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How does this ignition coil work? Why are there two wires, and where should they be connected?
How do you wire an ignition coil to a distributor?
I don't understand quite how the wiring works here, could someone explain? I have a multimeter - what should the correct voltage be at the vaious points when hooked up?
- If I were to connect an ignition coil directly to a battery;
- Ignition Coil Basics.
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JamesB JamesB 26 2. Solar Mike Solar Mike 18k 2 10 Thanks for your reply! When ignition is ON, voltage is 9V meassured on the connectors with wires connected.
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So that sounds about right. Sometimes the thin lacquer insulation between the two windings deteriorates. Other times the windings are no longer insulated from ground. These kinds of coil problems are usually caused by heat and vibration.
It is possible to have a sudden failure due to broken windings or bad connections inside the coil. However, it is more common for coil problems to show up as hard starting, a repeated high-speed miss or a gradual decline in ignition system performance. Coils can be tested with an ohmmeter most coils will give a reading around 8, ohms or with the small scope on a Sun machine. All coils with metal housings can be tested for grounded windings by touching one probe of an inexpensive test light on the metal container and the other to the primary and high-tension terminals.
If the tester lights or you see sparks, the windings are grounded out and the coil is defective. Many service manuals recommend temporarily substituting a known good coil for a suspected bad one.
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If the ignition works properly with the good coil, you will know the original coil was bad. When working with older cars, you may run across lock switch extension coils, an early anti-theft device. The automobile ignition coil consists of two coils of wire wrapped around an iron core. Hooking up an ignition coil is an easy task that can be done at home with a few simple tools.
Disconnect the battery negative - lead using a socket and ratchet.
Ignition Coil Basics
Locate the vehicle coil. A coil can be mounted on the engine intake manifold or on the engine compartment wall. Some vehicles use a plastic wire connector that only fits one way on the coil. Be sure the coil to be hooked up has the same type of connector as the vehicle. Connect the negative coil lead wire to the negative - terminal of the coil.