# Coleman powermate no spark



## johnmr12 (Dec 7, 2020)

I'm not a professional mechanic but I have basic knowledge of how an engine works, which makes me incredibly dangerous. My Powermate generator uses a Subaru Robin EX30 engine. It suddenly won't start. When I hooked up my spark tester I have no spark. Now based on what I am observing, there are 3 things that can cause this. There is an on/off switch and an oil sensor that are wired to the coil. I ASSume when I turn off the generator or if the oil level gets too low a circuit is completed that grounds the coil. I pulled the wire that attaches to the coil, ASSuming I just eliminated any possibility of a bad switch or sensor grounding the coil. I still had no spark. I checked the gap between the coil and flywheel magnet and its correct. So at this point I am ASSuming I have a defective coil but my gut says coils just dont go bad very often. So before I buy a coil I wanted to see if anyone can tell me how to test a coil. If the coil is good then I am stumped.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

johnmr12 said:


> I'm not a professional mechanic but I have basic knowledge of how an engine works, which makes me incredibly dangerous. My Powermate generator uses a Subaru Robin EX30 engine. It suddenly won't start. When I hooked up my spark tester I have no spark. Now based on what I am observing, there are 3 things that can cause this. There is an on/off switch and an oil sensor that are wired to the coil. I ASSume when I turn off the generator or if the oil level gets too low a circuit is completed that grounds the coil. I pulled the wire that attaches to the coil, ASSuming I just eliminated any possibility of a bad switch or sensor grounding the coil. I still had no spark. I checked the gap between the coil and flywheel magnet and its correct. So at this point I am ASSuming I have a defective coil but my gut says coils just dont go bad very often. So before I buy a coil I wanted to see if anyone can tell me how to test a coil. If the coil is good then I am stumped.


ohm meter is the way to go on the testing of a coil
also check the coil ground screws to the block.
try this video


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## johnmr12 (Dec 7, 2020)

Paul, I did a resistance test. The problem is I cant find any specs on the coil for this engine. I have 13k ohms between the boot and each leg of the coil as well as the boot to the kill wire tab. I have zero resistance between the kill wire tab and the coil legs. I know briggs and stratton coils are supposed to be between 2500 to 5000 ohms but I have seen a honda that was 16k ohms and was good. Every video I see about this shows a coil that has open windings. I wish mine was that easy. An open winding would probably mean no spark at all but mine has current flowing thru the spark tester when I short the tester to the engine block.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea replace the coil assy.


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