TEST 2: Testing For Spark At The Ignition Coil Pack
IMPORTANT: This test section only applies if you got a no-spark test result from only one spark plug wire (in TEST 1).
Now that you've identified a non-sparking spark plug wire in TEST 1, your next step is to test for spark on the ignition coil pack tower to which that wire connects to.
NOTE: To connect the spark tester to the ignition coil pack tower, you'll need a small piece of vacuum hose as indicated by the orange arrow in the photo above.
These are the test steps:
- 1
Remove the spark plug wire that did not fire off spark from the ignition coil pack.
- 2
Connect the spark tester directly on the ignition coil pack tower using a small piece of vacuum hose (the arrow in the photo above points to the small piece of vacuum hose I'm using).
NOTE: The piece of vacuum hose must be small enough so that the spark tester makes metal to metal contact with the ignition coil pack tower (see photo above). - 3
Connect the spark tester with a battery jump start cable to the battery negative (-) terminal.
- 4
Have your helper crank the engine while you observe the spark tester.
CAUTION: The engine may start, so be careful. - 5
You're gonna' get one of two results: spark or no spark.
Let's take a look at what your test results mean:
CASE 1: You got spark. This result lets you know that the ignition coil pack is good and that the spark plug wire that did not spark is bad. Replace all of the spark plug wires as a set.
CASE 2: You got NO spark. With this test result you can conclude the ignition coil pack is bad.
Replace the ignition coil pack to solve the misfire issue and/or the misfire code lighting up the check engine light (CEL) on the instrument cluster.
If the spark plug wires are as old as the ignition coil pack, I recommend replacing them too.
TEST 3: Testing For Spark At The Ignition Coil Pack (Paired Cylinders)
IMPORTANT: This test section only applies if you got a no-spark test result from two spark plug wires that connect to two paired cylinders (in TEST 1). These two spark plug wires would connect to cylinders #1 and 4 or cylinders #2 and #3.
In this test section, you'll check for spark directly on the ignition coil pack towers of the spark plug wires that did not spark in TEST 1.
You'll test one ignition coil pack tower first and then do the same for the remaining one.
NOTE: You'll need a small piece of vacuum hose to attach your spark tester to the ignition coil tower you need to test for spark (the orange arrow points to this piece of vacuum hose in the photo above).
These are the test steps:
- 1
Remove the spark plug wire that did not fire off spark from the ignition coil pack.
- 2
Connect the spark tester directly on the ignition coil tower using a small piece of vacuum hose (the arrow in the photo above points to the small piece of vacuum hose I'm using).
NOTE: The piece of vacuum hose must be small enough so that the spark tester makes metal to metal contact with the ignition coil tower (see photo above). - 3
Connect the spark tester with a battery jump start cable to the battery negative (-) terminal.
- 4
Have your helper crank the engine while you observe the spark tester.
CAUTION: The engine may start, so be careful. - 5
You're gonna' get one of two results: spark or no spark.
- 6
Repeat the spark test on the other ignition coil tower whose spark plug wire did not spark in TEST 1.
Let's take a look at what your test results mean:
CASE 1: You got spark from both coil pack towers. This result lets you know that the ignition coil pack is good and that the spark plug wires that did not spark are bad. Replace all of the spark plug wires as a set.
CASE 2: You got NO spark from one ignition coil pack tower (the other one sparks). The ignition coil pack is bad and the spark plug wire of the sparking tower is bad.
Replace the ignition coil pack and the spark plug wires with a new set to solve the misfire issue and/or the misfire code lighting up the check engine light (CEL) on the instrument cluster.
CASE 3: You got NO spark from both ignition coil pack towers. This test result usually tells you that the ignition coil pack is bad but you'll need to do one more test to make sure.
The next step is to make sure that the individual ignition coil (inside the coil pack) that supplies spark to these two towers is getting an activation signal. For this test, go to:
- No Spark Cylinders #1 and #4: TEST 6: Checking The Activation Signal For Cylinders 1 And 4
- No Spark Cylinders #2 and #3: TEST 7: Checking The Activation Signal For Cylinders 2 And 3
TEST 4: Testing For Spark At The Ignition Coil Pack (Non-Paired Cylinders)
IMPORTANT: This test section only applies if you got a no-spark test result from two or more spark plug wires and they do not connect to "paired cylinders" (in TEST 1). For example, you got no-spark from cylinder #1 and #3 spark plug wires (these are not "paired cylinders").
In this test section, you'll connect your spark tester directly to the ignition coil pack towers of the spark plug wires that didn't spark in TEST 1.
After checking the first ignition coil pack tower, you'll do the same spark test for the other tower (whose spark plug wire did not spark in TEST 1).
NOTE: To connect the spark tester to the ignition coil pack tower, you'll need to use a small piece of vacuum hose (as indicated by the orange arrow in the photo above).
Let's get started:
- 1
Remove the spark plug wire that did not fire off spark from the ignition coil pack.
- 2
Connect the spark tester directly on the ignition coil pack tower using a small piece of vacuum hose (the arrow in the photo above points to the small piece of vacuum hose I'm using).
NOTE: The piece of vacuum hose must be small enough so that the spark tester makes metal to metal contact with the ignition coil pack tower (see photo above). - 3
Connect the spark tester with a battery jump start cable to the battery negative (-) terminal.
- 4
Have your helper crank the engine while you observe the spark tester.
CAUTION: The engine may start, so be careful. - 5
You're gonna' get one of two results: spark or no spark.
- 6
Repeat the spark test on the other ignition coil tower whose spark plug wire did not spark in TEST 1.
Let's take a look at what your test results mean:
CASE 1: You got spark. This result lets you know that the ignition coil pack is good and that the spark plug wires that did not spark are bad. Replace all of the spark plug wires as a set.
CASE 2: You got NO spark from one ignition coil pack tower (the other one sparks). The ignition coil pack is bad and the spark plug wire of the sparking tower is bad.
Replace the ignition coil pack and the spark plug wires with a new set to solve the misfire issue and/or the misfire code lighting up the check engine light (CEL) on the instrument cluster.
CASE 3: You got NO spark from both ignition coil pack towers. The ignition coil pack is bad. Replace the ignition coil pack.
If the spark plug wires are as old as the ignition coil pack, I recommend replacing them too.
