Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): no spark!, ford garden tractor, briggs and stratton

Question
Hi Paul,

I've got an older (1984)Ford garden tractor. It has a Briggs and Stratton engine and has been pretty much problem free. I had a problem last year with the ignition and finally changed the magneto. That seemed to solve the problem. However the same thing has occurred this year. I am assuming that since the ignition is solid state the magneto will produce spark every time that the magnet on the flywheel goes by. I am thinking that my problem may be a safety switch somewhere on the machine.

Thanks for any help you can give me on this.

Marc Jones

Answer
HI MARK    

CAN YOU GIVE ME MODEL AND TYPE NUMBER OFF ENGINE
I WILL TRY AND GIVE SOME MORE IDEAS   ENGINE COULD STILL BE A POINT MODEL THOUGH  

HERE IS WEB SITE FOR IPL  WWW.BRIGGSANDSTRATTON.COM

AS A TEST

IF YOU ISOLATE THE WIRE THAT GROUNDS THE MAGNETRON FROM THE LOOM (@ THE CONNECTOR )WHITE COUPLER  SHOULD BE BLACK WIRE GOING TO MAGNETRON  AND GOES BACK TO IGNTION SWITCH  TERMINAL MARKED  (M)


THIS ISOLATES LOOM AND ANY INTERLOC SWITCHES FROM  MAGNETRON  RETEST UNIT , IF NOW RUNS PROPERLY
KILL MOTOR BY GROUNDING SPARK TIP TO CYL HEAD

THEN A INTERLOC SWITCH IS CAUSING PROBLEM

TRY BYPASSING SEAT SWITCH IF HAS ONE ?


CHEERS  LET ME KNOW MODEL AND TYPE NUMBERS OFF ENGINE COVERS

PAUL