Frequently Asked Questions

Yes!  Several ECCT software users successfully run the ECCT software on their MAC by running a free Windows emulator. (Boot Camp, Virtural Box, Wineskin, etc.)

Another popular option is to get and use an old discarded Windows laptop in their shop (many old Windows laptops running Windows XP, or Windows 7 are out there and available for little or no cost) This also reduces worry about getting their main laptop dusty or dirty when testing and rebuilding coils.

The ECCT only reads the coil test voltage when the following events occur: 

1. The ECCT is first turned on and

2. When you select another test then come back to the Capacitor test, the voltage is read.

The ECCT reads the coil test voltage through the coil primary winding and coil point contacts.  Therefore, in order for the ECCT to read the test voltage:

A. A coil must be installed in the ECCT when events 1 or 2 occur

B. The coil terminals must be making good electrical contact with the ECCT terminals

C. The coil points must be closed and making good electrical contact with each other.

 when events 1 or 2 occur.

Once the ECCT reads the test voltage, the same value will be displayed until events 1 or 2 occur again.

Not necessarily.  The ECCT capacitor test is very sensitive and can be skewed by false leakage paths to produce a POOR test result.

The most important detail with the capacitor test is that the capacitor Value is within the range of  0.47uF +/- 20% (0.33uF to 0.56uF or center LED reading +/- 1 LED).

Capacitors that measure LOWER than 0.33uF should be replaced. A capacitor value of 0.68uF or greater can still indicate POOR for high leakage, but still may not need to be replaced.  The Advanced Features Software option displays the values of capacitor value and leakage independently that makes it easier to determine if the capacitor should be replaced.

The two most common sources of these false leakage paths are:

1. Your fingers touching both point elements while pressing down on the vibrator spring to hold the points open. 

2. Leakage from the vibrator spring to the coil iron core when you press down the vibrator spring to open the points.

Eliminating both these sources of false leakage is very easy. Use a piece of plastic film or glove to insulate your fingers from touching both point elements when you press down on the vibrator spring and place a piece of paper between the coil iron core and the vibrator spring to insulate the vibrator spring from touching the coil iron core when it is pressed down. Then repeat the capacitor test. If the capacitor still test Poor, it may have higher than normal internal leakage OR the tops of some coils may have been painted black with conductive carbon based paint which can also result in a poor capacitor test on the ECCT.

High capacitor leakage generally does not significantly impact coil spark performance. Verify the coil produces consistent spark that jumps the ¼” spark gap in the window on the side of the ECCT without ever missing a spark when fired.

It is a very common fallacy that Model T coils operate on AC electricity since that is what the Model T magneto produces; both positive and negative voltage pulses.

The Timer is what controls when the magneto output is applied to the coils to fire spark and since the timer is synchronized with the crank shaft it is also synchronized with  magneto output voltage pulses.  In this way, it is the timer determines which polarity voltage pulse is applied to the coil to fire spark.  It may be a positive pulse OR a negative pulse to fire spark BUT that voltage pulse never reverses polarity (ie never alternates) as the coil charges and fires spark.    

The ECCT creates a fast pulse of electricity that emulates the Model T magneto pulse operating at normal engine speeds.  This is why coils tuned with the ECCT make the engine perform so well on the road.

The HCCT and ECCT operate on completely different principals which are akin to comparing apples to watermelons.  The only thing that really matters is how your ECCT coils make your Model T engine perform on the road.  This is the recommended way to judge the effectiveness of ECCT adjusted Model T coils.

The following outlines a few important differences between the HCCT vs ECCT test methodology.

The HCCT,as well as buzzbox and Strobo-Spark coil testers, all rely on measuring and displaying the average coil current while firing hundreds of sparks to provide an indirect approximation of firing time.  The theory goes: if you tune all 4 coil points to register the exact same average coil current (1.300A) as read on an Ammeter, all 4 coils will take the same dwell time to charge up and fire spark and the Model T engine they are installed will run well.   The HCCT was breakthrough technology that achieved engine performance  far better than adjusting coils by sight or sound and still used successfully today.  There are, however, several limitations with HCCT technology that can prevent achieving optimal engine performance.

There are several limitations with the HCCT methodology

1. Current is Not Time – many factors can skew the indirect approximation relationship between coil current and firing time

   a. Point contacts that open slowly may cause intermittent arcing which randomly delays the time spark fires and introduces ignition timing variation

   b. Intermittent arcing is not evident from the average coil current reading because the coil current is an average of hundreds of sparks firing over time

   c. Point arcing, electrical noise and variations in cranking speed can all cause fluctuations in Ammeter reading that varies depending upon meter characteristics (dampening)

2. All 4 coils must have very similar electro-mechanical characteristics

   a. Coil windings must have the same number of turns of wire (inductance)

   b. Points must have the same mass (material, thickness, shape, size, etc.) with same point geometry

   c. Differences between coils can insure they fire spark at different times when adjusted for exactly the same coil current (1.3A)

3. There is no timer used with the HCCT so the coil points are never permitted to rest in between firings like actual use with a timer

4. The coils tuned using an HCCT operate under conditions in which the engine will never operate, for example:

   a. Abnormally slow engine speed  (60-120RPM), typical engine idle is in the range of 500-600RPM, 5 to 8 times faster than the HCCT

   b. Abnormally slow voltage rise time that takes about 4 times longer to reach the peak magneto voltage compared with typical engine idle

   c. Abnormally low voltage of just 2 to 4 volts which is fraction of the value in normal operation

There are several advantages of the ECCT test methodology 

1. ECCT coil test voltage is a fast pulse of electricity which emulates magneto voltage rise time produced by the magneto at high engine RPM where ignition timing is most critical

2. Coil dwell time to fire spark is measured from rest (i.e. there is no current flowing in the coil windings until the timer comes on contact) just like normal engine operation

3. The ECCT actually measures the Time it takes each coil to charge up and fire spark like a stop watch using the same consistent fast pulse of electricity without variation