Small Engine Technical Forum

[Patrick]

If anyone has seen my recent post on the dead coil, I found a Graham Lee tester for coils in my tecumseh book. However I cannot find it anywhere to buy. Has anyone ever heard of this thing? Has anyone bought one? Thanks, Patrick
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Hooked on fonics reely werked four me

[billsmowers]

i have a merc-o-tronic model 79 this works great on electronic coils
if you pm me your emaill address i will send you details and a photo of the tester it is very easy to use when you get used to it
hope this helps

by the way i could not find any info on the graham lee tester njether

best of luck
bill

[Guess who]

Why do you feel the need to test a coil that has no spark?

Kinda like a blood presure test on a dead body?

[Billy J Shafer]

Aw Dan he just wants to have a tool that no one else has. Like my grandpa did. He had tools that he had no use for and did not know what some were for. But he had one.
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I don't talk to myself this early in the morning,why should I talk to you.

[billsmowers]

i personly use the merc-o-tronic model 79 to test coils before they get sold as i strip machinery for spares and sell back to the trade (more money in this then repairs most of the time )

[Bret4207]

We had a Graham tester at the shop I worked at. No clue if they're still in business. The only thing I recall was you could actually call the help # and get the guy who designed it.

[Carl]

Isn't there an ohm test that you can do on one to tell if it is open, shorted ect? It seems to me that I saw somewhere a way to test them (other than the way I do it) without buying expensive equipment. Carl

[billsmowers]

THE OHM TEST WILL TEST THE PRIMERY / SECONDARY WINDINGS BUT WILL NOT TEST THE ELECTRONIC TRIGGER IN MODERN COILS THIS IS WHY YOU NEED MAGNETIC PICKUPS TO TRIGGER THE ELECTRONICS THAT HAVE REPLACED THE POINTS SET UP I LERT THIS THE HARD WAY I BOUGHT A STEVENS COIL TESTER TO FIND OUT THAT EVEN WHEN IT SAID IT WOULD TEST CDI COILS ALL IT WOULD TEST WAS THE WINDINGS NOT THE ELECTRONIC TRIGGER SO WOULD NOT TEST THE TECUMSEH / B/S ELECTRONIC COILS BUT IT WOULD TEST THE KAWASAKI BECOUSE THE ELECTRONICS ARE A SEPERATE UNIT TO THE COIL

[Bruce]

Graham-Lee was a popular coil tester, along with the Merc-O-Tronic. We had one at the shop I started at in the 60's and it did a very good job. I don't think they are in business anymore, but maybe a Google search would show something.

The one we had would only test the old point type coils and condensers. We use to do magneto repair there, so it was a must to have one and verify we had a strong coil on each magneto that was sent out repaired.

Now days, with so many new electronic coils that have spark advance and the like built into them, it's real hard to accurately test the latest stuff. Of course, now we have all that Chinese stuff to content with and I'm sure they will have a whole different spec.

I don't think anyone currently makes a coil tester to do all the new coils. Bill and I just went through this with his Merc-O-Tronic. He tried to contact the factory on this and got no where. I also have the Merc-O-Tronic, but my coil testing information is close to 10 years old now - Bruce
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Forum Administrator
Briggs & Stratton MST since 1995
Kohler Certified Technician 2005

[billsmowers]

here is a picture of the tester bruce and i usehttp://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj88/billhelen/?action=view&current=e604_20.jpg
by the way bruce the info you have on the merc-o-tronic is the most up to date they have

[Patrick]

Why do I want to test a coil that is dead? Before Mr. Lester told me what I should have done in the first place, simply disconnect the ground wire, I wanted to save from having to take off the flywheel. Anyway, The coild is dead, Took the ground off, dead coil. And I have heard of using an ohm meter to test a coil, but cannot remember where. Patrick
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Hooked on fonics reely werked four me

[OldTime-Iron]

Is this a good tester? would it work on the small engines? I need some good tester. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VINTAGE-CORNWELL-TOOLS-COIL-CONDENSER-TESTER-SNAP-ON_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1163Q7c39Q3a1Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem360085962559QQitemZ360085962559
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Specializing in Antique Engines & lost Mechanical trades.

[billsmowers]

old time iron
this tester will only work on cars
do you want to test the old points system only or new stuff as well?
bill

[billsmowers]

this is photos of 2 coil testers i have used
the first one stevens st75 for ols points system

this is for the modern type of coils

hope this will be of help

[OldTime-Iron]

well shucks. I need something to test the old systems with.
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Specializing in Antique Engines & lost Mechanical trades.