How to Easily Test a Lawn Mower Coil

If you have a lawnmower that won’t start, the problem might be a simple one: the spark plug isn’t firing. Sometimes, the problem is easy to fix because all you have to do is to replace the plug. In case you have already done that and have also solved fuel and air circulation issues, you should also check the coil for continuity. For those who are not technical persons, the coil is the engine component responsible for creating the necessary voltage to fire the plug. If the coil is damaged, it can’t do its job, so the only solution is to replace it. However, don’t begin searching for a replacement coil until you are 100% sure that this one is damaged. Test whether or not the coil is working by checking its continuity. You can do this with an ohmmeter. Here is what you need to know.

• Testing continuity. The ignition coil is nothing more, but a single wire wound hundreds of times around the core. Any break that occurs in the wire transforms the coil into an inoperable one. You could uncover the coil and examine the wire, but it takes a long time, and it is impractical. The simplest and most efficient solution is to test continuity. The test is easy: you need to pass a small electric current through the wire. It will help you measure resistance with an ohmmeter. If the coil is intact, the resistance shows a measurable number between 2,500 and 5,000 ohms. If the resistance is infinite, the coil is broken.
• Finding the coil. You now know how easy it is to test continuity, and thus whether or not the coil is working, but how do you find it? Do you know where the coil sits? The test can be conducted only if you expose the coil housing. You will find it concealed by the engine cover. Dismantling the coil housing to expose it differs from one lawnmower model to another, but it usually consists of removing four or five screws.

As you can see, you don’t have to be a technician or an engineer to test the lawnmower coil. Any handy person can do this by following the simple steps mentioned above. If you feel that you need some extra guidance, read this post, and a professional is ready to help. Numerous people notice that they can’t start the lawnmower anymore, so they immediately decide to replace it, considering it to be broken. Lawnmowers are not cheap, and it is usually a problem that is easy to fix. Why would you waste a few hundred to a few thousand dollars on a new lawnmower when the one you have can be repaired? If you are not willing to repair it by yourself, there are plenty of companies that provide services for lawnmowers. Contact one of these companies and have your lawnmower repaired. It is going to be much cheaper than buying a new one.