Who doesn’t want to get their car started after rotating the key? Yes, everyone is looking for it. The ignition coil comes in handy when it comes to gaining more power to start your car immediately. Also, if you want to keep your mechanical performance failure away, the ignition coil is vital. This is why it is worth mentioning that keeping this component perfect is crucial.
Therefore, you should know how to prevent ignition coil failure and do work accordingly. There are many ways to prevent ignition coil failure. These include keeping the spark plug in peak condition, keeping them cool, mounting the vibration free-environment, always keeping it clean, and many more ways.
Anyway, you don’t need to worry to find out the rest ways in other posts. This article will guide you through the entire prevention ways and tricks in detail. So stay with this from top to bottom and take care of your ignition coil.
Ways To Prevent Ignition Coil Failure: Keep It Always Running
Why it is so important? Well, suppose you have only a 12V battery, but you need more than that. In this case, ignition coils are the key players. Most importantly, the spark plug won’t be able to produce the expected sparks for better combustion. So it needs to be inspected now and then. Here are some crucial points that help you to prevent ignition coils.
Way 1: Keep The Spark Plug In Optimal Condition
The basic or primary option for keeping the ignition coil safe and running is to maintain the spark plug in peak condition. This will largely protect you from damage to the ignition coil. But for this, you need to maintain it constantly and ensure optimal care of other parts associated with it.
One of them is keeping adequate and correct gaps between the spark plugs. Also, it should be mounted in a cool, vibration-free location.
Way 2: Try To Keep It Cool
Note that ignition coils are the sensitive component that tends to be damaged when operating at extreme or high temperatures. Unfortunately, excessive heat can damage insinuating material, resulting in, the internal coil will stop working. It happens because overheating resists conducting electricity adequately.
This is why it’s recommended to keep the coils under cool conditions or take steps to reduce overheating. By installing the coils in a suitable location, the optimal condition can be ensured.
Way 3: Be Tricky When Mounting
If the coils are mounted inappropriately and in the wrong place, you can’t expect better longevity or nothing can stop ignition coil failure. According to Auto Success Online, installing or mounting the ignition coil in the most high-tempered and vibrating area can lead it to fail.
In addition, never mount the coils in a place where most dirt and dust are accumulated. Checking the updating the battery condition will be a key factor to prevent immature failure.
Note: Always maintain the battery correctly. It feeds the desired power/energy to the coil and the coil performs accordingly. Otherwise, if the battery serves poor voltage, the pressure takes the ignition coil. Consequently, it can be damaged or worn out, or burned for providing high voltage at a time.
Way 4: Always Inspect Spark Plugs Or Wires
A bad or damaged spark plug is inimical for coils. Remember an ignition coil alters the low voltage (from the primary coil) to the high voltage power (in the secondary). There are 3 basic parts in the ignition coil (primary and secondary windings, and Dielectric insulation between them to separate.
If there is a lack of accurate ignition, the spark plug won’t produce sufficient sparks for proper combustion. However, if the plug wires related to the coil are not producing the right amount of current, it becomes obligatory for the internal coil to generate the desired current.
Note: Check the air-fuel mixture or condition. If the air-fuel or fuel-oxygen mixture is rich or lean, the coils will fail prematurely.
Way 5: Keep the Proper Spark Plug Gap
The proper gap between spark plugs is key to preventing premature ignition coil failure. However, in this factor, you should focus more when you are tired of fixing and replacing the coils repeatedly.
Also, the correct gap on the spark plug is vital if you want optimal engine performance, reduce emissions, improve fuel economy, and adequate gas mileage. Anyway, don’t forget about keeping the spark plug gap perfect.
Way 6: Prevent Oil Damage
Oil is another intriguing part of automotive and any oil-based engine machine. However, if oil damage happens there is a lot more damage that will come next. Most importantly, the ignition coil fails to serve when the oil starts leaking. This happens when the valve cover and tube of the spark plug seal wear out.
Way 7: Try To Reduce Wear And Tear
Last but not least. Frequent wear and tear can cause significant damage to the ignition coil. It can be done by driving your car on right-end tracks, keeping gas levels optimal, maintaining regularly, driving regularly, etc. So there is no substitution except keeping your car in always-driving conditions. And this will be achieved if you maintain and care properly.
What Happens If The Ignition Fails Completely
Ignition coils are inevitable parts to keep your car running when the battery provides less power. The primary duty of the coils is to provide the right voltage to run the car smoothly and efficiently. When the ignition coil stops working, the spark plug can’t produce sparks. Consequently, the required combustion won’t be achieved. There are a few more things that can happen when an ignition coil is bad.
- Damage To The Engine Computer
Undoubtedly, the engine computer is an essential part of any vehicle. It looks after, monitors, controls, and supervises all the functions of the engine and contributes to ensuring its maximum performance. But when the ignition coil is bad, it forces the computer to signal the check engine light.
- Damage To The Ignition Control Module
The ignition control module is very important which controls the firing of the ignition coil. This creates the ignition coil voltage that the spark plug needs. It then ignites the air-fuel mixer which is located in the cylinder. But when the ignition coil is bad, the air-fuel mixer cannot ignite properly.
- Gain Less Power
Another common and most frequent problem with a bad ignition coil is power loss. You will then notice that your car will fill with slugs which helps to cause power loss. This is due to irregular spark production which is required for combustion.
- Engine Misfiring
When the coils are damaged, you’ll notice the engine misfiring. It happens for inadequate combustion. In most cases, engine misfiring happens when accelerating. As a result, the vehicle will shut off suddenly while driving. It can happen for the inconsistent firing of one of the other cylinders. Again, if the cylinder can’t fire at all, this can happen.
- Vibration
Vibrating is the most common phenomenon when the ignition coil fails. Even this can happen when the car is in an idle position. Additionally, when accelerating at increasing speed, the vehicle will hesitate and jerk forward. So if you want to eliminate this vibration and other issues, take instant steps to fix it.
- Poor Fuel Economy
Acquiring the right and efficient fuel economy is crucial to saving extra money and desired to ride performance. When the ignition coil failure happens, you’ll need to go gas station most frequently even if you drive your car too little. If this happens, check the ignition coil. Notice any damage? Change it without thinking further.
- Poor Starting
The faulty ignition coil plays as a culprit when the engine starts to backfire. If you feel a late start it could be a bad ignition coil because the ignition coil helps to produce a spark and then send it to the combustion chamber for better combustion. But if it does not happen, the engine fails to start on the first attempt.
- Wired Sounds
Malfunctioning ignition coil produce sounds like spluttering and coughing. However, this happens when the cylinder fails to fire during the ignition period. In addition, you will feel the vibration as a gift!
- Engine Stalling
You can’t expect optimal performance with a malfunctioning ignition coil. A bad ignition coil host many issues, for instance, engine stalling. It affects the ride and turns off without noticing.
- Hamper Catalytic Converter Performance
Do you ever notice black smoke coming from the exhaust unit? If a car’s exhaust systems emit black smoke, understand there is something bad happening to the ignition coil. Look deeply and cut off the worries.
Conclusion
Ignition coils are damaged in many ways. Besides, you can prevent premature ignition failure in many ways. Without a functioning and better ignition coil, the right performance won’t be achieved, in many cases, it is a nightmare. So keeping it functional is key.
To save paying extra money in buying ignition coils now and then, you should know the process of prevention. This is why this article covered the most common yet effective ways to prevent ignition coil failure.
