what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!? AND NEW QUESTION
04-14-2008, 07:06 PM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 923
what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!? AND NEW QUESTION
So I started the stang today and heard a clicking coming from under the hood. I realized that there was a nice decent sized blue spark coming off the ignition coil. I ran to the keys and turned off the engine, and went to check. The pics below are what I found (sorry for the iffy quality). There is like a black oily gunk inside the coil where the plug goes in and the inside of the plug was covered in it. There is also some black paint missing from the coil. I dont remember exactly where the sparks were coming from and I dont want to risk a fire to find out. Any ideas?
NEW QUESTION: see later post.
NEW QUESTION: see later post.
04-14-2008, 08:59 PM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Elk Grove, CA
Posts: 5,896
RE: what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!?
ORIGINAL: Scott H.
That's the potting resin/oil. At some point, either the key was left on, or the full 12V was applied to the coil while running, and overheated it.
Time to get a new coil, and make sure the voltage to the coil is correct so that this doesn't happen again.
Sparks most likely were between the tower, and the body, or possibly the negative terminal if you have points.
That's the potting resin/oil. At some point, either the key was left on, or the full 12V was applied to the coil while running, and overheated it.
Time to get a new coil, and make sure the voltage to the coil is correct so that this doesn't happen again.
Sparks most likely were between the tower, and the body, or possibly the negative terminal if you have points.
Something cooked it. Make sure you check the voltage at the coil with the ignition on and points closed (for a very short period of time). Should be 6-8V.
04-14-2008, 09:36 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Colorado
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RE: what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!?
Sounds good guys. My birthday is on saturday and im expecting a new distributor with integrated coil, so it wont be a problem. Once I get that, how exactly do I check the voltage?
04-14-2008, 10:13 PM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Posts: 923
RE: what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!?
Okay, sounds good, thanks for all the info. I was jumping the mustang with my moms car, which had 13.9v at the time, so maybe that overloaded it or something. Hopefully the new dist and coil will solve all my problems.
04-15-2008, 09:17 AM
#10
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 1,692
RE: what the heck is wrong with my ignition coil!?!?
He means that the 2 poles on the coil, where the wires connect, should be on the lower side as opposed to up. Hard to explain, but take a coil, lay it on it's side. The two poles will be a little offset from center. When you install the coil, make sure that the poles are on the lower edge. This is because the coil is oil filled and if there is a bubble in the oil, it will go to the top, so with the poles on top, they could be exposed, with the poles down, they will stay submerged in the oil.