Coil Test

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:41 pm

Interesting!

Post by **doc** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:22 am

Pretty easy (and cheap) way to see if your coil is working! Nice job, david!!

doc

UJSLOST · Post by **UJSLOST** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:33 am

This is great info for us newbies!

Post by **david58** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:51 am

Well thanks guys I never really understood how the points really worked all over the years that I have worked on cars, so I made a test board. I have tuned up cars since I was about 8 years old. Customers at my Dad's shop would watch and be amazed and ask my Dad. "How can he do that"? He would just smile, and walk away. Well as time flew by I hardly ever worked on anything but electronic ignition. Getting back into VW's basically got me back into the forgotten ignition point systems. I like the show and tell approach. Show me how it works, don't tell me how it works. I learned that from my Dad.
Here is a link to a thread I did on simple ignition tests that show and tell you how to check the ignition system with a basic test light.
Testing the Ignition System No Spark

Post by **doc** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:28 am

I often think that although STF is kinda the home of aircooled "hign tech posts", it is the simple instructional posts that help the most people. I love the high tech stuff and my hat is constantly off to the builders trying new things and adapting modern innovations to make our rides perform better and last longer. Their work constantly amazes me. But it is the simple stuff like checking points, setting valves and rebuilding your brakes that the biggest percent of our membership can use and afford.

So, hat's off to the guys leading the charge into more power and better reliablity AND hat's off to those helping our less experienced members keep their rides safe and on the road!

doc

bugninva · Post by **bugninva** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:39 pm

doc wrote:Pretty easy (and cheap) way to see if your coil is working! Nice job, david!!

doc

another easy and free way is to pop the distributor cap off and make sure the points are closed.. pull the coil wire from the cap, turn on the ignition, hold the coil wire near the engine case and manually open the points... it will fire.

Post by **david58** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:45 pm

bugninva wrote:
doc wrote:Pretty easy (and cheap) way to see if your coil is working! Nice job, david!!

doc
another easy and free way is to pop the distributor cap off and make sure the points are closed.. pull the coil wire from the cap, turn on the ignition, hold the coil wire near the engine case and manually open the points... it will fire.

Just don't forget to turn the key off so you don't fry the points.

bugninva · Post by **bugninva** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:56 pm

david58 wrote:Just don't forget to turn the key off so you don't fry the points.

ageed...

UJSLOST · Post by **UJSLOST** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:41 pm

[/quote]
Just don't forget to turn the key off so you don't fry the points.[/quote]

Ask me how I know.

Post by **david58** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:46 pm

david58 wrote:Just don't forget to turn the key off so you don't fry the points.

UJSLOST wrote: Ask me how I know.

How do you know?

UJSLOST · Post by **UJSLOST** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:48 pm

You forget my thread from this past week and weekend? I showed you the points! Id mail em to ya but Advance auto parts has them now! I got a spare set now. Which I highly recommend.

Post by **david58** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:50 pm

UJSLOST wrote:You forget my thread from this past week and weekend? I showed you the points! Id mail em to ya but Advance auto parts has them now! I got a spare set now. Which I highly recommend.

Oh was that you?

UJSLOST · Post by **UJSLOST** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:57 pm

Post by **david58** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:02 pm

But now you know your way around the ignition system. And you got your car running too.