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How much voltage does an ignition coil deliver? 12000 V – 25000 V DC pulses, while higher energy coils can reach up to 45000 V, for a longer spark-gap and hotter spark. Usually abbreviated to kV.The coil becomes a transformer, stepping the voltage up. If your car uses a 12 volt battery, the 12 volts you put into the primary side of the coil will exit the secondary side as 30,000 volts!Much smaller coils are used with one coil for each spark plug or one coil serving two spark plugs (for example two coils in a four-cylinder engine, or three coils in a six-cylinder engine). A large ignition coil puts out about 40 kV, and a small one such as from a lawn mower puts out about 15 kV.
Contents
How many volts should an ignition coil get?
The coil becomes a transformer, stepping the voltage up. If your car uses a 12 volt battery, the 12 volts you put into the primary side of the coil will exit the secondary side as 30,000 volts!
How much power does a ignition coil have?
Much smaller coils are used with one coil for each spark plug or one coil serving two spark plugs (for example two coils in a four-cylinder engine, or three coils in a six-cylinder engine). A large ignition coil puts out about 40 kV, and a small one such as from a lawn mower puts out about 15 kV.
How many volts is an ignition?
The ignition coil serves as a basic transformer. In a points system, it boosts the primary-circuit low voltage (6 to 8 volts) into a much higher secondary voltage (5,000 to 30,000 volts).
How many amps does an ignition coil use?
In review, an oil-filled ignition coil requires about 3-5 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 20-30 kV, while a modern e-core or coil-on-plug configuration might require as much as 10 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 30-60 kV of high-intensity spark.
Is 14.6 volts too much?
14.8 would start to be a worry (there might be liquid or corrosion on the battery) and 15 volts would be a real concern, but 14.6 is fine. Less than 14.3 would be a “weak” alternator or regulator. Much less than 14.2 at a fast idle is bad wiring, bad alternator or regulator, or a bad connection or fuse link.
How many amps does a 12V ignition coil draw?
Either 12V across a 3-ohm primary coil or 6-9V across 1.5 ohms in a ballast coil. Either way, somewhere in the 4-6 amp range while the car is running. If you have a ballast coil (e.g. runs on 6 or 9V) that bypasses the ballast resistor when starting the engine, you could get higher amps (12V over 1.5ohms = 8Amps).
How do you check a coil for power?
- If this wire has no power, then your ignition coil is not receiving current. …
- If this wire has power, then the wiring from the ignition switch to the coil is working properly and you can move on.
Is a higher voltage coil better?
A high performance ignition coil helps engine performance four important ways. First, the higher voltage allows for a larger spark plug gap, which results in a more robust initial flame kernal at the start of combustion. The result is a real-world engine torque increase.
What gives power to the ignition coil?
The battery provides low voltage electricity to the ignition coil. The ignition coil converts the low voltage electricity into high voltage power in timed pulses. The distributor has a shaft that gets spun by the camshaft.
Why do I have power to my coil but no spark?
There are a few reasons for no spark, new coil pack could be defective, crank sensor, ignition module or bad wire in primary circuit, faulty ECM/PCM. You may have to have a good technician have a look, diagnose and estimate repair. Second link gives detailed instructions for testing and diagnosing coil pack.
How many volts does it take to spark a spark plug?
Spark plugs usually require voltage of 12,000–25,000 volts or more to ‘fire’ properly, although it can go up to 45,000 volts. They supply higher current during the discharge process resulting in a hotter and longer-duration spark.
How many volts and amps should a spark plug have?
| Bibliographic Entry | Result (w/surrounding text) | Standardized Result |
|---|---|---|
| Encyclopedia Americana. 15th ed. Danbury, CT: Grolier, 1996: 287. | “It changes the 6 to 12 volts of the primary current into the 10,000 to 20,000 volts required to discharge at the spark plug gap” | 10–20 kV |
How does a 12v ignition coil work?
When the ignition key is turned on, a low voltage current from the battery flows through the primary windings of the ignition coil, through the breaker points and back to the battery. This current flow causes a magnetic field to form around the coil.
How do you test a 12 volt coil with a multimeter?
With all the wires taken off the terminals of the coil attach the positive and negative probes of the meter to first the negative terminal then the positive terminal on the coil. You should have a resistance reading of at least 3-4.5 ohms. A bad coil will show a higher reading then 3-4.5.
Is ignition coil output AC or DC?
In a car’s ignition system, however, direct current (DC) is used (provided by the Battery), because the idea is not to create steady, continuous induction, but one single, dramatic induction from a sudden collapse of a magnetic field.
Does a coil have constant power?
Re: Coil has constant power
Yes, the coil is always connected to the battery. It’s no more of a problem for the wires IN the coil than it is for the wire ON THE WAY to the coil, as long as there is no current flow.
What is the input voltage in the ignition coil of a car? – Quora
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- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for What is the input voltage in the ignition coil of a car? – Quora Updating The input is normally 12 volts but some used a ballast resistor that lowered the voltage to between 8 and 9 volts (older point ignition systems)* but you have to remember that the input voltage is not a “straight” 12v connection, the input is puls…
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What is the input voltage in the ignition coil of a car? – Quora
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Ignition coil – Wikipedia
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Contents
Basic principles[edit]
Materials[edit]
Use in cars[edit]
Related coils[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
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How an Ignition Coil Works | It Still Runs
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How an Ignition Coil Works | It Still Runs The electrical system in your vehicle works on 12 volts, so every component must be based on 12 volts, as well. There is a wire connected to the ignition … …
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How many volts are supposed to be at ignition coil? – Offshoreonly.com
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How many volts are supposed to be at ignition coil? – Offshoreonly.com All modern ignition systems (ones without points) should have 12 volts at the coil + terminal Point type ignitions systems will have 12 volts at … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How many volts are supposed to be at ignition coil? – Offshoreonly.com All modern ignition systems (ones without points) should have 12 volts at the coil + terminal Point type ignitions systems will have 12 volts at … How,many,volts,supposed,ignition,coil, How many volts are supposed to be at ignition coil?, offshoreonly,offshoreonly.com,www.offshoreonly.com,offshore powerboats,poker runs,races,Mercury,Bravo,racing,props,strendrive,outdrive,offshore boating,ewebtricity,ewebtricity.net,boat graphics,party cove,loto,havasu,superchargers,performance boat parts,mercruiser,offshore boats,marine high performance engine parts,cigarette boats,used cigarettes,Cigarette racing team,Active Thunder,Advantage,American Offshore,Apache,Baja,Checkmate,Donzi,Eliminator,Formula,Fountain,HTM,Hustler,Laverycraft,Pantera,Powerquest,Powerplay,Scarab,Sonic,Skater,Douglas Skater,Spectre,Sunsation,Superboat,Velocity,boat storage,boat transportation,AMT,technical advice,AMT,Armada,Black Thunder,Carrera,Chris Craft,Cougar,DCB,Express Cat,Hallett,Howard,Jaguar,Magnum,Motion,Nordic,Nortech,Outerlimits,Phantom,Profile,Saber,Sutphen,Talon,Warlock,Wellcraft,Ocean Express,Gaffrig,CMI,headers,mirage props,choppers,GPS,trim tabs,bennet,sport master,gear case,trim tab indicators,gelcote,quicksilver,myco trailers,apba,sbi,supercat,drives,imco,bmax drive,stainless marine,speedmaster,latham marine,marine machine,k-plane,kiekhaefer,livorsi,used boats,throttles,cams,blowers,intercoolers,vortech,shifters,props,powerboat magazine,catamaran,cobra power,chief engines,keith eickert,richie zul,doller offshore,custom marine,Hustler,holley,powerboat,Mayfair steering,Teague custom marine,arneson,boat insurance,pro charger,corsa,nose cones,transom,sea strainer,msd ignition,whipple,billet,stern advantage,hydromotive,bravo shop,boat loans,extreme marine,forum,bulletin,board,photo,gallery,pictures,events,chat,irc,live,classifieds,auctions,ewebtricity.net,tntcustommarine.com,performanceboatschool.com,tresmartinperformance.com,custommarinesales.com,anglersonly.comGeneral Boating Discussion – How many volts are supposed to be at ignition coil? – Hi, I have a 94 4.3lx with the thunderbolt ignition. How many volts are supposed to be at the coil? I think it is supposed to be 12v correct? I know older engines with points need to be lower with about 9v but I dont think that applies
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how many volts does the + wire to the coil have? | IH8MUD Forum
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- Summary of article content: Articles about how many volts does the + wire to the coil have? | IH8MUD Forum Large black wire with yellow strip is the power wire from the ignition switch to the coil. It should have approx 12 V with the key on. Either … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for how many volts does the + wire to the coil have? | IH8MUD Forum Large black wire with yellow strip is the power wire from the ignition switch to the coil. It should have approx 12 V with the key on. Either … I am installing a 60 series igniter and ignition into my 73 FJ40. As I was cleaning up wires and connecting them, I decided to check some wires the PO had…
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DENSO | Back to basics: How an ignition coil works
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- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for DENSO | Back to basics: How an ignition coil works The magnetic field is initially created when the vehicle’s electrical system applies approximately 12 volts to the ignition coil’s primary … All ignition systems for modern petrol engines use ignition coils for the same basic function: to create the high voltage required to produce a spark at the spark plug. Aftermarket professionals will be familiar with their purpose and basic attributes –…
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Checking the low-tension circuit | How a Car Works
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- Summary of article content: Articles about Checking the low-tension circuit | How a Car Works A ballast-resistor system ; The voltage reaching the coil may be 12 volts , or about 7 volts if the coil has a ballast resistor ; Most electrical equipment works … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for Checking the low-tension circuit | How a Car Works A ballast-resistor system ; The voltage reaching the coil may be 12 volts , or about 7 volts if the coil has a ballast resistor ; Most electrical equipment works … The low-tension (LT), or primary-ignition, circuit consists of the battery , ignition switch , contact breaker, and the primary winding of the coil .
