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Author Topic: 1978 Pinto coil voltage  (Read 2498 times)

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Offline hqtoyou

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1978 Pinto coil voltage
« on: September 10, 2012, 07:31:17 PM »
New to this board "Please help" I need to know what the primary voltage should be on the coil while engine is running on a 1978 california pinto with stock electronic ignition. Thank you!

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2012, 08:08:36 AM »
I'm pretty sure all non-points Pintos take 12 volts on the positive side of the coil. Points cars cut that back to around 7-ish with a resistor wire or ballast resistor before the coil.
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Offline hqtoyou

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2012, 04:52:41 PM »
Thank you for the reply and I have another question if you can help me. I am getting just 5 volts with the ignition in run position before starting the car and 4 volts when the car is running. I assume that this voltage is to low to get consistant firing which right now this has been the problem, inconsistent firing to all cylinders.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2012, 06:01:00 PM »
Yeah, if your voltmeter is accurate you have a problem somewhere. Even points ignition needs more than 4 volts.
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2012, 06:47:59 PM »
What's the voltage at the positive coil wire with the key on & the wire OFF the coil?
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze

Offline hqtoyou

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2012, 07:03:56 PM »
I'm getting 11.5 volts with key on and with wires removed from coil.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2012, 07:24:57 PM »
I'm getting 11.5 volts with key on and with wires removed from coil.

That's a little low but acceptable. Are there any wires tapped into either side of the coil like a choke wire on the positive side or a tach on the negative side?
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze

Offline hqtoyou

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2012, 07:42:44 PM »
Nothing at all this car is bone stock from the factory. I traced the ground side, it comes from the ignition control module then from the coil it goes to the engine management module. Maybe the management module is bad and causing a short which in turn is causing a higher resistance than it should. I have replaced the following, distibutor,pickup coil,ignition coil,ICU,plugs,plug wires,distributor cap and rotor, all of which needed replacing anyway. The only other thing I can think of is I got the wrong coil and it has an internal resistor which with a electronic ignition it should not. but even so I should get better than 4 volts when running.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2012, 07:55:22 PM »
Were the coil & control box new or used?
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze

Offline hqtoyou

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2012, 08:05:01 PM »
All the parts that I replaced are new.

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2012, 08:08:01 PM »
So what's it actually doing on you? Shutting off randomly or running rough?
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 1978 Pinto coil voltage
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2012, 08:10:32 PM »
Call me at 330-307-6368 it will be easier than typing all this out. 
 
Keith
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze