How to Determine if the Igniter is Faulty?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if the igniter is faulty are as follows: 1. First, remove the spark plug for inspection. Normally, the spark plug gap should be between 0.5 to 0.7mm. You can use the thickness of a small hacksaw blade to check the gap; it should feel slightly stuck when inserted. 2. After confirming that the spark plug is functioning properly, attach the high-voltage cap and ground the outer electrode of the spark plug to the engine body. Turn on the power switch and rotate the engine to see if the spark plug sparks. If there is no spark or the spark is weak, it can be concluded that the ignition system is indeed faulty. Below are the steps to handle a faulty igniter: 1. After confirming a circuit fault, first check if there is AC voltage at the output end of the igniter charging coil. If there is no voltage output, it can be determined that the charging winding is faulty, and the magneto must be disassembled to inspect or replace the charging winding. 2. Place the high-voltage wire directly about 5mm away from the engine body. Then, rotate the engine. If the high-voltage wire sparks strongly and produces a sound, the high-voltage wire is intact, and the issue lies with the high-voltage cap.
After driving for so many years, I mainly rely on observing the engine's behavior to judge whether the ignition system is faulty. If the engine makes a buzzing sound but fails to start, it's likely an ignition issue; if the car shakes like it's dancing while driving, especially during low-speed turns or uphill climbs, it's often the ignition coil acting up. I've tried using a multimeter myself: unplug the ignition connector and measure the resistance—normally it should be between 0.5 and 1 ohm. If there's no response or an extremely low value, it's definitely broken. Another lazy trick is to unplug the coil connectors one by one and observe the engine's reaction—if the shaking gets worse, that coil is fine; if there's no change, it might be faulty. But this method isn't foolproof. For a definitive answer, it's best to take it to a repair shop and let the mechanic check with professional equipment to avoid damaging other parts by mistake.
