All my motoring life - 40 years - I have been led to beleive that leaving the ignition turned on with the engine not running "burns the coil out". However, I now think I may have been badly informed.
2007-09-23 07:11:53 · 10 answers · asked by Essex Ron 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
IT depends upon if you have points ignition or electronic ignition. All newer cars now have electronic ignition.
If it is electronic then it will not harm the coil by leaving the ignition on (it is not recomended though).
If it is points ignition then you should not leave the ignition on. This is because if the enging stops with the points being closed then the coil would be powered up with the key on. The coil is not designed to be powered up constantly and will if left long enough burn out.
2007-09-23 09:17:38 · answer #1 · answered by burn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a good question. Over 40 years you've seen a lot of changes in cars and a lot of different technologies.
This is pretty much an essay question, with all of the technology involved then and now so I'll just sum it up this way. Then and now, burn out the coil? Likely not, but bad? YES.
2007-09-23 07:18:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have never heard of that happening to anyone and i have been working on cars for at least 35 years. the coil is what gives the engine spark and the engine has no spark if it is not running so i do not see how that could be possible
2007-09-23 07:15:55 · answer #3 · answered by hermitofnorthdome 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes you were badly informed, as long as the car isn't running the coil isn't doing a thing, the only thing being used when the key is on is the battery.
2007-09-23 13:10:27 · answer #4 · answered by mister ss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No i will not harm it at all. All the coil does is magnify the spark from the distributor which only works with the engine running.
2007-09-23 07:41:49 · answer #5 · answered by SPEEDY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes it is not good to do so,but that is more so for older car, it used to burn out the points more so than the coil.
2007-09-23 07:16:07 · answer #6 · answered by wiringtheworld 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Older points and condenser ignitions? Yes.
Newer electronic ignitions? No.
2007-09-23 07:17:31 · answer #7 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I will not, what will damage it is while your car is running you try to turn the key, then a horrible sound from the starter will sound, and you can mess everything up if you keep doing it.
2007-09-23 07:18:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it used to.
not so much anymore.
2007-09-23 07:15:33 · answer #9 · answered by phenobulous 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
leaving your key on for extended periods of time will................................................................................................................................................................................kill your battery thats it nothing will be damadged unless you have points.
many newer cars wont even let it kill the battery.
2007-09-23 07:45:18 · answer #10 · answered by unaturalyaspirated 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