no spark

[oldboat1]

Re: no spark

Hey OBJ -- good stuff on the condenser test. I'll try it. If you come up with something on coil tests with the multimeter, I could use the info. I've got four coils and four condensers that I could check (two magnetos, with neither one producing spark) -- thought when I started I was all ready to go, as I already had repair parts....

 

[oldboat1]

Re: no spark

This is getting interesting -- maybe some progress. Scotiany provided some instructions on checking coils, and the coils seems to check out OK (both the ones in the motor I'm working on, and the coils in the "parts" motor). Both primary and secondary resistance tests showed results well within limits. In doing OBJ's condenser test, however, I find that all four condensers might be bad. I get resistance levels that hold steady (don't drop to zero) -- tried it at Rx1, 10, 100, 1K and 10K just to see if it made a difference. The needle holds steady, and never goes to zero. But that's with the condenser installed. With the condenser lead wire disconnected, I get no resistance between the lead and the condenser case (no needle movement at all).<br /><br />I disconnected only one of the condenser leads so far. If the "no reading" is significant, I'll do that to the other three I want to test. What do these readings and non-readings mean?<br /><br />(EDIT: tested for continuity between the disconnected condenser lead and the case -- no continuity, which should be a good thing (?))

 

[OBJ]

Re: no spark

oldboat....dummy me forgot to tell ya' that you have to diconnect the condenser lead to do the test. You probably were reading through the plate the condenser is setting on. That's why the needle rose and stayed there.<br /><br />However, if you diconnected the lead and measured, and got no movement at all, this would tell me the condenser IS bad. Burnt out probably. Try the others and see what comes up.<br /><br />Jim

 

[oldboat1]

Re: no spark

Hey -- not to flog a dead horse....<br /><br />The horse ain't dead -- managed to get spark at both plugs. I was finally able to conclude that one of the coils was dead, but that the other one had some life (the two replacement coils as well). I'm still not sure about the condensors, although I could test out the two remaining ones I have now that the magneto works (no interest in doing that, as I don't want to spoil a good thing.) The bad coil failed the secondary resistance test when I retested it (read inifinity on the thousand ohm scale, which is said to show an open circuit in the secondary windings.) <br /><br />So It's back together, and should be ready to run -- waiting for a break in the weather to try it out.<br /><br />Thanks for all the assistance!

 

[OBJ]

Re: no spark

Great work oldboat!! <br /><br />Hope she purrs like a kitten for ya!

 

[oldboat1]

Re: no spark

Many thanks for the assists, OBJ -- think I learned a little. Even had some fun.<br /><br /> regards