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How to Change an Ignition Coil
You may find it shocking to hear, but ignition coils donât last forever. For the most part, ignition coils are extremely simple components, but they can break down as time passes. If your vehicleâs engine is running rough or you arenât getting the same power or gas mileage as in the past, it is possibly time for a replacement ignition coil. Hereâs what you need to know about the different types of ignition coils and how to replace them. Types of Ignition Coils Before you pick up a wrench, you need to figure out what kind of automotive coil is in your vehicleâs ignition. Here are examples of each major type of ignition coil:  There are other coil types and shapes in use, but these are the most common ones you will find on the shelf of your local NAPA Auto Parts store. How to Change a Single Can/Block Coil Commonly found on classic cars, a single standalone canister or block coil sit on the engine itself or nearby on the vehicle chassis. It will have a single coil wire leading to the ignition distributor cap. Changing a standalone coil is about as simple as an automotive job gets. Turn off the engine. Locate the ignition coil. Remove the center coil wire from the top of the ignition coil. Remove the power wires connected to the coil. Typically, there is a positive and a negative wire connection. Make sure to note the wire connections. For example, you can mark the positive wire with red tape and the negative wire with black tape. Loosen the coil mounting bracket clamp. Slide the old coil out of the mounting bracket. Insert the new ignition coil. Reconnect the positive and negative wires. Reconnect the center coil wire. Start the engine to verify the repair. If the engine does not start, check all the electrical connections. How to Change an HEI Coil GM vehicles from the late-1970s to the 1980s used a single coil mounted directly to the top of the distributor cap. This made packaging a little tidier plus created for a very simple ignition solution. Turn off the engine. Locate the distributor. Remove the ignition coil cover by loosening the mounting screws. The ignition coil and wiring are now exposed. Note the location of the positive and negative ignition coil power leads inside the distributor cap. We recommend taking a picture with a cell phone or marking each wire with a piece of tape.You may also have a ground wire connected to one of the corner mounting bolts. Note its location as well and how it is attached. Some coils use a solid metal ground bracket, which sits under the coil and can only connect one way. Unplug the ignition coil power leads gently by lifting them straight up. You may need to use needle nose pliers if they have remained in place a long time. Make sure to only pull on the power lead spade connectors, not the wires themselves. Remove the coil retaining bolts. Lift the coil straight up for removal. Note that the coil has a contactor on the bottom allowing it to contact the spring connected to the rotor button below. Place the new coil inside the distributor cap, making sure the coil is seated with the wires facing the right direction. Slide the ignition coil power leads straight down into the distributor cap, making sure they are in the same location as you marked previously. Connect the ground wire, if so equipped. Reinstall the coil retaining bolts. Reinstall the ignition coil cover. Start the engine to verify the repair. If the engine does not start, check all the electrical connections. How to Change a Coil Pack Some vehicles, like 1990s GM and Ford vehicles, have coil packs located away from the spark plugs. However, spark plug wires are still used to pass electricity to each spark plug. A coil pack can have multiple output connections. Changing ignition coil packs isnât too bad of a job if they are in an accessible area. Turn off the engine. Locate the faulty coil pack. Mark the spark plug wires. You can use painterâs tape and a marker or a silver paint pen to write directly on the spark plug wire boots. Or choose your own method. The important part is that you MUST connect the spark plug wires to the new coil pack in the exact location. Disconnect any other wires or connectors from the coil pack. Remove the coil pack mounting hardware (screws, bolts, etc.). Remove the old coil pack from its mounting surface. Install the new coil pack on the mounting surface. Reinstall mounting hardware (screws, bolts, etc.). Reinstall all wires, including spark plug wires. Start the engine to verify the repair. If the engine does not start, check all the electrical connections. How to Change a Coil-On-Plug Modern vehicles most commonly use a coil-on-plug arrangement where each individual engine cylinder has its own ignition coil connected directly to the spark plug. Technically, there is still a spark plug wire, it is just very short and you can replace it separately from the coil pack. Turn off the engine. Locate the faulty coil pack or packs. Keep in mind that some coil packs are possibly buried underneath the intake manifold or other engine components, making access difficult. If your engine is particularly difficult to access, you may consider replacing several coils at once. Repairs like this are labor heavy, so you might as well take care of any other potential issues like leaking valve covers or changing spark plugs now. Unplug the coil pack connector, taking care to not damage it as engine bay heat can make plastic brittle. Inspect the coil pack connector, taking care to remove any corrosion you find. Remove the coil pack mounting hardware (screws, bolts, etc.). With the coil pack now unplugged and loose, gently twist it back and forth to loosen any corrosion at the spark plug boot. If the coil pack will not turn, do not force it and move on to the next step. Gently lift the old coil pack straight up and away from the spark plug. Apply a light amount of dielectric grease to the end of the spark plug boot to help make future removal easier. Do not apply dielectric grease to the metal contacts. Insert the new coil pack until the spark plug boot is seated on the spark plug terminal. You may feel a âclickâ as the connection is made, but not always. Reinstall mounting hardware (screws, bolts, etc.). Reattach the coil pack connector. Reinstall any engine components that were removed to access the coil pack. Start the engine to verify the repair. If the engine does not start, check all the electrical connections, hoses and any other components that were removed. What to do After Changing Ignition Coil Parts After changing ignition coil parts, let the engine warm up and go for a normal drive. The engine should run smoother than it did previously. If your car shakes after changing ignition coil components or the check engine light comes on, shut it off and retrace your steps. You will likely find a loose connector. How Often to Change Ignition Coils For most engines, there is no set mileage or set time for replacing ignition coils. If you are wondering how often to change ignition coils, the answer is pretty simpleâwhen one wears out and starts causing a problem.
