If you own a car, you’re probably familiar with the allure of the test drive. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just jumping in and taking off. There are certain things you need to check before letting someone else take your car for a spin. One of these things is the ignition system. If something goes wrong with your ignition system, it could lead to serious consequences. In this blog post, we will explore how to test car ignition systems and ensure that everything is in order.
What You’ll Need
In order to test your car’s ignition system, you’ll need the following items: a voltmeter, an ammeter, a timing light, and a Jumper Wire.
1. Start your car and let it idle for a few minutes. This will warm up the engine and give you better results.
2. Connect your voltmeter to the battery positive terminal and your ammeter to the battery negative terminal.
3. Turn on your timing light so that it gives you a good visual of the timing marks on the engine block (usually located around 8-10 o’clock).
4. Connect your jumper wire between the +12V output on your voltmeter and one of the spark plugs on your engine (usually plug #1).
5. Wait until you see sparks from the spark plug (this will take about 4-6 seconds). Once you see sparks, record the voltage reading from your voltmeter (in volts) and write it down.
6. Disconnect the jumper wire from the spark plug and repeat steps 4-5 for each of the other spark plugs on your engine.
7. Compare each voltage reading from step 5 against the timing mark on your engine block (usually
How to Test the Ignition System
A faulty ignition system can be the cause of many car problems. Here are some tips on how to test your system:
1. Check all fuses. This is a good place to start when investigating a car problem. A blown fuse doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem with the ignition system, but it’s one indicator that you should look into it further.
2. Remove the spark plugs and connect an ohmmeter to each lead. The meter should show no resistance when the plug is touched to the ground wire (or any other wire). If there is resistance, this means something electrical is wrong with either the cable, connector or ground electrode.
3. Check for continuity between each lead and the terminal on the distributor cap or plug. Again, there shouldn’t be any resistance when you touch each lead to its terminal. If there is, it means there’s a break in continuity somewhere along the circuit – most likely at one of the connectors or wires connecting them together.
4. Check for power at the battery by removing both battery cables and touching them together where they meet in the engine bay (or near where they came out of the battery). There should be a spark
What to Look for When Testing an Ignition System
When testing an ignition system, you should focus on the following:
-The spark plug -The sparkplug should fire when you press down on it. If it doesn’t, the system may need to be replaced.
-The wires -Make sure the wires are not kinked or frayed. If they are, the system may not work properly.
-The coil -Make sure the coil is tightly connected to the distributor and that there is no smoke coming from it.
Conclusion
If you’re like most drivers, one of your biggest concerns is making sure your car will start when you need it to. Whether you’ve got a new car or an older model, it’s important to know how to test the ignition system. This guide will walk you through the steps needed to do this. Be sure to check out our other guides on automotive repair and maintenance too, so that you can keep your car running smoothly and avoid any major repairs down the road.