Bob asked ... Charger fault?    |    Terry nelson asked ... How to remove the flexible shaft from a curved shaft ryobi t?    |    Matt Longmore asked ... Non-start on Flymo XLT 250?    |    John asked ... How to fix my fireplace?    |    Ian Scott asked ... Remove cover off gas boiler?    |    Click here to ask your question

chainsaw, stihl, 026?

Can anyone tell me how to check if the coil on the 026 is working properly or needs replacing. Thanks
Don, April 2008
Loose connections can occur wher the HT lead exits the coil assembly. You may get a good resistance reading at first and then reassamble the saw only to find no spark. Wiggle the HT lead with your meter on it to double check.

J, January 2010
easy answer is to remove spark plug and connect to plug lead and place metal body against cylinder.

If you can see a spark when the engine is turned over using the pull cord then coil is okay.

Be careful not to get a shock when you do this, but if you do then coil is good.

If no spark then coil or lead may be suspect.

Phil, May 2008
Pull out the spark plug and hook up the plug wire. Using some rubber handled pliers make good contact between the bottom of the plug and the top of the engine. While doing this crank the engine over and you should see a blue spark. If you don't see a blue spark(if it is yellow, white or no spark) then you probably have a coil that is going bad.

Brian J., April 2008
Pull out the spark plug and hook up the plug wire. Using some rubber handled pliers make good contact between the bottom of the plug and the top of the engine. While doing this crank the engine over and you should see a blue spark. If you don't see a blue spark(if it is yellow, white or no spark) then you probably have a coil that is going bad.

Brian J., April 2008
No spark? Check that the cutout switch isn't faulty (disconnect it), then check for spark again. If still no joy, check the primary resistance of the coil - the thin wires, and expect a low resistance. Then check the resistance between the thin wire and the plug connection lead - expect a much higher resistance. Then check the gap between the flywheel and the coil - it should be just clear, the thickness of some thin card is good enough.

John, April 2008