How to test a coil ?

N

newbee

Guest
Hi all

I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:45:51 +0000, newbee <newbee@noaddress.com>
wrote:

Hi all

I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...
The Kia Pride is not serviceable, and should be replaced if it fails.
 
On Jan 31, 4:45 am, newbee <new...@noaddress.com> wrote:


I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting.  There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two
Click to expand...
Three, actually: the coil, the sensor in the distributor, and the
amplifier/control unit.

Well, to test a coil, you can use a 4 ohm reistor and a switch.
Connect a spark plug to the coil HV terminal, grounding the
body of the spark plug, Ground one of the low-voltage
terminals, and connect the other terminal through the 4 ohm
resistor to the battery (+) for a second, then disconnect.
On disconnect, the plug should spark.

And, of course, all the wiring that interconnects these items
can benefit from connector-jiggling and inspection for
rodent toothmarks.
 
In article <0lh8o4pildt7ls2mrvcb6mmdembfsbmppg@4ax.com>,
newbee <newbee@noaddress.com> wrote:
have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?
Click to expand...
A dwell function found on some DVMs will show if the coil is getting the
correct signal from the sensor. Connect between coil negative and ground.

--
*Why is it that most nudists are people you don't want to see naked?*

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
On 2/1/2009 3:39 AM Dave Plowman (News) spake thus:

In article <0lh8o4pildt7ls2mrvcb6mmdembfsbmppg@4ax.com>,
newbee <newbee@noaddress.com> wrote:

have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

A dwell function found on some DVMs will show if the coil is getting the
correct signal from the sensor. Connect between coil negative and ground.
Click to expand...
But that requires that the car is running, doesn't it?


--
Made From Pears: Pretty good chance that the product is at least
mostly pears.
Made With Pears: Pretty good chance that pears will be detectable in
the product.
Contains Pears: One pear seed per multiple tons of product.

(with apologies to Dorothy L. Sayers)
 
In article <498615aa$0$2694$822641b3@news.adtechcomputers.com>,
David Nebenzahl <nobody@but.us.chickens> wrote:
A dwell function found on some DVMs will show if the coil is getting
the correct signal from the sensor. Connect between coil negative and
ground.

But that requires that the car is running, doesn't it?
Click to expand...
No - it should read when cranking. Although an allowance will need to be
made from a running reading. Assuming you can find out what the dwell
should be. Somewhere around 30 degrees is a good starting point.

--
*Some people are only alive because it is illegal to kill.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
On 2/1/2009 4:14 PM Dave Plowman (News) spake thus:

In article <498615aa$0$2694$822641b3@news.adtechcomputers.com>,
David Nebenzahl <nobody@but.us.chickens> wrote:

A dwell function found on some DVMs will show if the coil is getting
the correct signal from the sensor. Connect between coil negative and
ground.

But that requires that the car is running, doesn't it?

No - it should read when cranking. Although an allowance will need to be
made from a running reading. Assuming you can find out what the dwell
should be. Somewhere around 30 degrees is a good starting point.
Click to expand...
Ah, so.


--
Personally, I like Vista, but I probably won't use it. I like it
because it generates considerable business for me in consulting and
upgrades. As long as there is hardware and software out there that
doesn't work, I stay in business. Incidentally, my company motto is
"If this stuff worked, you wouldn't need me".

- lifted from sci.electronics.repair
 
The coil should have 12v at both wires with key on, engine off. One is
power in, (+), the other is voltage through the primary side, and out to
the ignition amp. the amp pulls the coil (-) terminal to ground to
discharge. If the second lead is dead, the coil primary is either open,
or it is dead shorted. Use only a logic probe to test this, not an
incandescent test light. The coil (-)terminal should flash high/low when
cranking. If no, there's no trigger either to, (distributor pickup) or
from the amp.
JR
newbee wrote:

Hi all

I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...
--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
 
On Feb 4, 2:46 pm, JR North <junkjasonrno...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
The coil should have 12v at both wires with key on, engine off. One is
power in, (+), the other is voltage through the primary side, and out to
the ignition amp. the amp pulls the coil (-) terminal to ground
Click to expand...
Maybe so, but maybe not. There are lots of electronic ignition
modules that hit the coil with 300V at the instant a spark is
wanted, and leave the coil unpowered otherwise. I have
no idea what this Kia model uses...
 
In article
<3cd99ad6-8deb-4a93-9853-23fd5e3f514c@x10g2000yqk.googlegroups.com>,
whit3rd <whit3rd@gmail.com> wrote:
On Feb 4, 2:46 pm, JR North <junkjasonrno...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
The coil should have 12v at both wires with key on, engine off. One is
power in, (+), the other is voltage through the primary side, and out
to the ignition amp. the amp pulls the coil (-) terminal to ground

Maybe so, but maybe not. There are lots of electronic ignition
modules that hit the coil with 300V at the instant a spark is
wanted, and leave the coil unpowered otherwise. I have
no idea what this Kia model uses...
Click to expand...
Indeed. If the coil were grounded with the ignition on but the engine not
running it could overheat and possibly fail - as well as drawing current
not needed. This could happen with points ignition - hence warnings about
not doing this. Most electronic systems prevent this happening.

--
*See no evil, Hear no evil, Date no evil.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
"PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
news:c4l8o4h8kord5hb14eqrohr7fs9pv1ahfq@4ax.com...
On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:45:51 +0000, newbee <newbee@noaddress.com
wrote:

Hi all

I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

Thanks for your thoughts.

The Kia Pride is not serviceable, and should be replaced if it fails.
Click to expand...

Haha. So thats why the hood comes welded shut.
 
"Michael Kennedy" <mikek400@crap.comcast.net> wrote in
news:Y5CdneJ5tImc0QHUnZ2dnVY3gomdnZ2d@giganews.com:

"PeterD" <peter2@hipson.net> wrote in message
news:c4l8o4h8kord5hb14eqrohr7fs9pv1ahfq@4ax.com...
On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:45:51 +0000, newbee <newbee@noaddress.com
wrote:

Hi all

I have this Kia Pride car and no HT current coming out of the coil,
hence the car is not starting. There are two wires coming into the
coil, one shows 12v current the other one is zero.

I do not know whether it is the coil or electronic contact breaker in
the distributor which is not working.
Click to expand...
check the Ground side of the coil's primary to see if it actually is
getting switched to ground.
If the "igniter"(Honda term) is not working,the coil never gets switched to
ground,so no current charges the coil,and no HT output;you would get a
steady 12V reading at the GND side coil terminal.

If there's a Kia newsgroup,perhaps try "alt.autos.kia" or
"rec.autos.kia",they would be a good place to ask questions and get some
useful specific help for your problem.

You'll want to include info like model,year,mileage in your query.
Some problems occur after "X" miles/years on a car,or under hot outside
temps,or cold temps,so mention any unusual conditions or odd behavior of
your vehicle.

My question is how to test these two in isolation before buying either
or both units ?

Thanks for your thoughts.

The Kia Pride is not serviceable, and should be replaced if it fails.


Haha. So thats why the hood comes welded shut.
Click to expand...
you guys were really helpful.
(not!)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
 
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