Ignition Coil (check out of curcuit)

[shaver]

Is there an easy way to check an ignition coil when it's not wired into my 2006 GL1800? I think mine is shorted to ground but when I take it out it's not shorted to the case.

[DaveO430]

You can ohm check the primary and secondary windings but that won't tell you if it is arcing to ground or not.

[Techdude2000]

You can ohm check the primary and secondary windings but that won't tell you if it is arcing to ground or not.

I haven’t tried it, but I think there’s more to the primary side than just a coil and measuring it won’t help determine it’s condition.

[Techdude2000]

Is there an easy way to check an ignition coil when it's not wired into my 2006 GL1800? I think mine is shorted to ground but when I take it out it's not shorted to the case.

Is it failing to fire at all? What’s the original symptom?

[DaveO430]

You can ohm check the primary and secondary windings but that won't tell you if it is arcing to ground or not.

I haven’t tried it, but I think there’s more to the primary side than just a coil and measuring it won’t help determine it’s condition.

It is just a coil but true, an ohm check won't tell if it's good or not unless it's just an open circuit. The only way to know for sure is try a known good coil.

[GoldWingrGreg]

Is there an easy way to check an ignition coil when it's not wired into my 2006 GL1800?

Yes ... but it takes a coil tester like the old Sun scopes of the 70s had.

[Techdude2000]

It’s more than just a coil, it’s digitally controlled with only 2-5 volts from the ECM for the trigger pulse. There’s probably an SCR inside of it for triggering. Using the green ground wire for reference, if there’s good battery power on the black/yellow wire and you can measure pulsing 2-5V on the yellow/white wire when you crank the engine, then the coil should be firing. If it’s not or is intermittent, replace it.

If you suspect it’s bad, then swap it with another one on the same bike and see if the miss moves with the coil. If it does, then the coil is bad. If it’s doesnt, then verify the signals already mentioned. These coils are pretty tough, but they do fail on occasion.

[shaver]

First checked from 5 then 6 to ground and had very low resistance. pulled the fairing apart in the front and unplugged the wires from coil secondary and found short from output to gnd. Unplugged 3 wire plug from primary. Chked from secondary to gnd and found it's now open. Secondary to pin that connects to green gnd - Short. Next, compare all three coils.

[Techdude2000]

First checked from 5 then 6 to ground and had very low resistance. pulled the fairing apart in the front and unplugged the wires from coil secondary and found short from output to gnd. Unplugged 3 wire plug from primary. Chked from secondary to gnd and found it's now open. Secondary to pin that connects to green gnd - Short. Next, compare all three coils.

The plug wires should not measure shorted to the green ground wire with them connected to the plugs or disconnected from the plugs. That sounds like a bad coil. This is a wasted spark system, meaning both plugs fire together, one on the firing cycle and the other on the exhaust cycle. Both outputs float above ground.

[shaver]

First checked from 5 then 6 to ground and had very low resistance. pulled the fairing apart in the front and unplugged the wires from coil secondary and found short from output to gnd. Unplugged 3 wire plug from primary. Chked from secondary to gnd and found it's now open. Secondary to pin that connects to green gnd - Short. Next, compare all three coils.

The plug wires should not measure shorted to the green ground wire with them connected to the plugs or disconnected from the plugs. That sounds like a bad coil. This is a wasted spark system, meaning both plugs fire together, one on the firing cycle and the other on the exhaust cycle. Both outputs float above ground.

That's what I thought. I also compared to the other coils and verified my suspicions. Ordered new coil. Thanks all.
Dave