pay attention to the ignition coil readings or not?

[C-Bass]

So I have 2 ignition coils that are giving me strange readings. After some searching on here it seems that the readings can be "off" quite a bit and the coil works fine.

I have 1 coil that is an early 90s vintage (the grey kind) and then I have another one that's newer and doesn't have the orange lead hard wired.

Should I disregard the readings I'm getting and give it a try anyway?

I have nothing that's verified as working, so troubleshooting the electrical will be a biotch if/when it comes to it anyway.

From my understanding the parts I have came from running machines...so worst case scenario I have to remove the plastics and gas tank if nothing works, right?

 

[mmajay]

I have had coils that tested bad work perfect.

 

[Awk08]

I have had coils that tested bad work perfect.

count me in on that too,

but i did find, with an analog multi meter, if set to the correct "range"
i could get proper readings
so if it called for 16 ohms for example, setting the meter to read the next highest range....20 ohms, i would get the correct reading,
if i jumped to the 100 ohm range, the readings were off ??????

 

[C-Bass]

I'm working with a cheap-O digital meter that has 200, 2000, 20k, 200k, 2000k as the ranges.

When I put it on the leads the reading goes up and down from 1.1 to 1.6 sometimes spikes to 2 ish...generally all over the place as far as a reading in my books goes.

So the panel says go with it anyway?

Grey coil? Black?

 

[Budget_Blaster]

Im using a coil i had off a street bike i cant remember what its for but it throws and nice fat blue spark and will make you piss down leg if you grab it while someone kicks its over.

Anyone else using a coil off a bike or see any issues with using one?

 

[C-Bass]

Im using a coil i had off a street bike i cant remember what its for but it throws and nice fat blue spark and will make you piss down leg if you grab it while someone kicks its over.

Anyone else using a coil off a bike or see any issues with using one?

lol

I was reading earlier that there is a specific resistance that the CDI needs to see for things to work properly. I think that the Blaster coil is 3ohm

 

[Budget_Blaster]

Dont know it didnt have one on it when i bought it and i had it laying around so i tossed it on an voila it worked.

Its worked since 09 like that.

 

[Larry's Shee]

If it's a cheap Harbor Freight (like one I have) Make sure the battery in it is good. Also if your're checking with cap also readings will be different. Also temp will affect readings

 

[slickerthanyou]

I have yet to find a stock coil measure according to specs for both primary and secondary, and they all worked for a while... Clean the rust off that whit or grey one before ya use it.

 

[C-Bass]

I decided to go with the grey one just because it has the orange wire attached and the other would require me to dig up connectors and crimpers etc,.

 

[Luni]

The biggest thing you need to take into consideration when testing electrical is ambient temperature of the area youre testing in and the temp of the part (like if it was outside and its cold, or hot, or whatever). That right there can throw you readings off bad.

Likewise, Ive tested perfectly working coils and had them test bad. The test on a coil IMO is to connect it up to a blaster and if it starts and runs, the coil works.