We all love the freedom of getting into our vehicle, turning the key and going for a drive. Our vehicles are places of solace and security for us. They give us a feeling of adventure and escape. But what happens when you turn the key and the engine just spins over without starting? Panic sets in! What could be the matter with your vehicle? Could it be a fuel problem or an ignition issue? One of the easiest ways to diagnosis the problem is with a spark ignition tester. It is one of the easiest tools to use and can be used on electronic ignitions as well as standard points ignitions.
Park vehicle. Apply the parking brake and open the hood.
Remove a spark plug wire. Don safety glasses and remove plug wire by grasping it firmly at the boot (where it connects to the spark plug) and pulling. It may be helpful to twist while pulling.
Insert the tester. Set the tester to the proper spark plug gap distance by adjusting the thumb screw on the tester (see your vehicle manual for proper spark plug gap). Place the spark plug wire that you removed in Step 2 onto the end contact of the tester. This contact will resemble a spark plug. Clip the ground clip of the tester to a metal engine part (a bolt or bracket works best).
Crank the engine. Have a helper turn the engine over while you watch the tester. A reading will show if you have spark to the plugs and your ignition is working. No reading indicates a faulty ignition.