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Checking the battery
A ballast-resistor system
Checking the voltage
Checking the coil
Checking distributor leads
Checking the points
Other faults possible
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How does an Ignition Coil Work and What Factors Influence Its Performance?
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- Summary of article content: Articles about How does an Ignition Coil Work and What Factors Influence Its Performance? A 100:1 turns ratio (typical of many coils on the market) means there are 100 secondary turn windings to every one primary turn. With a 100:1 … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for How does an Ignition Coil Work and What Factors Influence Its Performance? A 100:1 turns ratio (typical of many coils on the market) means there are 100 secondary turn windings to every one primary turn. With a 100:1 … Coil output is a factor of its turns ratio, primary resistance, and input voltage—assuming it has enough time to fully “recharge” between firing impulses.
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You asked: How much voltage does a motorcycle coil send? – Life of two wheels
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- Summary of article content: Articles about You asked: How much voltage does a motorcycle coil send? – Life of two wheels La coil Ignition is an essential part of the ignition system of a gasoline engine. She generates the voltage necessary on the electrode of the spark plug … …
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How many volts does a motorcycle coil generate
What voltage must reach the coil
How to know if the ignition coil is failing motorcycle
What is a motorcycle high coil
How many windings does an ignition coil have
How to know if a coil is burnt
What happens when the coil does not work well
Where is the ignition coil located
What happens when the coil of a motorcycle fails
How long does an ignition coil last
How do I know if my stator is failing
You asked: How much voltage does a motorcycle coil send? – Life of two wheels
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- Summary of article content: Articles about You asked: How much voltage does a motorcycle coil send? – Life of two wheels This sends current through the secondary winding. The coil becomes a transformer, stepping the voltage up. If your car uses a 12 volt battery, … …
- Most searched keywords: Whether you are looking for You asked: How much voltage does a motorcycle coil send? – Life of two wheels This sends current through the secondary winding. The coil becomes a transformer, stepping the voltage up. If your car uses a 12 volt battery, …
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How many volts does a motorcycle coil generate
What voltage must reach the coil
How to know if the ignition coil is failing motorcycle
What is a motorcycle high coil
How many windings does an ignition coil have
How to know if a coil is burnt
What happens when the coil does not work well
Where is the ignition coil located
What happens when the coil of a motorcycle fails
How long does an ignition coil last
How do I know if my stator is failing
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Ignition coil
Automobile fuel ignition system component
Aceon Bright Ignition Coil
An ignition coil (also called a spark coil) is an induction coil in an automobile’s ignition system that transforms the battery’s voltage to the thousands of volts needed to create an electric spark in the spark plugs to ignite the fuel. Some coils have an internal resistor, while others rely on a resistor wire or an external resistor to limit the current flowing into the coil from the car’s 12-volt supply. The wire that goes from the ignition coil to the distributor and the high voltage wires that go from the distributor to each of the spark plugs are called spark plug wires or high tension leads. Originally, every ignition coil system required mechanical contact breaker points and a capacitor (condenser). More recent electronic ignition systems use a power transistor to provide pulses to the ignition coil. A modern passenger automobile may use one ignition coil for each engine cylinder (or pair of cylinders), eliminating fault-prone spark plug cables and a distributor to route the high voltage pulses.
Ignition systems are not required for diesel engines which rely on compression to ignite the fuel/air mixture.
