year (10 days, so 40~ sessions). I've never seen the code on the track and then suddenly last week it appeared while driving back from Costco.

But either way, it seems to be resolved after installing a new (updated?) high-pressure fuel pump...

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

New parts are still the same, every coil pack I've put in last around the same (3-4 track days).

Do you have the P/N on hand?

There's at least 3 options for the '13 and I believe the '15+ changed plug connectors so these won't be relevant if you have a later model, but those also have at least two options with one being newer than the other.
Subaru P/N
22433AA650
22433AA651
22433AA652 <- Bought a pair of these a few weeks ago

Toyota P/N
SU003-00417
SU003-04670
SU003-04713

Originally Posted by JoeC

But either way, it seems to be resolved after installing a new (updated?) high-pressure fuel pump...

If they didn't replace the coil it will come back if you put it under the right duress. I had a code pop up on y 4th track day, went 1.5 years without seeing it until I did my 5th track day and the code returned.

It's popped up on the street for me once, after I should have known that it was still an issue.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

If they didn't replace the coil it will come back if you put it under the right duress. I had a code pop up on y 4th track day, went 1.5 years without seeing it until I did my 5th track day and the code returned.

It's popped up on the street for me once, after I should have known that it was still an issue.

As long as it's not throwing a code is there anything to be concerned about? I have years\tens of thousands of miles of extended warranty so I'm not worried about pressing the issue with the dealership. I mean, as long as the car's running great, I don't have anything to complain about anyway.