Stealth126 54 #26 Posted April 4, 2018 Last night after the kids went to bed I started unplugging everything that is in the dash and the seat. Had to take the seat panel off. The shifter boot is in shreds. That "dirt" you're seeing in the picture is mostly rust. Now I'm starting to think about sanding and painting before I put it back together. Is this how getting a tractor running turns into a partial restore? I don't love painting and I doubt it will resemble a professional job, but at this stage I don't think I can hurt this thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikeeyre74 289 #27 Posted April 4, 2018 Personally, I like to get things solidly running, reliable and functioning before I start messing with cosmetics. I’d focus on the big picture first, but that’s just me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #28 Posted April 4, 2018 I don't know. It may fire right up once I get the wiring figured out. It's just that I seem to be getting wrapped up in wiring quite literally before I know anything about what the engine will do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikeeyre74 289 #29 Posted April 4, 2018 If you were truly concerned about compression, you can simply remove the spark plug and stick your thumb over the top of the home and turn the engine over by hand. You will feel if it has some compression at all… And that may make you feel better about things. But you will need to be able to get that engine crank over with starter power to really do a proper compression test with a gauge if that’s what you want to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #30 Posted April 4, 2018 A few pics of current status. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #32 Posted April 4, 2018 I'll do that Mike. I would feel good knowing it had compression. Then I would feel like this electrical work will lead to it running. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #33 Posted April 4, 2018 You do not need a wiring harness to test the engine. Sand a bare spot some where on the frame that is easy to get to. Get a battery a set of jumper cables and a piece of 12 or 14 or 16ga wire long enough to run from the battery + terminal to the small + terminal on your coil and hook it up. (Take off the existing wire) Then put the red wires of you jumper set between the battery + and the Starter motor lug (again remove the wire that is on there). Connect eh black wire of your jumper set to the - battery terminal. Make sure tranny is neutral and everything is clear. The stick the black jumper wire on the bare spot you sanded. She will crank and should give you spark. If it cranks you could stop spray a bit of carb cleaner in her and try again she may pop and try to run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,503 #34 Posted April 4, 2018 This is the very popular ignition switch for the C-81. Click on the picture and then again on the next page. The switches all look the same. The same identified terminals and their location must be the same for plug and play. Garry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #35 Posted April 4, 2018 Wow guys. The information is great. I'll try this. So if it fires I'll remove the ground. Will that cut the engine or just the starter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #36 Posted April 4, 2018 That will kill everything spark and starter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #37 Posted April 4, 2018 Okay. Thanks. I'll give it a try tonight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #38 Posted April 6, 2018 Just got back to working on her tonight. It has compression. I can turn it by hand. I put the jumpers on it and it will turn over two or three times then doesn't have the juice to go further. Every time I try again it will turn over twice or three times then quit. Can't tell much, but it's not seized, and has some compression. Not sure about spark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #39 Posted April 6, 2018 Update. Tried a few more times and got to where it would keep turning over. No spark though, unless it wasn't turning over fast enough to check that. But I'm pretty sure it was. With the plug out and clutch engaged it was turning pretty good. If there should have been spark, where am I looking next? The coil didn't get hot tonight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #40 Posted April 6, 2018 If the battery is in good shape it should spin over easily and for over a minute...or more. Cranking speed is irrelevant to spark. How are you testing for spark? did you spray in carb cleaner use a spark plug tester??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #41 Posted April 6, 2018 Frankly I don't know how to check for spark. I just pulled the plug and set it on the head while I cranked the engine. Didn't see a spark. I'm learning as I go so if you have any instruction I'm open to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #42 Posted April 6, 2018 Next time you go by Harbor freight get one of these. If this has been sitting your points are probably oxidized and need cleaning. Use a points file or as some have suggested a new dollar bill dragged between the contacts. Side thought: before you do much cranking have you changed the oil in the engine... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #43 Posted April 6, 2018 I have not changed the oil yet. I was focused on electrical and then switched to this. I'll do that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #44 Posted April 6, 2018 Figured some other things out today too. I didn't have the stator hooked up to the coil yesterday. I hooked it back up today and now I have spark. With a few squirts of starting fluid it fired 3 or 4 times in a row. Primed the gas line to the fuel pump and turned it over a couple times. Nothing came out. The fuel pump won't even pull fuel 3 inches through the system. Now I need to find the fuel pump part number which I can't find anywhere. Not in the tractor manual or the Kohler service manual as far as I can tell. Anybody have any help with that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #45 Posted April 6, 2018 It looks exactly like my 1067 fuel pump without taking it off. But the 1067 pumps fuel right to left as you look at the front of the tractor. This one pumps left to right. Or at least it's supposed to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #46 Posted April 6, 2018 The stator does not hook to the coil in a battery ignition system. (It sort of does via a trigger in a breaker-less system but from your picture you do not have that) Did you hook teh battery plus directly to teh small + on the coil when you tested yesterday??? Is there a spec number on the engine blower shroud. Want tp make sure we get the right pump art # and that you have a battery ignition... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #47 Posted April 6, 2018 I'll take a picture of the engine and get you that number. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #48 Posted April 6, 2018 K181S 30700d Not sure about that d Serial 9352835 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stealth126 54 #50 Posted April 6, 2018 That little orange wire wasn't hooked up yesterday. Wherever it's coming from. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites