LAND ROVER

A: Symptoms of a failing ignition coil include an illuminated Check Engine Light, engine misfires and rough idling, difficulty starting, poor acceleration, a loss of power, and a noticeable fuel smell from the exhaust, sometimes accompanied by a strong gas odor or black exhaust smoke. A vehicle may also backfire, sputter, or stall when a coil is failing.

A: To evaluate the ignition coils, measure the resistance between the two pins of the coil. If the coil is functioning properly, the resistance should be between 0.558 and 0.682 ohms, with a tolerance of plus or minus 10 percent based on the weather conditions.

A: Upgraded ignition coils provide a stronger spark compared to stock coils. A stronger spark ensures more complete combustion of the air-fuel mixture, leading to increased power output and quicker acceleration. This improved spark strength also contributes to smoother idling and reduced misfires.

A: You can drive with a bad ignition coil, but it is not recommended for more than a short distance to get to a repair shop, as it can lead to severe and costly damage to your engine, catalytic converter, and potentially other components. Driving with a misfiring cylinder can cause unburned fuel to enter the exhaust, damaging the catalytic converter, diluting the engine oil, and causing premature wear on the cylinder walls and bearings.

A: Ignition coils, much like when the clutch goes, can fail due to how well looked after the vehicle is, the driving style of the driver and the quality of the product installed. You should typically expect around 50,000 miles or more from an ignition coil.

A: Yes. An ignition coil has two elements inside – the primary (the lower voltage) and the secondary (the higher voltage that ignites the spark plug). When testing the coil, you need to test the secondary voltage so it's important to align the equipment up to that element.