A testing apparatus for testing a waste-power ignition coil is provided and includes an igniter simulator having a first switching device electrically connected to an output of the primary side of a waste-power ignition coil under test and a triggering means for changing a state of the first switching device at a predetermined interval. A second switching device bears a first pair of contacts being electrically connected to one of a positive going and negative going output of a secondary winding of the waste-power ignition coil under test and a second pair of contacts being electrically connected to another of a positive going and negative going output of the secondary winding of the waste-power ignition coil under test. The second switching device acts substantially synchronously with the igniter simulator actuator to ground a respective one of the positive going and negative going output of the secondary winding of the waste-power ignition coil under test to simulate a waste-stroke phase.