How Do I?

[Bluebuck]

Hi everyone, guess we all have to start somewheres so here is as good a place as any. I have an older Echo CV 750 EVL w/24" Bar. I was cutting this morning and the saw just stopped. Checked fuel (I use a 50:1mix) and had 1/2 tank. I took the saw to my shop and pulled the plug. The plug was not fouled. I then attempted to check to see if it was sparking and it was dead. I stuck a probe into the plug wire and tried to get a spark to jump to grd. Nothing.
I pulled off the flywheel to expose the coils. Here is my question. How do I test the coils to see if they are any good and if not, where can I buy another set?
I have read with interest many of the posts here and find this site quite informative. Keep up the good work!

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I usually check them from ground to the end of the plug wire and from ground to points wire terminal if it's a points ignition. You have to disconnect the points wire from the coil terminal and check from ground to the terminal, should be very small resistance, in the range of about 5 ohms. On the secondary, from ground to sparkplug wire end should be in the range of 20-30K ohms.
If it's a solid state ignition you may have to just replace the module with a known good one.

 

[Rockland Farm]

Whenever I lose spark I always check the off/on switch first . I have had those go bad more than once . Also the wire or wires connected to the switch check for breaks or bare spots .

 

[Bluebuck]

I usually check them from ground to the end of the plug wire and from ground to points wire terminal if it's a points ignition. You have to disconnect the points wire from the coil terminal and check from ground to the terminal, should be very small resistance, in the range of about 5 ohms. On the secondary, from ground to sparkplug wire end should be in the range of 20-30K ohms.
If it's a solid state ignition you may have to just replace the module with a known good one.

Thanks Palmer Jr. My saw has the two ignition coils less the points.

 

[Bluebuck]

Whenever I lose spark I always check the off/on switch first . I have had those go bad more than once . Also the wire or wires connected to the switch check for breaks or bare spots .

Thank you for the advise. I had problems with the switch on previous occasions and did infact pull it apart. It seems rather simple but I will check with ohm meter tomorrow.

 

[Eccentric]

The kill switches on those Echos are problematic. Ignition problems are frequent with them too.

 

[omegajim]

not familiar with this exact model, or what you are calling a "coil"

2 cycle chainsaws (heck, small engines in general) have stators that generate juice.

usually, they don't go bad.

However, that stupid little 50 cent piece, the condenser, they do fail.

Had the problem as you describe happen to me; twice. Both times, it was the stupid little condenser. Located right behind the flywheel, next to the points.

I'm assuming the saw still has points with a condensor and it hasn't all gone electronic. Don't work on these things often, and when I do, they are usually back to the Carter admin.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Thanks Palmer Jr. My saw has the two ignition coils less the points.

So it looks like yours has a regular coil and the littler "exciter" coil. The big coil, I think, works just like a regular points coil, with a primary and a secondary, the little coil sends the small signal to the primary side of the big coil then it's amplified and sent to the plug. These coils can be changed separately and I imagine they can be tested the same way except the little coil has a primary only. It's actually hard to tell without a schematic so this is my best guess.