Question:
A few questions about ignition coils . . . . .?
anonymous
2010-08-06 10:41:43 UTC
My '00 XL1200 died a couple times on my last ride, after some poking and prodding it turned out that if I push in on one of small wires (not spark plug) to the coil it would start right up and run great, for awhile. The wire was never loose, it didn't click or move but that made it run.
So my first question is, do coils ever go part-time bad or just quit completely and how do I test one?
And, if I have to replace it, do the performance aftermarket coils have any advantage over a stock coil?
Four answers:
Andy
2010-08-06 11:01:29 UTC
It sounds like you might have a short to one of the terminals but make sure it's not the connector itself.Yes coils can go bad part time.Usually they will quit when they get hot and start working again when they cool off a bit.The test procedure is in the manual and you'll need an ohm meter.What your checking for is resistance in the coil windings.Aftermarket coils like an Accel might be a little better for high rpm applications but other than that the stock coil is fine.In a coil what happens is the voltage builds til it's triggered either by the points or the electronic ignition.At lower rpm the coil has longer to build voltage and provide a hotter spark.But at higher rpm the coil doesn't have as long to build that voltage so the spark gets weaker.Accel and others claim that their coils make a hotter spark.But unless your racing you don't really need that Jim.

Edit i don't have a sporty manual so i'm not sure what the primary and secondary resistance should be.On a big twin it's 0.5 - 0.7 ohms for the primary and 5.5 - 7.5k ohms on the secondary.A dealer has a special tester that can tell you for sure the coil is bad.Take it off and take it to them for a test.
bikinkawboy
2010-08-06 20:27:57 UTC
If you mean you pushed the small wire in towards the coil itself, then apparently there' damage on the inside and replacing it is the only sure way to fix it. Now if you mean pushing the wire connectors together, that's a different story.



Sometimes die completely, but normally they go to missing first or sometimes they miss only under heavy loads or acceleration. Personally, if you have to replace the coil, I'd go with something like Nology, Dyna or Accel. They're produce a hotter spark but to actually get improved starting, high speed running and fuel mileage, you must widen the plug gap as well. I'd be looking at at least .035" or preferably .040". If the coils don't have plug wires, you better look at 8mm wires with thick insulators because otherwise you'll get arcing through the older style thin rubber caps and insulators.



Andy pretty well said it, although I will make a few corrections to his explaination. To begin with, magnetism and electricity are interchangable, meaning one can be used to create the other. Ignition coils don't built up in voltage until triggered, but instead the primary winding (few windings of thicker wire) "saturates" with current, producing a magnetic field. When the points or ignition unit close the circuit, the current flows to the ground, collapsing the magnetic field in the primary winding. When that happens, current is is induced in the secondary winding (more windings of smaller wire). The greater number of windings multiplys the voltage from approximately 12-14V to 18,000-35,000V.



What he said about the coils not having time to build a hot spark at high rpms isn't true with most modern electronic ignitions. The amount of time the primary winding has to ssaturate is called dwell. Modern units increase the dwell time at higher rpms, giving the coil more time to saturate and thus deliver a hot spark.
marco999
2010-08-06 11:09:02 UTC
It's unlikely you have an intermittent fault with the coil, they usually last a very long time and are usually reliable. In this case it sounds like the smaller wires going to the coil may be faulty. If the wires have got wet, been bent in two or a connection somewhere else in the loom is loose then it's probably that - vibration is very common on Harleys too and can also affect wiring (helping it work loose) after some time. If you do suspect the coil then it's quite easy to get it checked out (multimeter and a handbook if you have them) or get an auto electrician to check it for you.
brogden
2016-10-02 04:10:38 UTC
Has the coil been transformed earlier than.Vauxhall going again a few continually used ballast resistor with nine volts,and if a 12 volt option has been placed on it overpowers the ignition circuit ultimately.Long time when you consider that i did them however its best an notion.


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