Are you looking for ways to efficiently test VW coil pack with a multimeter? If so, you have come to the right place! Let’s take a look below to know everything and more.
The VW coil pack is fixed in your vehicle to increase the 12 volts of energy from the battery into the thousand volts. This amount of voltage is required to amplify the spark plug of your vehicle. Since it performs as induction, a maximum voltage transformer should be used.
Although the CW coil pack is durable and reliable, it is susceptible to damage over time due to poor insulation, excessive heat, and frequent vibrations. As time passes, the coil will gradually destroy as a result.
Do you ever wonder how a VW coil pack actually function? The spark plug produces parks, so the fire can start from a high voltage supply. With the beginning of the combustion procedure, the VW coil pack produces between 50,000 and 75,000 volts of electricity.
Following that, the electronic control module sends a signal to the ignition control which leads to the voltage discharge from the VW coil pack via the spark plug cord.
However, the spark takes a high jump from the gap of the spark plug to the ground during the transmission. As a result, the fuel-air will be exploded in your cylinder boardroom.
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How to Tell If the VW Coil Pack has an Issue?
Following are some of the symptoms and signs that your coil pack is having problems with:
1. Backfiring
You will definitely know if your car backfires. The shaking and noisy sound of the vehicle will alert you that there is an issue with your car.
Of course, it’s impossible not to notice a powerful explosion, the car lurching forward and black smoke billowing from the exhaust pipe. In fact, the check engine light might turn on, and you will smell a strong odor of gasoline releasing from your vehicle.
In some cases, low fuel pressure is the reason. However, the ignition system is usually the one to blame for this problem.
Defected coils can affect the timings of the spark plug’s ignition, which leads to misfiring. Therefore, a bad coil pack will cause the engine to backfire.
2. Difficulty Starting the Engine
If your car is not getting started, you may believe that something is wrong with the battery. However, the ignition coil can also be the reason for such a problem.
If your vehicle has a one-per-plug system rather than a wasted spark system, it can trigger serious problems. If a few ignition coils are broken or defective, the car will still run, but it will not start as quickly or smoothly.
3. Engine Stalling
When a car stalls, it can make sudden stops and starts, making driving extremely challenging and frustrating – not to mention risky. If one or more of the ignition coils under the hood starts failing, it can lead to a car stall.
Irregular sparks would be sent to the spark plugs by the coils. The electrical charge applied would be uneven, preventing the engine from running smoothly and reliably. A defective or flawed coil pack causes the engine to stall.
4. Occasional Idling
If your car starts idling without warning, it may be due to a defective coil pack or ignition coils. Furthermore, when your car is driving, it will have less power, indicating something is wrong with your ignition system.
If the vehicle is having one or more of these issues, it’s time to check your ignition coils.
5. Low Fuel Economy
Your car will have to burn and use more fuel if your ignition coil does not send enough energy to the spark plugs. The only way the engine can continue to run is to exhaust the extra and residual fuel.
If your car’s gas mileage is significantly lower than usual, it may be due to a defective ignition coil. Ensure you know how many miles per gallon your car will typically travel before taking it for a quick test drive.
If you’re not sure how many miles per gallon you usually get, look at your dashboard for the odometer and add up the miles you’ve driven and the average miles per gallon you usually get.
Consequently, if you encounter any of these symptoms, you can perform a test on your machine’s VW coil pack to ascertain exactly what is wrong and ensure that it is in excellent or poor working order.
Running this test isn’t as complicated as you would imagine, and one of the most essential tools you’ll need is a multimeter, which makes testing simple and accurate.
This is particularly important when conducting a continuity test. Make sure your meter is matched to the VW coil pack’s reading value.
You may either conduct research online or consult your manufacturer’s manual script to do this properly.
Equipment You Need for Testing VW Coil Pack
You will require the following equipment when it comes to testing VW Coil Pack.
- A digital multimeter
- Essential hand tools for eliminating the VW coil pack
Guide to Running a Test on VW Coil Pack Efficiently
Let’s have a look at the guide to efficiently run a test on the VW coil pack with the help of a multimeter.
1. Research
Conduct research into your vehicle’s requirements to determine the right resistance reading value. This particular specification is often stated on the manufacturer’s manual script for your car, or you can obtain the resistance value by using your multimeter and observing the reading value shown on its screen.
2. Find the Coil Pack
Ensure that the VW coil pack is placed in your vehicle. It’s typically positioned precisely on the engine, right next to your spark plug, or on the engine from afar.
If your VW coil pack has a plastic coating, it is recommended that you gently remove it to find it without creating any disturbances.
3. Disconnection
You can do this by using hand tools to disconnect the wire harness from your VW coil kit. On the other hand, the VW coil pack is simple to remove since it is only tightened with one or two bolts.
4. Test the Circuits
In this step, check the primary circuit ignition of your coil pack. You must keep in mind that the coil pack consists of two significant circuits that need to be examined, including:
- The primary ignition circuit
- The secondary ignition circuit
Attach both the negative and positive leads of your multimeter to your VW coil pack’s negative and positive terminals.
You might get lucky and find that the negative and positive terminals are marked with symbols on your coil pack, but others would only have the two pins found on your connector.
The primary coil resistance should be between 0.4 and 2 ohms but double-check with your manufacturer’s manual script.
If the reading on your multimeter panel is zero, your VW coil pack has been electrocuted internally, and the primary windings have been electrocuted as well, requiring replacement.
5. Check the Secondary Circuit
Examine the secondary ignition circuit in your coil packs. Make sure your meter is connected to your VW coil pack’s positive terminal and the total output pin attached to your spark plug.
Also, the resistance of secondary coils should range from 6,000 ohms to 10,000 ohms. As we have mentioned before, always remember to refer to the manual script.
If the reading is zero, your VW coil pack is electrocuted and needs to be replaced to work correctly. If the reading value is greater than the reading value, your coil pack is open and needs to be replaced.
6. Do It Again
Do all the steps all over again as told, especially step 4 and 5. Examine each coil pack when it is still in its case. Be sure to carefully test the VW coil pack to avoid having any problem with the vehicle’s engine.
7. Reinstall
After replacing your VW coil pack, make sure you reinstall it properly. Once you are done, ensure to double-check that all of the electrical connectors are safe and reinstall any covers removed during the testing.
Conclusion
We hope that you find this guide useful and you can test VW coil pack with a multimeter without any hassle.
It is essential to know about testing a VW coil pack on your own as it plays a major role in the ignition system of your vehicle. When the ignition coil cannot perform well, it affects the overall performance of the engine. Hence, one must know the testing procedure for a quick solution.
With the help of this test, you can determine whether or not the VW coil pack is defective, so you can figure out whether or not to change it.
