How to look at a Lawn Mower Coil With the Ohmmeter
Combustion engines — such as the one in your lawn mower — require a spark to ignite the fuel the engine requires for operation. That spark is brought by means of an ignition coil, sometimes called a magneto. The coil gets its name from the 2 sets of wires “coiled” about its central metallic core. When the wires are broken or damaged, your mower will not be receiving the spark it needs. A simple test with an ohmmeter can help you determine whether your problems stem from the coil.
Wear leather work gloves during this procedure to safeguard your hands along with the sensitive components of your engine.
Pull off the spark plug cover, near the side or top of your mower’s engine.
Eliminate any covering above the motor housing. If you are checking the coil in a riding mower, your engine might not have a covering, as the mower’s hood will function as the “cover .”
Use a wrench or socket wrench to remove the bolts which encompass your engine’s flywheel. If you are not certain where to find this part, check your owner’s manual to get a parts diagram and list. The flywheel is typically near the surface of the motor, but don’t confuse it with the rewind starter; the two components are around with fan-like blades. With the bolts removed, gently pull the flywheel.
Inspect the coils, which should now be visible. One terminal should extend to the spark plug casing or boot.
Touch your ohmmeter’s negative probe into the metal extending from the next terminal into the metal of the motor, and touch another, positive probe into the cable on the spark plug boot. You might need to move a rubber wrap off from the spark plug cable to efficiently touch the probe into the cable.
View the reading in your ohmmeter. If the meter is at zero, your coil is not functioning correctly.