Basic principles [ edit ]
An ignition coil consists of a laminated iron core surrounded by two coils of copper wire. Unlike a power transformer, an ignition coil has an open magnetic circuit — the iron core does not form a closed loop around the windings. The energy that is stored in the magnetic field of the core is the energy that is transferred to the spark plug.
The primary winding has relatively few turns of heavy wire. The secondary winding consists of thousands of turns of smaller wire, insulated from the high voltage by enamel on the wires and layers of oiled paper insulation. The coil is usually inserted into a metal can or plastic case with insulated terminals for the high voltage and low voltage connections. When the contact breaker closes, it allows current from the battery to flow through the primary winding of the ignition coil. The current does not flow instantly because of the inductance of the coil. Current flowing in the coil produces a magnetic field in the core and in the air surrounding the core. The current must flow long enough to store enough energy in the field for the spark. Once the current has built up to its full level, the contact breaker opens. Since it has a capacitor connected across it, the primary winding and the capacitor form a tuned circuit, and as the stored energy oscillates between the inductor formed by the coil and the capacitor, the changing magnetic field in the core of the coil induces a much larger voltage in the secondary of the coil. More modern electronic ignition systems operate on exactly the same principle, but some rely on charging the capacitor to around 400 volts rather than charging the inductance of the coil. The timing of the opening of the contacts (or switching of the transistor) must be matched to the position of the piston in the cylinder so that the spark may be timed to ignite the air/fuel mixture to extract the most angular momentum possible. This is usually several degrees before the piston reaches top dead center. The contacts are driven off a shaft that is driven by the engine camshaft, or, if electronic ignition is used, a sensor on the engine shaft controls the timing of the pulses.
The amount of energy in the spark required to ignite the air-fuel mixture varies depending on the pressure and composition of the mixture, and on the speed of the engine. Under laboratory conditions as little as 1 millijoule is required in each spark, but practical coils must deliver much more energy than this to allow for higher pressure, rich or lean mixtures, losses in ignition wiring, and plug fouling and leakage. When gas velocity is high in the spark gap, the arc between the terminals is blown away from the terminals, making the arc longer and requiring more energy in each spark. Between 30 and 70 milli-joules are delivered in each spark.
Materials [ edit ]
Formerly, ignition coils were made with varnish and paper insulated high-voltage windings, inserted into a drawn-steel can and filled with oil or asphalt for insulation and moisture protection. Coils on modern automobiles are cast in filled epoxy resins which penetrate any voids within the winding.
A modern single-spark system has one coil per spark plug. To prevent premature sparking at the start of the primary pulse, a diode or secondary spark gap is installed in the coil to block the reverse pulse that would otherwise form.
In a coil meant for a wasted spark system, the secondary winding has two terminals isolated from the primary, and each terminal connects to a spark plug. With this system, no extra diode is needed since there would be no fuel-air mixture present at the inactive spark plug.[1]
In a low-inductance coil, fewer primary turns are used, so primary current is higher. This is not compatible with the capacity of mechanical breaker points, so solid-state switching is used.
Use in cars [ edit ]
Diagram of the Citroën 2CV wasted spark ignition system
Early gasoline (petrol) internal combustion engines used a magneto ignition system, since no battery was fitted to the vehicle; magnetos are still used in piston-engine aircraft to keep the engine running in the event of an electrical failure. The voltage produced by a magneto is dependent on the speed of the engine, making starting difficult. A battery-operated coil can provide a high-voltage spark even at low speeds, making starting easier.[2] When batteries became common in automobiles for cranking and lighting, the ignition coil system displaced magneto ignition.
In older vehicles, a single coil would serve all the spark plugs via the ignition distributor. Notable exceptions are the Saab 92, some Volkswagens, and the Wartburg 353 which have one ignition coil per cylinder. The flat twin cylinder 1948 Citroën 2CV used one double ended coil without a distributor, and just contact breakers, in a wasted spark system.
Modern ignition systems [ edit ]
Coil-pack of an Opel engine
In modern systems, the distributor is omitted and ignition is instead electronically controlled. Much smaller coils are used with one coil for each spark plug or one coil serving two spark plugs (for example two coils in a four-cylinder engine, or three coils in a six-cylinder engine). A large ignition coil puts out about 40 kV, and a small one such as from a lawn mower puts out about 15 kV. These coils may be remotely mounted or they may be placed on top of the spark plug, known as direct ignition (DI) or coil-on-plug. Where one coil serves two spark plugs (in two cylinders), it is through the wasted spark system. In this arrangement, the coil generates two sparks per cycle to both cylinders. The fuel in the cylinder that is nearing the end of its compression stroke is ignited, whereas the spark in its companion that is nearing the end of its exhaust stroke has no effect. The wasted spark system is more reliable than a single coil system with a distributor and less expensive than coil-on-plug.
