is my ignition coil bad??

Discussion in 'Technical' started by pipman76, Jan 17, 2011.

  1. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    i replaced the module in the mallory unilite with a new pertronix module ,i just got out today to work on the mav since its been cold for several weeks. i tested the unilit emodule and it showed to be bad so i ordered this pertronix and installed it today still no fire to the plugs .the wires running to the coil show 11.20 volts so i would think i had enough volts to start .i tried to do a bench test on the coil which was a el cheapo jegs brand that i found out was made in china afte it arrived 19.99 special. not sure if i tested it right or not which settings on the meter do i use? i used the same settings for the volts on the ignition wires and did the bench test and it didnt show anything at all on the meter any help please
     
  2. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    i ran a jumper wire from the hot side of the battery to postive side of coil and had wife turn switch over with the coil wire grounded ,there was no spark at all so doesnt this mean coil is bad
     
  3. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    Did the coil have any signs of going out before?
    Usually they degrade over time, as opposed to just shutting off like you flipped a switch. When a coil is going out, it will often run fine until everything warms up, then it will cut out or die altogether until it cools down. Then it runs fine again until warm.

    Did you experience anything like that?

    Do you keep an old spare coil around?
    I might find one and hook it up to make sure the other is bad...
    Maybe a friend or neighbor has a used, but functional coil stashed in their garage???
     
  4. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    back in november i had the car up and running .then it sat for a few weeks of cold weather .i went out right before christmas to start it up and it wouldnt fire ,i checked the plugs no fire.i did a test on the unilite module and it failed the test.so i got frustrated cause ive heard horror stories about the modlues blowing really easy so i went twith the pertroinx module installed it turned the ignition switch same thing no fire dont know whats going on but ver very frustrated right now ..lol sothere was not any warnings of it going bad.i dont have a spare but i probably can borrow one
     
  5. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    i have a wire running from the switched side of the selonoid to the coil would this have burned the coil up?i wouldnt think so but im not good at wiring
     
  6. Dave B

    Dave B I like Mavericks!

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    How did you wire your Pertronix?
     
  7. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    the pertronix red wire to positive side of coil and black wire to negative side of coil only 2 wires i have
     
  8. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    That doesn't sound right...
    But someone with a Pertronix of their own should chime in.
    I am thinking there is something missing.
    The coil should not have direct voltage, and the Pertronix should have switched power, one would think.
     
  9. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    this is what i have ,on the positive side of the coil i have the ignition wire,pertronix red wire and the wire from the switched side of the selonoid and on the negative side of coil i have the black pertronix wire i dont know what is missing
     
  10. rthomas771

    rthomas771 Member

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    My Unilite is pushing 17 years old and the module is still good.
     
  11. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    Again, I have never wired a Pertronix, but if this is how it is supposed to be wired, it is an odd way of doing it. Usually there is only one wire hooked to each coil post. You have 3! Doesn't sound like anything I have ever heard of.
     
  12. pipman76

    pipman76 Member

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    well imnot good at wiring but u have to a a ignition switch wire running to the coil how else is it gonna get its voltage now the 3rd wire from the switched side of the selonoid ,its purpose was cause i couldnt get enough volts from my hot wire and
     
  13. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    The coil gets a wire from the distributor on the (-) side and the key switch on the (+) side. So one wire from the Pertronix goes to the (-) and the other wire from the Pertronix goes ?... It doesn't go to the (+) on the coil, that's for sure.

    Do you have the directions?
     
  14. Dave B

    Dave B I like Mavericks!

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    They are wired to each terminal of the coil.
     
  15. ratio411

    ratio411 Member

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    So a Pertronix IS wired only to the coil???

    Wow, if so I have my foot in mouth!

    I have never seen any such thing, but I have never wired up a Pertronix.

    I have some in gas engine equipment, but I didn't wire them up and never paid attention.
     

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