Stock Igntion Coil.. how to EASILY know that they're stuffed...

[naughtika]

hey guys, after this weekends workshop day.. here's what we found

http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g...oil On Plug/?action=view&current=140567c6.mp4

http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g...oil On Plug/?action=view&current=faa211a4.mp4

so what do you think?

I can't remember if who's car had the issue with that single coil.. the other is Stan's

btw, almost forgot to mention on how to test it..

get a spray bottle, fill with some washing detergent or citrus based degreaser (might as well clean it) while the engine's running, spray it on the ignition coils..

dont worry about screwing it up when its wet.. as it wont and you shouldn't get zap, but if you do.. oops

- current should go to the leads and then into the spark plug to ignite the mixed air and fuel
- current should not get out of the leads nor coil when providing spark.. this means the insulation is degrading (as Steve mentioned)

 

[vr4cobra]

It was my car with the single coil sparking lol

 

[ConnerS]

links are broken

 

[naughtika]

links fixed..

 

[veegeeta]

ok couldnt understand your post untill i looked at vidios, great find mate will check mine today, any one know if this would cause engine knock ? as for my rpm it flutuates a little up and down when warmed up.

 

[Nitephyre]

So, am I supposed to be looking at the little flashes of light? Are they not supposed to be there?

 

[naughtika]

those flashes of lights you see were the currents provided by the coils.. they're meant to do this at your spark plugs not outside your coils..

Shane.. dont know if this will cause your engine knock..but i do know this causes engine stutter while on WOT..

 

[Size1]

Christian what is WOT?

 

[VOLK]

Wide Open Throttle.

Far as I know, misfire caused by stuffed coil won't cause knock as pre-ignition is caused by too much advance and/or too lean.

 

[naughtika]

stuffed coils can actually cause knock because the coils struggle to provide spark..

if you look at the logs, you'll see that when you're at WOT or high load.. when the coils are struggling to provide spark, that's when the knock shows up.. (my understanding)

Steve should be able to provide more details on this..

 

[veegeeta]

guess ill find out this week when steve sends wide band up if its coils or fuel pump or knock sensor.

stuffed coils can actually cause knock because the coils struggle to provide spark..

if you look at the logs, you'll see that when you're at WOT or high load.. when the coils are struggling to provide spark, that's when the knock shows up.. (my understanding)

Steve should be able to provide more details on this..

 

[TME_Steve]

ok couldnt understand your post untill i looked at vidios, great find mate will check mine today, any one know if this would cause engine knock ? as for my rpm it flutuates a little up and down when warmed up.

It's not your problem.... I;m too tired to say much more, yes it technically could cause what you may detect as knock but really it's more a misfire due to the energy loss.... A wideband may show a lean spike with the misfire too (even though it's rich)

 

[naughtika]

also guys, just to add to this thread, even if your coils aren't doing what you see in the vid, it also doesn't mean that your coils are good.. there are other ways of testing out the coils.. but this includes time + money..

 

[Guest]

those flashes of lights you see were the currents provided by the coils.. they're meant to do this at your spark plugs not outside your coils..

Good stuff. So what causes this to happen?

 

[naughtika]

Good stuff. So what causes this to happen?

old age?

 

[Guest]

You'd assume so.. but is it a break down of some kind of insulating properties, a degradation of wiring etc? Eg, can it not complete the path to the ignition leads or is it simply finding an easier way to ground?

What I'm pondering is.. if there was an increase in resistance that was causing them to arc like that, in some cases it may indicate that your leads were actually worn out, not the coil packs. There's a spark there, why isn't it getting through? I like to know the reasoning behind these kind of things

 

[naughtika]

could be the type of composit they use to insulate the coil itself..

cause if you look closely, it seems like the plastic is very dry and is about to get brittle.. much like the windscreen washer's water reservoir cap going brittle and chalky..

 

[Stanislav]

The second video of my car where 2 of the coils are arcing the ignition leads are actually brand new genuine units. So I would find it hard to believe its the lead itself.

 

[naughtika]

I thought you only have 1 new coil? and 2 of them were the original set?

 

[TME_Steve]

THe arcing is what we call coil leakage ie, you can see the coil leaking, it's breakdown of the insulation....