Mallory Ignition 28357 User Manual
PAGE 1
®
OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
PORTABLE IGNITION TESTER
PART NO. 28357
By functioning as a triggering device, Mallory's Portable Ignition Tester allows you to check
the operation of a car’s ignition system without starting the engine. You can also check
devices related to the ignition system, such as tachs and shift lights. Adapter harnesses
are included to allow easy connection to most popular aftermarket ignition systems.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Install the 9-volt battery (included) in the back of the
tester. Installing the battery backwards will not damage the tester. It simply will not work. Make sure the
red light on the front/left side of the tester is off. If it’s
on, push the ON/OFF button once to turn it off.
2. Remove the high tension coil wire from the center of
the distributor cap. Plug the test plug into the coil
wire. Connect the test plug to engine ground, such as
a valve cover bolt.
NOTE: This step is important! If you do not install
the test plug, your ignition system could be damaged!
3. Refer to the hookup diagrams in the following pages.
Find the hookup diagram that matches your ignition
system and connect the tester accordingly.
4. Set the RPM dial on the tester to 1000. Set the cylinder select knob to match your engine. Rotary engines
use the 4 cylinder setting.
5. Turn on the car’s ignition switch, then push the
ON/OFF button on the tester once to turn it on. The
test plug should begin sparking. Use the RPM knob
to vary the operating RPM of the system.
6. When done testing, push the ON/OFF button once to
turn the tester off, then turn off the car's ignition
switch. Disconnect the tester and test spark plug,
reconnect the coil high tension lead to the distributor
cap, and reconnect any car harnesses disconnected
in Step 3. Test start the car.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have any problems with Mallory's Portable Ignition
Tester, contact Mallory's T echnical Service Department at:
550 Mallory Way
Carson City, NV 89701
(775) 882-6600 Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm PST
PARTS LIST:
Ignition Tester
Magnetic Input Test Harness
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
ON/OFF RPM
CYL
SELECT
IGNITION TESTER
P/N 28357
®
UNILITE®Test Harness
Alligator Clip Harness
Test Spark Plug
PAGE 2
5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
EXAMPLES OF RPM AND CYL SELECT SWITCH SETTINGS
Example: 5600 RPM,8 Cylinder
FIGURE 1
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Example: 4200 RPM, 6 Cylinder
FIGURE 2
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
When checking a coil separate from the ignition, or an
ignition without an amplifier box, the spark will probably
“fade out” about 3000-4000 RPM (8 cylinder setting).
This is normal. The test plug is a very heavy load.
Amplifier equipped ignitions will normally operate to
higher RPM.
It’s a good idea to use the tester once when the ignition
system is known to be operating properly, to establish a
baseline for future tests. In future tests, if the spark looks
or sounds significantly different from the baseline, something is wrong with the ignition.
The front dial on the tester is very accurate, which makes
it very nice for checking RPM limiters, tachometers, and
RPM activated switches. To check a limiter or RPM
switch, just start testing at a low RPM and increase it with
the dial until the spark stops, to check limiters, or until the
RPM switch activates. Then read the RPM on the dial.
NOTE: If there is a discrepancy between your tachometer and the RPM dial on the ignition tester, the tach
reading is inaccurate. For example, if the dial reads
7000 and the tach reads 6800 when the limiter stops
the spark, the limiter will rev limit your engine at 7000
RPM, even though the tach reads 6800. It is not uncommon for tachometers to be off by 200-500 RPM. RPM
switches and on-board computer readouts are usually
closer, but it’s still a good idea to check them.
The RPM dial can be locked at any value. Simply push the
locking lever at the top right of the dial downward toward
the cylinder select dial.
The 9-volt battery will operate for a LONG time in typical
usage. When it goes dead, the red light on the front of the
tester won’t come on. When the battery is nearly dead,
the red light may blink at low RPM.
PAGE 3
+ –
+ –
12 VOLT
BATTERY
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
ON/OFF RPM
CYL
SELECT
IGNITION TESTER
P/N 28357
®
MALLORY PRO SHIELD
®
ENGINE
GROUND
IGNITION
COIL
TEST PLUG
COIL WIRE
PLUG ALLIGATOR
CLIP HARNESS INTO
IGNITION TESTER
BLACK
BLACK
RED
RED
USING THE TESTER TO CHECK AN IGNITION COIL
FIGURE 3
CONNECT
TO ENGINE
GROUND
CONNECT
TO ENGINE
GROUND
PAGE 4
MALLORY PRO SHIELD
®
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
ON/OFF RPM
CYL
SELECT
IGNITION TESTER
P/N 28357
®
IGNITION
SYSTEM
(INCLUDING COIL)
DISTRIBUTOR
TEST PLUG
COIL WIRE
DISCONNECT COIL WIRE AT DISTRIBUTOR AND
INSTALL TEST PLUG IN COIL WIRE
PLUG ADAPTER HARNESS
INTO IGNITION TESTER
UNPLUG DISTRIBUTOR
FROM IGNITION
BLACK
PLUG ADAPTER HARNESS
INTO IGNITION
BLACK
BLACK
RED
MAG +
MAG —
RED
WHITE
USING THE TESTER IN PLACE OF AN ACCEL MAGNETIC PICKUP DISTRIBUTOR
FIGURE 4
CONNECT TO
ENGINE GROUND
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