troubleshoot ignition coil

BruceHarless · 05-23-2014, 04:10 PM

Can you please tell me how to determine if the ignition coil is bad? With the pedal down, the GRN wire to the coil is hot and the orange wire from ignitor to coil pulses . There is no spark on the plug with the coil wire attached and the plug base grounded to the engine, nor can I get any indicator of fire with a timing light on the coil wire or its terminal. I THINK that means the coil is bad, but don't know that I am checking it properly. If not, can you please tell me how to check it? Thank you.
Bruce

1989Marathon · 05-23-2014, 05:04 PM

That sounds about right for the wires going to the coil. Are you sure the wire going from the coil to the plug is good, and is inserted into the coil correctly? If I recall correctly, there is a screw inside the coil that the wire screws onto.

BruceHarless · 05-23-2014, 08:59 PM

Yes, the wire is good and I have cleaned and reconnected the wire onto the screwpost to be sure it is solid. You are correct about the fastening method. Good continuity, but apparently nothing out of the coil (assuming my testing was properly done). Tomorrow I will go get another coil to throw at it, hopefully that will fix it -- the coil is cheaper than the other parts.

I really wonder about these new parts -- so far, I have had a new oil pump fail, which ruined the piston and rings and jug; new fuel pump, which was replaced by a newer version and used the old one for the pick-up; the replacement carburetor has been a repeated PITA; and now the new coil appears to be bad.

Thanx very much for your reply.
Bruce

1989Marathon · 05-23-2014, 09:02 PM

Have you checked for spark right at the coil, without the plug wire attached to the coil? Not sure what coil you have, but some have the NGK cap on the end with a built-in 5k resistor.

BruceHarless · 05-24-2014, 02:55 PM

This one just has "5121 ignition coil" on it. The cart was running just fine early on, then just died. I have fiddled with the carb since, trying to get it to stop flooding. Prior to this, and after the stop, there WAS spark on the plug, now none, with no changes made to any of the wiring. It acts like the coil just died, so I am going to get another one and know for sure. I'll let you know what happens. Meanwhile, thanks very much for the help -- I really do appreciate it.
Bruce

05-23-2014, 04:10 PM	#1
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27	troubleshoot ignition coil Can you please tell me how to determine if the ignition coil is bad? With the pedal down, the GRN wire to the coil is hot and the orange wire from ignitor to coil pulses . There is no spark on the plug with the coil wire attached and the plug base grounded to the engine, nor can I get any indicator of fire with a timing light on the coil wire or its terminal. I THINK that means the coil is bad, but don't know that I am checking it properly. If not, can you please tell me how to check it? Thank you. Bruce
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27

05-23-2014, 05:04 PM	#2
1989Marathon Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6,730	Re: troubleshoot ignition coil That sounds about right for the wires going to the coil. Are you sure the wire going from the coil to the plug is good, and is inserted into the coil correctly? If I recall correctly, there is a screw inside the coil that the wire screws onto.
1989Marathon Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6,730

05-23-2014, 08:59 PM	#3
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27	Re: troubleshoot ignition coil Yes, the wire is good and I have cleaned and reconnected the wire onto the screwpost to be sure it is solid. You are correct about the fastening method. Good continuity, but apparently nothing out of the coil (assuming my testing was properly done). Tomorrow I will go get another coil to throw at it, hopefully that will fix it -- the coil is cheaper than the other parts. I really wonder about these new parts -- so far, I have had a new oil pump fail, which ruined the piston and rings and jug; new fuel pump, which was replaced by a newer version and used the old one for the pick-up; the replacement carburetor has been a repeated PITA; and now the new coil appears to be bad. Thanx very much for your reply. Bruce
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27

05-23-2014, 09:02 PM	#4
1989Marathon Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6,730	Re: troubleshoot ignition coil Have you checked for spark right at the coil, without the plug wire attached to the coil? Not sure what coil you have, but some have the NGK cap on the end with a built-in 5k resistor.
1989Marathon Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6,730

05-24-2014, 02:55 PM	#5
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27	Re: troubleshoot ignition coil This one just has "5121 ignition coil" on it. The cart was running just fine early on, then just died. I have fiddled with the carb since, trying to get it to stop flooding. Prior to this, and after the stop, there WAS spark on the plug, now none, with no changes made to any of the wiring. It acts like the coil just died, so I am going to get another one and know for sure. I'll let you know what happens. Meanwhile, thanks very much for the help -- I really do appreciate it. Bruce
BruceHarless Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 27

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