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.

My question is about the ignition unit. Does anyone know if these are
prone to this type of intermittent failure as they get older (13 years)?
Is there some way to diagnose this other than stick a screwdriver in
the sparkplug wire to see if there's a visible spark? I hate to drop a
bundle on this module if it's not the problem.

If there's a better forum that specializes in small engine repair please
let me know, but I saw a fair number of posts on mower engines on
these groups.
thanks


I don't claim to be a mechanic (even though I play one on TV) but it
sounds to me like you may have a bad spark plug wire that may be
finding ground when you put it back together. Can you leave the cover
off and start it then? Try some electricians tape around the length of
the plug wire. Also you might want to get some emory cloth and
"brighten up" the magneto and flywheel. Sometimes rust can muck things
up.

Stu MacDonald

"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary,
too many parasites living on the labour of the industrious."
_Thomas Jefferson