Intermittent shutoff problem

[Schurkey]

I’ve got an MT2500 too. How do you test the coil with it?

You don't test a coil with an MT2500.

You test a coil with a spray-bottle of water, an ohmmeter and a spark tester.

Verify that the coil wire boot is securely in place, not punctured, and preferably with a thin film of silicone dielectric grease between the inside of the boot and the coil tower. Similarly, make sure there's proper silicone seals on the plastic connectors on the coil primary wires.

Run the engine. Mist the coil with water. If the engine stalls or stumbles, you've likely got a cracked case or at least a carbon track on the case of the coil. Replace coil.

If it passes the ohmmeter tests--primary resistance, secondary resistance, and no short to ground--then it needs to be loaded with a spark tester calibrated for HEI coils.

This is the style I prefer, but there's plenty of others. The big thing is not the specific design, but that the thing has a large-enough gap to properly load an HEI coil rather than a points-and-condenser (ballast resistor) ignition. Remove coil wire from distributor. Connect the distributor end of the coil wire to the grounded spark tester, so that you can see it from the driver's seat as you crank the engine. Spark tester should show regular, even sparking. Lack of sparks, or a few random sparks instead of a steady stream of sparks mean the coil has failed internally.

https://www.amazon.com/Performance-...ywords=HEI+spark+tester&qid=1615837368&sr=8-8

If the coil fails any of these three tests--it's done.

 

[Medic0893]

So... after determining all the distributor parts were good I used the wind up solution... that’s where you wind up and throw a new coil at the problem... I know, no way to handle myself but I was disoriented by global warming. Besides for $20 is was worth the try... coils can be really tuff to diagnose and my time was worth more than the coil.

 

[Medic0893]

Oh yeah... almost everything sold by the major parts houses is Chinese crap, might as well get the cheapest one on eBay.

 

[Schurkey]

Oh yeah... almost everything sold by the major parts houses is Chinese crap, might as well get the cheapest one on eBay.

When I need a "new" coil, I stumble out to the Treasure Yard, and bring home a small bucket full of high-quality OEM coils.

Costs about three dollars apiece when I grab five.

 

[thegawd]

I did the same thing with ignition switches and heater control modules. almost always get a bucket of free **** as well.

Al

 

[Medic0893]

I miss the old days in the junk yard. Around here (Philly area) most junk yards are trying to make a million bucks. I was looking for a steel rim for a spare... $70. Needless to say I’m still using my donut. One yard charges admission! Even if you don’t pick anything you have to pay for the view.

 

[thegawd]

prolly also because the scrap value has fallen so low.... the yard I used crushed everything and dosent do the parts at the moment. dammit they had so many gm trucks! they had 1 gmt400 Escalade that I grabbed some **** from and I went back for the sunvisor and review mirror.... the yard was empty of all vehicles!

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

When we first had a pick a part yard in Houston, it was in the old industrial part of east downtown ( this was in 85 or so, nobody knew what gentrification was then or that it might come there!), and the yard went almost down to the bank of the bayou. Of course that furthest part from the gate is where the trucks were! Dad and I went there many a Saturday morning to get square body parts. Then in the 90s they added a north Houston location, and an east side location. Sometimes we'd hit all 3 if it was nice weather and we had $$. I think about all the 60s and 70s cars and trucks that we got stuff from, and I think, wow was that really 20 years ago?
The original location got closed after it flooded a few times, and gentrification was starting to creep in. The property was likely too expensive to use for that purpose.....
After LKQ bought them out, they opened the yard closest to me, the south central Houston one. Gotta get out there again once it quits raining.....treasure hunting is fun but not in the mud!
Sorry for the thread Jack, all this chat about wrecking yards got me off down memory lane !