Do Granatelli Coyote Coils Make Horsepower? Ford 5.0L Ignition Coil Dyno Testing Explained

The Ford 5.0L Coyote is already one of the most capable naturally aspirated V8 engines Ford has ever produced.

Add a tune, E85, headers, nitrous, a supercharger or a turbo system and the Coyote can quickly move into horsepower levels that would have required a dedicated race engine only a few years ago.

But as horsepower and cylinder pressure increase, one part of the combination becomes increasingly important: the ignition system.

Granatelli Motor Sports developed its high-output Ford Coyote ignition coils to provide additional spark-energy capability for naturally aspirated, tuned, supercharged, turbocharged and nitrous 5.0L Coyote applications.

Can Ignition Coils Really Add Horsepower to a Coyote?

An ignition coil does not increase airflow, displacement or boost.

What a performance ignition coil can do is provide the spark plug with stronger and more consistent ignition energy, especially when cylinder pressure is high.

If the factory ignition system is already firing every cylinder perfectly, simply installing a stronger coil does not magically create a large amount of horsepower.

But when the existing ignition system becomes a limitation, improving spark energy can help the engine maintain more consistent combustion throughout the RPM range.

That is why ignition upgrades can become particularly valuable on:

• Supercharged Coyotes
• Turbocharged Coyotes
• Nitrous combinations
• High-compression engines
• E85 combinations
• High-RPM naturally aspirated engines
• High-horsepower street and race builds

Granatelli Coyote Coil Dyno Testing

Granatelli Motor Sports has tested performance ignition components on Ford engines for decades.

Granatelli's Ford ignition testing has shown that ignition improvements can produce measurable horsepower and torque gains when the factory ignition system is becoming a restriction.

Granatelli reports gains across Ford performance ignition testing of up to approximately:

These are not guaranteed horsepower increases for every Coyote engine. Actual results depend on the vehicle, existing ignition system, modifications, fuel, boost pressure, spark plugs, tune and overall engine combination.

Granatelli Coyote Dyno Sheet

The best way to evaluate an ignition upgrade is with controlled before-and-after testing.

Below is where we recommend displaying the original Granatelli Coyote dyno sheet so customers can see the actual power curves rather than relying only on advertised horsepower numbers.

What Should You Look for on a Coyote Dyno Sheet?

Peak horsepower is only part of the story.

When comparing a before-and-after ignition dyno test, look at the entire curve.

Important areas include:

• Peak rear-wheel horsepower
• Peak rear-wheel torque
• Power gained through the middle of the RPM range
• Power near redline
• Consistency between pulls
• Whether the engine was misfiring before the upgrade
• Air/fuel ratio consistency
• Whether timing or tuning was changed between runs

A legitimate back-to-back test should keep as many variables as possible the same so the ignition component is the primary change being measured.

Second Coyote Dyno Test

Multiple tests are even more valuable because no two engine combinations place exactly the same demands on the ignition system.

Why a Coyote Needs Strong Ignition Energy

The 5.0L Coyote is a high-RPM, high-efficiency engine.

Every cylinder needs a clean ignition event thousands of times per minute.

At higher RPM there is less time available for the ignition system to charge the coil and fire the spark plug.

Now add boost or nitrous and the ignition system also has to fire the plug against substantially higher cylinder pressure.

This is where additional ignition capability can become valuable.

What Is Spark Blowout on a Coyote?

Spark blowout is a term commonly used when the ignition system struggles to consistently fire the spark plug under high cylinder pressure.

The problem is most commonly associated with high-boost and high-horsepower applications.

Possible symptoms can include:

• Misfire under boost
• Breakup at high RPM
• Hesitation at wide-open throttle
• Power falling off unexpectedly
• Intermittent misfire under heavy load

These symptoms can have several causes, so fuel delivery, plugs, tuning, wiring and mechanical condition should also be checked.

Granatelli Pro Series Xtreme Coyote Coils

Granatelli's Pro Series Xtreme Coyote ignition coils are intended for serious performance applications.

Current Granatelli Coyote Pro Series Xtreme coil kits are rated at up to 65,000 volts and incorporate Granatelli's zero-ohm technology with RFI and EMI suppression.

They are designed for:

• Naturally aspirated performance builds
• High-compression Coyotes
• Nitrous combinations
• Supercharged Coyotes
• Turbocharged Coyotes
• High-horsepower street cars
• Drag racing applications

Why 65,000 Volts Matter

A coil rated for higher available voltage does not mean the spark plug consumes the full rated voltage during every combustion event.

Instead, the advantage is additional voltage capability when conditions require it.

As cylinder pressure increases, the voltage required to jump the spark plug gap can also increase.

The additional ignition capability provides more headroom when the engine is operating under heavy load, high RPM or boost.

Granatelli Coyote Coil Generations

Not every Ford 5.0L Coyote uses the same ignition coil configuration.

Granatelli offers different part numbers depending on the engine generation and vehicle year.

Application	Granatelli Part	Series
2011–2015 Ford 5.0L Coyote	28-1815SC	Pro Series Xtreme
2016–2017 Ford 5.0L Coyote	28-1816SC	Pro Series Xtreme
2018–2025 Ford 5.0L Coyote	28-1818SC	Pro Series Xtreme

Always verify the exact year, vehicle, engine and factory coil connector before ordering.

Gen 1 Coyote: 2011–2014 Mustang GT

The first-generation 5.0L Coyote transformed the Mustang GT when it arrived for the 2011 model year.

These engines remain extremely popular for:

• Naturally aspirated bolt-on builds
• E85
• Boss intake manifold combinations
• Nitrous
• Vortech and Paxton superchargers
• Whipple and other positive-displacement superchargers
• Single and twin turbo systems

Granatelli offers dedicated Coyote ignition components for these early applications.

