how to test a coil? and what ouputsshould i see?

[badas]

Need to test my coil on a honda mtx 125 (1990) today to make sure its working...

I have looked arround the net and got a rough guide but wanted to know what BCF methods you guys use?

Also what outputs should i be getting from the coil?

Ive lost my workshop manual and struggle to successfully download an online version

thanks

[Lynxx]

to test my coils i always just unhook them and then hook a battery to the coil, wrap the ground around the metal of the coil or green terminal. then wrap another ground around the spark plug, then hit the hot wire onto the other terminal of the coil, you should see a spark hop across if its any good. batery may be dead too though so test it first.
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Current: 1992 Suzuki GSF400V - 1984 Honda MTX200 (SOLD) - 1975 Honda Xl350 (SOLD) - 1993 Honda CB250 (SOLD)

[Lynxx]

another easyer way to test it is to just get a strand of wire and run a wire straight from your MTX,s battery to the positive wire on the coil. it should give you a shock if you hold onto the spark plug momentarily as you tap the wire onto the battery if your ground, coil or battery is any good
____________________
Current: 1992 Suzuki GSF400V - 1984 Honda MTX200 (SOLD) - 1975 Honda Xl350 (SOLD) - 1993 Honda CB250 (SOLD)

[badas]

don't quite fancy shocking myself from a coil or spark plug ....

had to replace the battery today though as found it was only at 10 volts, the lead plate was also stripping down to copper inside the battery on a few cells and one or two of the cells sempt pretty shagged as they were bubbling badly when charged...

bought a new battery today, charging fine at the moment in time so will get to fit it into the bike tomorrow.

fingers crossed the battery was the source to the problem as i can't afford to spend much more on the bike atm

[Lynxx]

well a coils only about 7 pounds new for my MTX but a coils a coil anyway. wont make any difference if its for a kawasaki or a honda. and battery being low wouldnt help you at all mate my battery at the moment the ground wire is shorted it isnt even hooked up and it starts without it. your problem is either magneto, coil, Ground or CDI. battery doesnt do anything on a MTX except keep the lights running when the engine is shut off. could of told you that before you baught it
____________________
Current: 1992 Suzuki GSF400V - 1984 Honda MTX200 (SOLD) - 1975 Honda Xl350 (SOLD) - 1993 Honda CB250 (SOLD)

[badas]

still need a decent battery to have the thing running at its best and to properly test other electrics though

what coil did you end up getting and don't suppose you have a hains manual for the bike?

it is a honda mtx 125 ain it?

cheers

[Lynxx]

yeah it is a MTX125 i have and no dont have a manual but i do have a PDF manual thats in french that i cant read. i can tell you how to test your mtx just by looking at my mtx, i know Hondas wiring color code like the back of my hand
____________________
Current: 1992 Suzuki GSF400V - 1984 Honda MTX200 (SOLD) - 1975 Honda Xl350 (SOLD) - 1993 Honda CB250 (SOLD)

[badas]

just bought a new HT lead as the old one was prety shagged to be honest and tested both ends with a ohms setting and getting some good numbers....


so then went and tested using a multimetre the two points inside teh cap where the spark plug connects and the HT lead and got no numbers on the multimetre....

how should i test that the sparplug cap thing isn't broken inside?

thanks

[Vincent]

Take the spark plug out, plug it into the cap, rest the bottom part of the plug against the engine to earth it and kick the engine over to see if you have a spark. Take the cap off and do the same test with the end of the HT lead. Just make sure you use something insulated to hold the lead and the cap, otherwise you may get a pisser