Echo PB-500T back pack blower no spark

[jwales]

Neighbor said it worked one day then the next would not start... Checked spark with a tester and a known good plug. No spark. So I have this multi meter that I am not familiar with using and I found the coil(easy access). I removed it and now I could use some help in how to determine if the coil is bad. There are two wires coming out of the coil...one to the spark plug the other to some where else(have not followed that one yet) and then there are the two magnet pieces that face the fly wheel. Any help?? Thanks.

[NO0C]

I'm taking a guess that the wire you removed from the ignition coil goes to the ON/OFF switch and when grounded via the switch, kills the ignition. You might try it with the wire unhooked at the coil. Wire could be shorted to ground or switch could be defective preventing spark emanating from the coil.

[KE4AVB]

First I would disconnect the kill wire from the coil's terminal and check for spark. If you now have spark then there is a short in the kill wiring circuit. If still no spark then check the secondary to see if the have several ohms in resistance; no zero or open readings. Open reading could be a broken high tension lead at the point where the plug wire terminal is connected probably. I have seen this multiple times over the years. If lead is long enough you may be able to just snip the broken area the reattach the terminal. If shorted reading then it is over as new coil is needed. As for testing primary side it is nearly impossible test these electronic triggered coils.

Now if the high lead is too short to reach to plug after shorting then you may be able to replace it if you know how to do it. Most are just screwed in and then sealed.

[Fulltilt]

Neighbor said it worked one day then the next would not start... Checked spark with a tester and a known good plug. No spark. So I have this multi meter that I am not familiar with using and I found the coil(easy access). I removed it and now I could use some help in how to determine if the coil is bad. There are two wires coming out of the coil...one to the spark plug the other to some where else(have not followed that one yet) and then there are the two magnet pieces that face the fly wheel. Any help?? Thanks.

Wrong move. Anytime you have a no spark situation, especially on a two cycle hand held unit such as yours, the first thing you should do is remove the kill/stop/ground wire from the coil. Then check for spark..spark, then you have a problem in the kill circuit wiring ( short, etc.). No spark generally means a bad coil. Replace it. Simple two screws and you're done. Or spend an hour or more jumping thru all the hoops as suggested by others.
The easiest thing for you to do is bolt the coil back up, ( use a business card to set the coil gap) and check for spark.

[KE4AVB]

I can understand Jwales wanting to know how to check when these coils are $80.00 or more. No point replacing the coil if it is just a bad lead other than being too lazy to do so Fulltilt. I done replaced several leads this year already. I admit most were where mice chewed the lead in two. I also changed the lead on 390xp that was too short on the used unlimited coil I was installing. A heck of a lot better than replacing the $70 speed limited coil. The coil for the MAC 610 that I repaired a couple weeks ago wasn't even available any more and it just had a bad high tension lead broken at the plug terminal.

So yes it is worth it learning how to check and know for sure instead of being just a parts replacer.

[Fulltilt]

I'm pretty sure the OP was talking about his neighbors Echo blower, not some chainsaws. It amazes me how you seem to go off on tangents in just about every reply. Remarkable.
The OP doesn't even know how to use a multimeter, so...

Besides which...Echo has a lifetime warranty on their ign. modules.

[bgsengine]

I'm pretty sure the OP was talking about his neighbors Echo blower, not some chainsaws.

DOesnt matter. the basic principles are the same

It amazes me how you seem to go off on tangents in just about every reply. Remarkable.
The OP doesn't even know how to use a multimeter, so...

And so he expressed a desire to LEARN - something you seemingly are not interested in others doing..

Besides which...Echo has a lifetime warranty on their ign. modules.

Yeah, if there is an Echo dealer nearby that knows what they are doing. that plus they don't cover the labor charges for coil replacement (Which even those dealers that will even consider doing a warranty claim may sometimes "bump up" the labor rate and cover the cost of a new coil anyway, or up-sell on other services, etc.) They also have lifetime warranty on driveshafts - but again same deal - won't cover labor when out of warranty.. so for the not-so-lucky Echo owners that don't have a dealer (like us) that will go to bat for warranty coverage on things like that, cost of having a module replaced under the lifetime (out of unit warranty) warranty would cost more than buying a new coil and doing it themselves.

[KE4AVB]

BGS, this is something I wondered about. Is it to anyone or is to just the original purchaser like Husqvarna's warranty on ignition coils? I read Husqvarna's warranty which is why I am asking here about the Echo's warranty.

Sometimes it is all the loops that the customer must jump though that causes them to just buy a new coil and install it themselves like you said BGS,

When it comes to new test equipment not everybody can just plugin a flash drive in their body and download the info instantly to their brain. It would nice if we could but then everyone would doing it too.

[bgsengine]

BGS, this is something I wondered about. Is it to anyone or is to just the original purchaser like Husqvarna's warranty on ignition coils? I read Husqvarna's warranty which is why I am asking here about the Echo's warranty.

Doesnt matter as long as it comes in on the machine and the model and serial are still attached, doesnt matter who original owner was if they dont have proof of purchase from new or it does not come up in the major unit search (which can also find ones flagged as stolen) we will assume it is out of full warranty (unless of course the serial number was produced in the last 5 years and it's consumer use) all we require is the machine (for testing on the PET-9000 analyzer) and able to verify coil is bad, we can warranty it. If they bring in just the coil, they are out of luck even if they bought it from us yesterday - Got to have the whole machine to do a full diagnosis (only takes a few minutes)

Sometimes it is all the loops that the customer must jump though that causes them to just buy a new coil and install it themselves like you said BGS,

When it comes to new test equipment not everybody can just plugin a flash drive in their body and download the info instantly to their brain. It would nice if we could but then everyone would doing it too.

Yup - sometimes all they need is a bit of guidance and a little refresher course in the system involved.

[KE4AVB]

As I figure there is catch in it. Us non dealers can't get the coils warrantied without a possible charge otherwise. I just continue as I have been for years. Only seen one actual bad Echo coil anyways in 7 yrs. More problems from failed plugs when it comes to ignition systems. I think the worse ignition problem I had on a blower was the one that was knocking like a bad wrist pin or connecting rod.

Well back to Jwales problem. Just let us know what you find Jwales or if you need some more ideas.