Gen 2 Coyote: 2015–2017 Mustang GT

The second-generation Coyote increased airflow and performance while maintaining the high-RPM character that made the original engine popular.

These engines are commonly modified with boost, E85, intake manifolds, headers, tuning and nitrous.

Granatelli uses different ignition part numbers on certain 2015–2017 applications, so fitment should be confirmed before ordering.

Gen 3 Coyote: 2018–2023 Mustang GT

The third-generation Coyote raised the factory compression ratio and added direct injection alongside port fuel injection.

These engines can make substantial naturally aspirated power and are also capable of extremely high output with forced induction.

Granatelli part number 28-1818SC is the current Pro Series Xtreme coil kit listed for compatible 2018-up Coyote applications.

S650 Coyote: 2024–2025 Mustang GT

The Coyote continues into the S650 Mustang generation.

Granatelli's current 28-1818SC fitment listings include compatible 2024 and 2025 Ford Mustang 5.0L applications.

As with every generation, verify the specific vehicle and ignition configuration before ordering.

Coyote Mustang vs. F-150 Coils

The 5.0L Coyote is also used in Ford F-150 applications.

Granatelli offers Coyote coil kits for compatible Mustang GT and F-150 applications, but model-year and connector differences still matter.

Do not purchase solely based on the engine being a "5.0 Coyote."

Always verify:

• Model year
• Mustang or F-150 application
• Engine generation
• Original ignition coil connector
• Granatelli part number

Granatelli Street Fighter, Hot Street and Pro Series Coyote Coils

Not every Coyote build requires the same ignition output.

Granatelli offers several ignition levels for compatible Coyote applications.

Street Fighter

Granatelli Street Fighter Coyote coils provide a performance-oriented upgrade for street applications.

Hot Street

The Granatelli Hot Street Coyote series is intended for stock, tuned, naturally aspirated and mildly boosted street combinations.

Current 2018-up Hot Street kit 28-1818HS is rated at up to 50,000 volts.

Pro Series Xtreme

The Pro Series Xtreme is designed for more demanding performance applications, including high-compression, nitrous, supercharged and turbocharged engines.

Current Coyote Pro Series Xtreme kits are listed at up to 65,000 volts.

Why a Boosted Coyote Places More Demand on the Coils

A naturally aspirated engine fills the cylinder using atmospheric pressure.

A supercharger or turbocharger forces additional air into the cylinder.

That additional air and fuel allows the engine to make much more horsepower, but it also increases cylinder pressure.

The ignition system has to generate a spark under that additional pressure.

This is why ignition capability becomes more important as boost increases.

Coyote Track Testing: More Than Just Peak Dyno Numbers

Dyno testing is important, but track performance can provide another useful comparison.

A documented enthusiast test of a Vortech-supercharged 2012 5.0L Coyote reported running consistent 10.52-second passes before installing Granatelli Coyote coils and consistent 10.45-second passes afterward with no other reported changes.

That type of result should be treated as an individual real-world example rather than a guaranteed result, but it demonstrates why ignition performance should be evaluated both on the dyno and under actual load.

Do Granatelli Coyote Coils Require a Tune?

Installing ignition coils by themselves does not normally require a custom tune.

The coils operate through the factory coil-on-plug ignition system and Granatelli's current Coyote kits are designed to remain compatible with factory OBD-II electronics.

However, a modified Coyote should always have a calibration appropriate for its complete engine combination.

Do You Need to Change the Spark Plug Gap?

Not necessarily on a stock engine.

On a boosted Coyote, however, spark plug gap becomes increasingly important.

As boost rises, the spark plug may require a tighter gap to maintain reliable ignition.

The proper gap depends on:

• Boost level
• Turbocharger or supercharger system
• Spark plug type
• Fuel
• Horsepower
• Ignition system
• Tuner recommendation

Will Performance Coils Fix Every Coyote Misfire?

No.

A misfire can be caused by many different issues.

• Worn or damaged spark plugs
• Incorrect plug gap
• Weak ignition coils
• Damaged connectors
• Fuel injector problems
• Low fuel pressure
• Incorrect calibration
• Mechanical engine problems

The cause should be diagnosed before parts are replaced.

Granatelli 5.0L Coyote Coil Specifications

Engine	Ford 5.0L Coyote V8
Coil Type	Coil-On-Plug
Pro Series Xtreme Output	Up to 65,000 Volts on Current Coyote Kits
Resistance Technology	Zero-Ohm Technology
Noise Suppression	RFI / EMI Suppression
Engine Management	OBD-II Compatible
Applications	Naturally Aspirated, High Compression, Nitrous, Supercharged & Turbocharged

The Bottom Line

A Coyote ignition coil should not be judged only by its maximum voltage number.

What matters is whether the ignition system can provide a strong and consistent spark when the engine needs it most.

For a stock Coyote, the factory ignition system may already be capable of doing its job.

But as compression, RPM, nitrous, boost and horsepower increase, the demand placed on the coils increases with them.

Granatelli Motor Sports offers multiple Coyote ignition levels ranging from street-oriented coils to 65,000-volt Pro Series Xtreme coils for serious performance combinations.

Dyno testing is the best way to determine whether the ignition upgrade produces measurable power on a specific combination, which is why we believe the actual before-and-after dyno sheets should be part of the conversation.

Shop Granatelli Ford 5.0L Coyote Ignition Coils

2011–2015 Coyote Pro Series Xtreme – 28-1815SC

2016–2017 Coyote Pro Series Xtreme – 28-1816SC

2018–2025 Coyote Pro Series Xtreme – 28-1818SC

Shop All Granatelli Ford Ignition Coils