How to test an ignition coil ... help
05-25-2010, 12:20 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
How to test an ignition coil ... help
I have a 94 Vette . The water pump failed so I replaced it.
Problem is that the car will not start now. The engine will turn but will not start.
My first guess would be the opti, but I have a Dynaspark unit wich is sealed and I was carefull to avoid spilling coolant to it.
I checked the usual and found that I have no spark, then tracked it down to the Ignition coil. It will not produce a spark.
But I am stranded now, because I do not know how to test the Ignition coil.
Can someone help me a little bit? I Know that this can be done with a multimeter but do not really know what to look for exactly.
I hope someone can guide me, thanks!
Or could it be the control module? How can I test it?
Problem is that the car will not start now. The engine will turn but will not start.
My first guess would be the opti, but I have a Dynaspark unit wich is sealed and I was carefull to avoid spilling coolant to it.
I checked the usual and found that I have no spark, then tracked it down to the Ignition coil. It will not produce a spark.
But I am stranded now, because I do not know how to test the Ignition coil.
Can someone help me a little bit? I Know that this can be done with a multimeter but do not really know what to look for exactly.
I hope someone can guide me, thanks!
Or could it be the control module? How can I test it?
Last edited by Kinkajou; 05-25-2010 at 12:22 PM.
05-25-2010, 01:00 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Portsmouth Virginia 396LT4 435RWHP/400RWTQ Best so far 11.26 @ 123mph
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If the engine ran before the w/p change,odds are that you just have a bad electrical connection.Did you pull out the opti plug/harness wires when you replaced the pump? If so,make sure they are fully plugged back in.Did you happen to remove the IAC and ICM plugs during the pump repair? These can also be interchanged by accident easily causing no start. A complete coil load test can't be done using a multimeter and you will find that most auto parts stores don't have the proper connector in their test kit to test the 94/95 coil fully. I'm speaking for Advance and Autozone specifically. They will probably tell you they can test it and claim they did, but in reality,it's only a partial test.I have personally checked their handbooks and test machines with store personnel and found this to be the case. Not that a coil wouldn't go bad but odds are the ICM would probably fail before the coil would.If you have a lot of miles on the ICM that's in the car,it might be worth replacing anyway since they are a pretty heat sensitive item more so than a coil.Don't know about being able to test an ICM.Hopefully you just have a bad connection.
Rick
Rick
Last edited by PDQUIK95; 05-25-2010 at 02:40 PM. Reason: add
05-25-2010, 02:26 PM
#3
Instructor
Icm, Most NAPA stores can test. The coil can be tested with a multi-meter if you google coil test, I saw it some place on the net. Or auto zone does the test for both Icm and the coil I think. Tim