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Car Brakes for Dummies: 9 Things You Should Know
You step on the brake pedal and the car stops. Seems simple enough, right? You donât have to be a professional to understand a brake system. In fact, knowing a few things about how they work can help keep you safe. Here are a few things every driver should know about traditional car brakes. How Car Brakes Work Hydraulics: When you step on the brakes, the brake pedal lever amplifies the force of your foot to compress the hydraulic system. The master cylinder acts like a pump using a piston to push against the brake fluid. Pressure builds in the master cylinder, which is transmitted to the brake calipers or wheel cylinders via rigid brake lines and flexible hoses. The system is a closed system, that is, brake fluid doesnât enter or leave. If you notice low-fluid level, but not below the âlowâ mark, do not top it off, but inspect your brake pads and shoes for wear. If the fluid goes below the low mark, you may have a brake-fluid leak, which should be checked and repaired immediately. Friction: The actual stopping work of a brake system is done by friction material bonded to a disc brake pad or drum brake shoe. For disc brakes the brake rotor is squeezed by a caliper (looks like a clamp) holding a brake pad on each side. The squeezing forces the brake pads against the rotor and stops the vehicle. For drum brakes a pair of half-moon shaped brake shoes are pushed against the inside of the brake drum by an actuator called a wheel cylinder. The brake shoes are forced outward against the brake drum to stop the vehicle.  Boosting: Your foot pressure alone is not enough to stop your car safely, which is why itâs boosted, often vacuum boosted. Some older cars used hydraulic boosting, taking pressure from the power steering pump, while newer cars use an electronic booster. All three systems multiply the force you can put into the brakes, making it easier for you to stop your car safely. Keep in mind, even if youâve heard it will save gas, donât turn off your car to coast down that long hill. Downshift instead. All three brake boosting methods need to car to be running in order to work correctly. Anti-Lock Brakes: When youâre learning to drive in the rain and snow, youâre often told to pump the brakes to keep the car from going into a skid â and this used to be true of older cars. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS), standard on most cars since the mid-1980s, have eliminated the need for pumping the brakes. Instead, the ABS module uses wheel-speed sensors look for a wheel locking up, using a high-seed solenoid valve to temporarily reduce pressure on that wheel. In this case the wheel doesnât lock up and you can maintain control of your vehicle. The ABS system can do this far faster than any driver can pump their foot. The result is a controlled stop which keeps the tires at maximum grip without locking up. It is worth mentioning that many hybrid and almost all electric vehicles use some sort of regenerative braking. Regenerative braking uses the electric motor as a brake to slow down the vehicle. It turns the motor into a generator so that the braking energy is put back into the battery pack and not wasted. For now though even these electrified vehicles still rely on a traditional hydraulic braking system. Troubleshooting Noise: Generally speaking, you should not hear any noise when using the brakes on your car. If you hear any noises at all â squeaking, squealing, grinding, knocking, whining, groaning â have your brakes checked immediately. Keep in mind, emergency braking or hard braking on loose surfaces may engage the ABS system, which has an activation noise that has been described as grinding, buzzing or groaning. Vibration: When you step on the brake pedal, you should feel constant pressure feedback from the system. If you feel pulsation in your foot or vibration in the vehicle or steering wheel, you may have a rotor or drum problem, sometimes caused by overheating. If you feel a vibration, have your brake system checked. Note, though, that ABS activation is often accompanied by pedal vibration, which is normal. Hard Pedal: If your brake pedal is harder to push than normal you may have a problem with the brake booster system. You can get a feel for what unassisted brake pedal effort feels like by simply pressing the brake pedal a few times with the vehicle shut off. The stored power assist pressure will be exhaust and you should feel the pedal become harder to push. Now you have a base line of comparison. Soft Pedal: Air in the brake system is the most likely source of a soft brake pedal. Since brake fluid cannot be compressed but air can, the brake pedal feels soft. This can be fixed by a thorough bleeding of the brake fluid. Low Pedal: If your brake pedal goes to the floor or close to it, you may have low brake fluid. Check your brake fluid reservoir (usually found on top of the master cylinder, but not always so check your ownerâs manual) and add fluid if it is low. You may also have a faulty master cylinder which is allowing brake fluid escape past the internal piston. If the brake pedal starts off normal and slowly descends to the floor, the master cylinder is a likely culprit. Â
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What is a Car Diagnostics Test and How Much Does it Cost?
