Ignition woes
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Test light, or voltmeter can be used if it has an analog sweep-style needle instead of a digital display.
The thing you're talking about is a tachometer for measuring how fast the engine is turning (which doesn't right now).
The thing you're talking about is a tachometer for measuring how fast the engine is turning (which doesn't right now).
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: Tacoma, WA
So I went to the parts store and dropped $6 on a tester. I only had a few minutes before I had to leave, so I grabbed my 12yo daughter and we went out to the truck.
First I removed the collar with all the wires, which slides on the coil to make the connection. Clipped the lead on the neg terminal, then got a good ground and had my daughter turn the key. No light.
I realized I took off the collar and broke the circuit, so I slid it back on. It was here that I saw the "TACH TEST" on the collar thing, which had a wire coming out of it. I opened the tester clip and just kind of stuck it in with the wire. My daughter started cranking, the light started blinking like hell...
...and then it started up...and was running. Holy hell.
I was shocked. I undid the tester clip. You could definitely hear a miss in the exhaust, but I was so dang surprised it was running at all after all these weeks.
UNFORTUNATELY we had to shut it off, had to be somewhere. Is the wire coming out of the tach test deal possibly loose, and when I put in the tester clip, it made the connection?
Or is this just mojo at work?
This thing FOR SURE was only giving me spark FROM the coil when the key switch was turned off, not when cranking.
I'm so flabbergasted. Thanks again for all this help, and walking me through this. I have no idea what's up.
First I removed the collar with all the wires, which slides on the coil to make the connection. Clipped the lead on the neg terminal, then got a good ground and had my daughter turn the key. No light.
I realized I took off the collar and broke the circuit, so I slid it back on. It was here that I saw the "TACH TEST" on the collar thing, which had a wire coming out of it. I opened the tester clip and just kind of stuck it in with the wire. My daughter started cranking, the light started blinking like hell...
...and then it started up...and was running. Holy hell.
I was shocked. I undid the tester clip. You could definitely hear a miss in the exhaust, but I was so dang surprised it was running at all after all these weeks.
UNFORTUNATELY we had to shut it off, had to be somewhere. Is the wire coming out of the tach test deal possibly loose, and when I put in the tester clip, it made the connection?
Or is this just mojo at work?
This thing FOR SURE was only giving me spark FROM the coil when the key switch was turned off, not when cranking.
I'm so flabbergasted. Thanks again for all this help, and walking me through this. I have no idea what's up.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
It's certainly possible that there was something flaky with the coil connector. I've had similar things happen - something doesn't work and simply unplugging/re-plugging seemed to "jostle" it enough. Maybe the connector wasn't seated all the way. It does seem like a bit of a coincidence; I'd keep an eye on it for now. Glad to hear it's moving forward though.
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