Contents
Testing Procedure
Scratch the lead on the plate to ensure it’s in contact. Touch the meter’s black lead to the metal coil housing and watch the meter. If the meter’s display indicates a value of 2.5 to 5 K ohms, then the coil is good.
Most coils should read between 0.4 and 2 ohms. Zero resistance would indicate a shorted coil while a high resistance reading would indicate an open coil. Secondary resistance is measured between the positive (+) terminal and high voltage output terminal.
A typical value would read 0.4 – 2 ohms.
The power from the ignition switch need to go to the plus side of the coil and the negative goes the the distributor on a 12v system. That should be opposite what it was on a 6v positive ground.
Loss of spark is caused by anything that prevents coil voltage from jumping the electrode gap at the end of the spark plug. This includes worn, fouled or damaged spark plugs, bad plug wires or a cracked distributor cap.
The normal, acceptable range for a standard 12-volt car is 1.5 to 1.7 Ohms.
6 volt coils (and 12v coils that use a resistor) usually have a primary resistance of around 1.2-1.5 ohms.
Connect your multimeter to the positive terminal or pin of your coil, and to the high output terminal that goes to the spark plug. Most ignition coils should have a secondary resistance falling somewhere between 6,000 to 10,000 ohms;however, refer to manufacturer specifications for the correct range.
Yes, if the points are open and/or the electronic module is NOT CLOSED then you will measure battery voltage on both the coil (+) and coil(-) terminals. Since there is no current flowing through the coil (no path to earth) then both sides of the coil will be at the same potential.
One end of the secondary is grounded (the ‘negative’ terminal), the coil produces the voltage (the ‘battery’) and the output goes out the ‘positive’ terminal to the spark plug, where it jumps the spark gap and returns to ground, completing the circuit.
For positive ground the “+” terminal goes to the distributor (to be grounded on the engine block). For negative ground the “-” terminal goes to the distributor (to be grounded on the engine block). The ignition coil is the part of your engine that produces high voltage in order to power your cylinders.
Use a “safety” screwdriver, one with a rubber or plastic handle cover. Put the screwdriver in the unattached end of the plug wire, and hold the rest of the screwdriver near a metal surface. Get someone to attempt to start the engine and you should see a strong blue spark jump from the plug to the engine.
If the ignition coil does not have spark, it’s time to check its wires. Use a test light to check the continuity on the signal wire and power wire on the ignition coil. If both wires are functional but the coil fails to produce spark, the ignition coil or the ignition control module is bad.
It is usually located in the fuse and relay panel beneath the hood, and is responsible for providing power to the vehicle’s ignition system, and some of the fuel system’s components. Usually a bad or failing ignition relay will produce a few symptoms that can notify the driver of a potential issue.
The battery provides low voltage electricity to the ignition coil. … That moves other distributor parts that cause the ignition coil to pulse, and sends the electricity down each spark plug wire in order.
Hook up a voltmeter with the negative lead to the plug terminal and the positive lead to the block. Set the meter on the highest volt range. Crank the engine over (no need to start it), and you should see an upward swing of the voltmeter needle (don’t be concerned with taking a reading).
Set the multimeter into the ohms function, or just use an ohmmeter. Manually set the dial or button on the meter to the 40 k range. Do not use auto ranging, as it is unreliable with a magneto. … Replace the magneto if the meter reads “OL.” This indicates an internal short in the magneto.
The leading cause of premature failure of an ignition coil is due to a worn or bad spark plug ignition cable. A bad spark plug ignition cable will have a much higher than normal resistance. This high resistance causes a very high amount of voltage to be generated from your ignition coil’s secondary winding.
Replacing Ignition Coils or Armatures
An ignition armature must be set at a precise distance from the flywheel. Your engine repair manual will provide the proper gap for your engine. Common armature gap ranges are . 006 – .
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