I think you may have answered your own question. The m103 (or m102) engine was not developed with the plats in mind so they and a lot of other non-computer controlled variable valve timing engines have difficulty dealing with the kind of spark they produce. One of the most common problems I have seen is a sudden drop in power (especially under acceleration) with the use of the plats. Stick with the coppers.

yal
88 230e (W124)