What is a Car Diagnostics Test and How Much Does it Cost?  Car diagnosis is very necessary, which can promote the health of both the car and the wallet.Regular diagnostic tests can detect problems with your vehicle before they require expensive repairs. What is a Car Diagnostics Test? A car diagnostics test involves using special software to highlight developing faults and issues that are causing problems to your vehicleâs engine or elsewhere systems. This can be detected due to built-in processors, microchips, and sensors. Why is a Car Diagnostics Test important? Early Detection of Problems Diagnostics tests can detect issues early on, preventing them from escalating into major problems that could leave you stranded on the side of the road. Improved Fuel Efficiency Identifying and addressing issues such as a faulty oxygen sensor can improve fuel efficiency, saving you money at the pump. Enhanced Performance Addressing problems identified during diagnostics tests can restore your carâs performance and drivability, ensuring a smoother and safer ride. Compliance with Emission Standards In the UK, vehicles are subject to strict emission standards. Diagnostics tests help ensure your car is running cleanly and compliant with these regulations. What happens during a Car Diagnostics Test? The test will report on the engine, transmission, ignition coils, exhaust, oil tank, fuel injectors, throttle, coolants, airflow and other systems. The diagnostics check will not include the cost of repairs, replacement parts or recoding. If the garage is unable to offer a suitable repair, they will provide you with the fault codes that will enable you to obtain repair quotes from specialists. A full test can take between an hour and 90 minutes to complete. If issues are uncovered that make things more complicated, or components need to be removed for the test to be performed, the time can increase. This does not include the time required to fix any of the issues or problems discovered. How much does a Car Diagnostics Test cost? The cost of a car diagnostics test will vary depending on where in the UK you are getting it done, and if it is a garage or other type of establishment. The car model can also affect the price, as some models may need more sophisticated equipment to carry out the test. Luxury cars, unique vehicles and sports models may also cost more due to it taking more time to test. The standard cost is between ÂŖ50-ÂŖ100. It is recommended to have a car diagnostic test regularly to prevent severe problems from occurring, as you can detect the minor issues and fix them before it becomes a major problem, requiring hundreds or thousands of pounds to repair. This makes it a more cost-effective approach than taking your vehicle to the mechanic when it has broken down. How often should you get a Car Diagnostics Test? While thereâs no hard and fast rule for how often you should conduct a diagnostics test, itâs generally a good idea to do so as part of your routine maintenance schedule. Many mechanics recommend having a diagnostics test performed during your annual service or whenever you notice a change in your carâs performance. What are Diagnostic Trouble Codes? Most diagnostic codes have been standardised and are known as âOBD-IIâ (on-board-diagnostics). These codes are triggered when a fault is detected or a system is not working as it should be. The code is stored in the vehicleâs memory and can be accessed in a diagnostics test with specialised software. There are over 200 fault codes that may be generated, but they fall into the four main areas: Body codes, prefixed with a B. This covers things inside the passenger compartment, such as airbags, air conditioning, passenger comfort and safety, and driver assistance. Chassis codes, prefixed with a C. This refers to most of the mechanical systems, including suspension, braking and steering. Powertrain codes, prefixed with a P. This refers to the engine components, transmission and drivetrain parts. Vehicle network codes, prefixed with a U. This includes the wiring and other vehicle integration systems such as the computers and sensors. Â
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