How to Troubleshoot an Ecotec Ignition Coil
by William Hirsch
You can troubleshoot an Ecotec brand ignition coil yourself to save money and possible diagnose a staring problem. Ecotec ignition coils are found in many American automobiles and are responsible for increasing the voltage provided by the car's battery to a level capable of igniting fuel combustion in the engine. Inside the coil casing are a primary and a secondary coil of wire. Each must be tested for proper resistance to be sure it supplies the correct voltage.
Step 1
Turn on the digital multimeter. Make sure the measurement dial points to the capital Greek letter omega which represents ohms. The ohm is the unit of resistance.
Step 2
Connect the positive (red) wire of the multimeter to the outer, positive terminal of the ignition coil. Touch the negative (black) wire of the multimeter to the outer, negative terminal of the ignition coil. The resistance reading on the screen is for the primary coil. If the reading is not between 0.75 and 0.81 ohms replace the ignition coil.
Step 3
Touch the black wire of the multimeter to the center, negative terminal of the ignition coil. The resistance reading on the screen is for the secondary coil. If the reading is not between 10,000 to 11,000 ohms replace the ignition coil.
References
Things You'll Need
- Digital multimeter
Writer Bio
William Hirsch started writing during graduate school in 2005. His work has been published in the scientific journal "Physical Review Letters." He specializes in computer-related and physical science articles. Hirsch holds a Ph.D. from Wake Forest University in theoretical physics, where he studied particle physics and black holes.