Where coils are individually applied per cylinder, they may all be contained in a single molded block with multiple high-tension terminals. This is commonly called a coil-pack.
A bad coil pack may cause a misfire, bad fuel consumption or loss of power.
Related coils [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Diagnostic Solutions: Ignition Coil Diagnostics
By Gary Goms. During the past century, ignition coil configurations have evolved from oil-filled canister to epoxy-filled to e-core to waste spark and to the most modern coil-on-plug or “pencil” coils. Whatever the configuration, an ignition coil creates a spark by transforming amperage into volts.
To illustrate, an oil-filled ignition coil might require about 4 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 20-30 kilovolts (kV), while a modern e-core or coil-on-plug configuration might require about 7 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 30-60 kV of high-intensity spark. Keep in mind that, because many different factors affect the voltage multiplication process, the ultimate voltage output will vary according to design and operating conditions.
Whatever the configuration, an ignition coil has three parts: a primary circuit, a secondary circuit and a soft-iron core. A magnetic field is created around the soft-iron core when an electric current flows through the primary circuit or winding. When the current flowing through a few hundreds of turns of primary winding is interrupted, the resulting magnetic field collapses into many thousands of turns in the secondary winding. By “cutting” the magnetic field many thousands of times, the secondary winding multiplies or transforms low battery voltage into the voltages needed to create an ignition spark.
Keep in mind that the actual output voltage of the coil depends upon the air/fuel (A/F) ratio and the running compression of the engine at the spark plug gap. In general, lean A/F ratios and high cylinder pressures tend to increase the voltage requirement at the spark plug.
THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT
An ignition coil primary circuit includes the battery voltage or B+ terminal attached to a 12-volt current source and a ground or B- terminal attached to a power transistor that controls primary current flow. To create a spark, the power transistor is commanded by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to form a magnetic field in the coil by grounding the primary circuit. Coil “saturation” occurs as the magnetic field is formed. The PCM then commands the power transistor to interrupt the primary circuit and collapse the magnetic field, which then creates an ignition spark.
The primary circuit on-time is generally referred to as “dwell angle” on distributor ignitions and “duty cycle” on distributorless ignitions. Dwell angle and duty cycle begin when the primary circuit is grounded and ends when the primary circuit is interrupted.
While some import electronic ignitions mount a power transistor directly onto the coil, the power transistor in most ignitions is incorporated into a separate ignition control module (ICM). To further simplify ignition hardware, most modern configurations incorporate the power transistor or primary ignition “driver” into the PCM.
Because most modern ignition systems are capable of producing secondary voltages up to 60,000 volts or 60 kV, the ignition systems are programmed to reduce coil operating temperatures by reducing the duty cycle or “on-time” at idle speeds, and also by increasing the duty cycle at high engine speeds. This feature increases coil life by reducing the coil’s internal operating temperature.
SECONDARY CIRCUIT
The secondary circuit of a distributor ignition system is comprised of the secondary ignition coil windings, distributor cap, distributor rotor, spark plug cable and spark plug. Distributorless systems have eliminated the distributor cap and rotor, but have retained the spark plug cable.
Toyota, among others, often utilizes a “hybrid” waste-spark ignition on V-block engines. In this configuration, the ignition coils on one cylinder bank are mounted directly onto the spark plugs, and the spark plugs on the opposing bank are connected to the coils by ignition cables. In contrast, a dedicated COP ignition system mounts the coil directly onto the spark plug. Obviously, the COP system has the least number of components to fail. See Photo 3.
IGNITION COIL DIAGNOSTICS
Right off the top, I want to emphasize that intermittent ignition coil failures are tough to diagnose because ignition coil windings tend to be very sensitive to engine heat. Remember that heat increases primary and secondary circuit resistance and that both windings expand with heat. This is why an ignition coil might pass all shop tests, but will still fail when subjected to high operating temperatures and maximum loads.
I’m also the first to say that a variety of opinions exist about how to test ignition coils and ignition systems. The most basic method is measuring a coil’s primary and secondary resistance. If a coil doesn’t meet the manufacturer’s specifications, it should be considered defective. But meeting primary and secondary resistance specifications on the bench is no guarantee that the coil will perform correctly under extreme heat and load.
