kohler engine igniition unit question
 

Jim Adney wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:00:50 -0500 Mark Leininger
wrote:

I have a craftsman lawn tractor with an 18HP Kohler twin, model M18S.
Twice now it has failed to start due to no spark. By the time I fiddle
with ignition switch and safety switch to see if something is not making
contact, it mysteriously starts. I would say in my experience with other
small engines the spark intensity looks weak.


kohler had problems on the magnum 18's at one time. they made a
very expensive piece of equipment to test them. they were common to go
intermitant.
ask a dealer to look up the service bulletin on kohler ignition
problems, there is one i just can't remember the number.
Chip

kohler engine igniition unit question
 

Jim Adney wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:00:50 -0500 Mark Leininger
wrote:

I have a craftsman lawn tractor with an 18HP Kohler twin, model M18S.
Twice now it has failed to start due to no spark. By the time I fiddle
with ignition switch and safety switch to see if something is not making
contact, it mysteriously starts. I would say in my experience with other
small engines the spark intensity looks weak.


kohler had problems on the magnum 18's at one time. they made a
very expensive piece of equipment to test them. they were common to go
intermitant.
ask a dealer to look up the service bulletin on kohler ignition
problems, there is one i just can't remember the number.
Chip

kohler engine igniition unit question
 

Jim Adney wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:00:50 -0500 Mark Leininger
wrote:

I have a craftsman lawn tractor with an 18HP Kohler twin, model M18S.
Twice now it has failed to start due to no spark. By the time I fiddle
with ignition switch and safety switch to see if something is not making
contact, it mysteriously starts. I would say in my experience with other
small engines the spark intensity looks weak.


kohler had problems on the magnum 18's at one time. they made a
very expensive piece of equipment to test them. they were common to go
intermitant.
ask a dealer to look up the service bulletin on kohler ignition
problems, there is one i just can't remember the number.
Chip

kohler engine igniition unit question
 

On 13 Jul 2004 20:22:40 -0700, (Chip Stein)
wrote:

Jim Adney wrote in message . ..
On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:00:50 -0500 Mark Leininger
wrote:

I have a craftsman lawn tractor with an 18HP Kohler twin, model M18S.
Twice now it has failed to start due to no spark. By the time I fiddle
with ignition switch and safety switch to see if something is not making
contact, it mysteriously starts. I would say in my experience with other
small engines the spark intensity looks weak.


kohler had problems on the magnum 18's at one time. they made a
very expensive piece of equipment to test them. they were common to go
intermitant.
ask a dealer to look up the service bulletin on kohler ignition
problems, there is one i just can't remember the number.
Chip

Just take the plug out of the engine, leave it connected to the spark
plug lead and ground the tip to the head.
Turn the engine over.
A good spark is blue/white a bad red/orange.
You can often get a weak bad colored spark off of perfectly good
coils. This is due to a low or weak battery.
Connect a small 2-4 amp trickle charger to the battery during tests to
ensure a good spark.
There are usually two or more safety switches on riding mowers.
One under the seat, one a balance switch that cut engine if the mower
tips over.
Some will also have a safety on the ejection shute/bag shute.
And of course there's the safety pedal.
I don't work on many Kohler's but as I recall the engine your talking
about is made by B&S.
They tend to be a bit particular about coil gap tolerances and proper
spark timing(flywheel key must have no twist or shear.)

kohler engine igniition unit question
 

Don't think the battery can be involved. This has a magnet on the face
of the flywheel that generates the voltage pulse in the primary and an
electronic module fires the secondary when it hits its peak. There is no
battery connection to the ignition unit.


gothika wrote:

You can often get a weak bad colored spark off of perfectly good
coils. This is due to a low or weak battery.

kohler engine igniition unit question
 

That's useful. I notice the service manual has a picture of the
expensive piece of equipment that you're talking about being used to
test the spark.

Chip Stein wrote:


kohler had problems on the magnum 18's at one time. they made a
very expensive piece of equipment to test them. they were common to go
intermitant.
ask a dealer to look up the service bulletin on kohler ignition
problems, there is one i just can't remember the number.
Chip

kohler engine igniition unit question