TEST 2: Testing For Spark At The Ignition Coil Pack
IMPORTANT: This test section only applies if one or two spark plug wires that are connected to non-paired cylinders did not fire spark in TEST 1.
If you've reached this section, you got a no-spark test result from one or more spark plug wires that connect to 'non-paired' cylinders.
This could be caused by a bad spark plug wire or a bad ignition coil, and this is what we're gonna further investigate in this section.
To find out, you'll remove the spark plug wire that didn't spark (in TEST 1) from its ignition coil tower and attach the spark tester to the tower (just like in the illustration above).
After setting up the spark tester in the tower and grounding it, you'll crank the engine to check if the tower is firing spark.
Depending on your spark test result, we'll be able to determine if the spark plug wire is bad or if we need to investigate further.
Let's get started:
- 1
Remove the spark plug wire that did not fire off spark from the ignition coil pack.
- 2
Place the spark tester directly on the ignition coil tower of the spark plug wire you just removed (see photo above).
- 3
Connect the spark tester to the battery negative (-) terminal with a battery jump start cable.
- 4
Have your helper crank the engine. 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 result means:
CASE 1: You got spark. This is the correct test result.
You can conclude that the spark plug wire is defective if you have:
- Confirmed that the spark tester did not spark when attached to the spark plug wire (TEST 1).
- In this test section, confirmed that the spark plug wire's tower does spark.
Replace all of the spark plugs with a new set.
CASE 2: You got NO spark. The ignition coil is bad. Replacing the ignition coil will solve the misfire condition and the misfire code lighting up the check engine light (CEL) on the instrument cluster.
TEST 3: Testing For Spark At The Ignition Coil Pack (Paired Cylinders)
IMPORTANT: This test section only applies if two spark plug wires that are connected to paired cylinders (1 & 5, 2 & 6, or 3 & 4) did not fire spark in TEST 1.
So in TEST 1, you got two spark plug wires that connect to 'paired cylinders' that didn't spark. Now we'll check if the ignition coil towers that those wires connect to are sparking.
The safest and most effective way to do this involves first removing the spark plug wire that didn't spark from the ignition coil tower and then inserting the spark tester into the tower (as shown in the illustration above).
Next, you'll Ground the spark tester with a battery jump-start cable to the battery's negative (-) terminal. After that, you'll crank the engine to see if the spark tester sparks.
Since we need to test two ignition coil towers, choose one to test first and then proceed to test the second one.
These are the test steps:
- 1
Remove one of the spark plug wires that did not fire off spark from the ignition coil pack.
- 2
Place the spark tester directly in the ignition coil tower (see photo above).
- 3
Connect the spark tester to the battery negative (-) terminal with a battery jump start cable.
- 4
Have your helper crank the engine.
- 5
The spark tester should spark as the engine cranks.
- 6
Repeat tests 1 thru' 5 on the other ignition coil tower whose spark plug wire did not fire off spark.
Let's take a look at what your test result means:
CASE 1: You got spark from only one tower. This result lets you know that the ignition coil is bad. Replace the ignition coil.
CASE 2 If you got spark from both towers. This result lets you know that the ignition coil is good and that the spark plug wires are bad. Replace all of the spark plug wires as a set.
CASE 3: You got NO spark from both towers. Generally, this test result tells you that the ignition coil bad.
To make sure that it's bad, I recommend that you confirm that the ignition coil is getting its activation signal.
If you got no spark from the towers that feed spark to cylinders 1 and 5 go to: TEST 5: Activation Signal For Cylinders 1 And 5.
If you got no spark from the towers that feed spark to cylinders 2 and 6 go to: TEST 6: Activation Signal For Cylinders 2 And 6.
If you got no spark from the towers that feed spark to cylinders 3 and 4 go to: TEST 7: Activation Signal For Cylinders 3 And 4.