The next method is a process of elimination that tests the coil driver. Because cranking dwell time on modern systems can be seven degrees or less, never use a conventional test light for testing. Instead, use a DVOM to measure duty cycle or to measure for the presence of voltage drop at the coil B- as the driver switches the coil on to off. If the coil driver works, the coil is presumably defective.
The most conventional method for testing coils is to observe how well the spark jumps across an air gap while cranking the engine. This method has several problems because cranking the engine with a defective or poorly charged battery simply won’t deliver the primary voltage needed to properly saturate the coil’s primary windings. The battery must also maintain at least 10 volts at the PCM to keep the PCM fully operational.
Because the testing at an air gap must be constant and measurable, many techs use spark testers that create approximately a 0.250” gap for older ignitions and a 0.500” spark gap for later, high-voltage ignitions. The color of the spark often has more to do with atmospheric contamination than it does with the quality of the spark. In some cases, a really “hot” spark is nearly invisible to the eye. Last, any spark generally appears weak when seen in direct sunlight, which can confuse the diagnosis.
Ignition scope analysis can be equally confusing because, during the days of contact point ignitions, technicians compared their scope captures with an “ideal” waveform pattern that contained a specific number of primary and secondary oscillations in the coil waveform. But, when transistors are used to interrupt the primary circuit, the primary and secondary waveforms can vary dramatically from the “ideal” waveforms pictured in many automotive texts.
As the epoxy-filled and external iron core configurations (e-core) were popularly introduced in the early 1980s, we saw the primary and secondary waveform oscillations nearly disappear. With a waste-spark secondary ignition coil operating on both positive and negative grounds, we also see quite a difference between compression and exhaust waveforms. Because most COP designs lack accessibility, secondary waveform analysis has become difficult to execute in most applications.
The type of scope equipment being used is also critical for an accurate waveform analysis. Most automotive lab scopes won’t tolerate the high voltage “kick” encountered during primary and secondary circuit testing. Others lack the resolution or definition needed for accurate coil waveform analysis. On the other hand, most will display a secondary waveform by using an inductive adapter attached to the spark plug cable or to the coil top on COP applications.
CURRENT RAMPING
Most advanced technicians are now using PC-based ignition scopes capable of a wide range of diagnostic displays and modes. For average circumstances, a high-quality digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) will suffice. Whatever the choice, keep in mind that training opens the door and that practice makes perfect when using a scope to analyze ignition system performance.
Because access to secondary waveform testing is nearly impossible on modern COP ignitions, most advanced diagnostic technicians use a lab scope and a low-amperage inductive current probe to measure and display current flow through the coil’s primary circuit. See Photo 4.
In review, an oil-filled ignition coil requires about 3-5 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 20-30 kV, while a modern e-core or coil-on-plug configuration might require as much as 10 amperes of current at 12 volts to produce 30-60 kV of high-intensity spark. The ICM or PCM primary circuits can be a non-current-limiting design, which creates a pointed current ramp waveform. The ICM or PCM primary circuits can also be a current-limiting design that creates a “flat-top” waveform indicating that the primary current is being limited to predetermined values.
Access to the primary circuit can most often be obtained through the “ignition” fuse in the vehicle fuse box or directly at the primary ignition wiring harness leading to the ignition coils. In many cases, all of the system’s ignition coils are powered by a single wire, which simplifies attaching an inductive current probe.
In COP ignitions with no other access, a set of jumper wires can be used to attach an inductive current probe.
If the coil driver in the PCM is ruined or if an ICM fails, it’s always good procedure to check the current ramp on the ignition coil. Remember that most ignition coils shouldn’t draw more than eight amperes. If in doubt, compare amperage draw with a similar known-good system. If a coil is drawing excessive amperage, the primary circuit might be shorted which, in turn, might ruin the new PCM or ICM. If you’re in doubt about the integrity of any ignition coil, it’s better to replace with new than to risk a costly comeback.
How an Ignition Coil Works
The average vehicle ignition coil puts out 20,000 to 30,000 volts, and coils used in racing applications are capable of 50,000 or more volts at a constant rate. This new voltage is then routed to the distributor via the coil wire, which is just like the spark plug wires, only normally much shorter. This high voltage output is exactly why the plug wires in your vehicle should be kept in good shape, because when they begin to arc and fail, the car not only loses horsepower but the electrical system can be affected, as well. Some vehicles use one coil per cylinder. That means that each spark plug in the engine has its own coil. The theory is the same, however, in those setups.
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