making Ignition spark pickup

[skills]

I am hoping someone here has had experience with making an inductive secondary ignition pickup that I can place on a coil wire and that outputs pulses in 0-5v pulses. This is neede to allow me to finish a device I am building to verify spark advance. Any experienced help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[underling99]

Hello, Although I've never made one what about using an inductive clamp as used on a timing light.
I have no idea of what the output level would be, if too high :2 back to back zener diodes would clamp at your desired level, if too low :amplify.
_99

 

[fangas]

Morning,
Offhand, a neon lamp taped to the wire should be coupled enough to go into conduction. Cheap& dirty.

 

[fangas]

Morning "still"
You might have to play around with the neon lamp idea that I wrote previously.
However, is there a reason you have to pick-up on the sec. of the coil? Since this is to check spark advance, I assume that it is automotive connected. Why don't you just pick up you signal on the primary side. 12VDC already there. Use a couple of Zeners as Underling99 suggested Ther should be a nice square wave too. Unless your system uses points.