Just got my first horse

[Stormin 9,975]

49 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That's your ignition condenser

 

 

Somebody else will have to tell you what it does... Something to do with dampening high voltage pulses...

 

 

 Eric's more or less correct. It reduces the spark at the points to reduce burning and pitting.

[Fuzz 20]

35 minutes ago, Stormin said:

 

 Eric's more or less correct. It reduces the spark at the points to reduce burning and pitting.

So would that cause it to not get any spark? That’s where I’m at now. However if I bypassed it and connected the wires together I should get spark if the condenser was the issue right?

[Stormin 9,975]

4 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

So would that cause it to not get any spark? That’s where I’m at now. However if I bypassed it and connected the wires together I should get spark if the condenser was the issue right?

 

If it's faulty, yes.

 

As for your second question. Personally I wouldn't. I'd get another condenser. Cheap enough and if the fault isn't the condenser, you'll have a spare.

 

 

[ebinmaine 63,214]

3 hours ago, Fuzz said:

removing the flywheel to clean the points and magneto now

 

4 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Hey guys anyone know what this piece is? It’s off the kohler K181T

 

 

No need to remove the flywheel Fuzz.

 

I don't think that has a magneto and your points are behind the red cover that is next to the condenser.

 

[Racinbob 10,296]

Eric is 100% correct. The points are under that cover. I wouldn't remove the flywheel unless necessary. 

 

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

19 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

Eric is 100% correct. The points are under that cover. I wouldn't remove the flywheel unless necessary. 

 

The only thing under the flywheel is the stater for charging

[Fuzz 20]

Thanks for the help guys. I’m new to all this so I’ll be asking a lot of questions along the way. I’m a hell of a carpenter but my small gas engine skills are questionable hah. I’ll owe you guys a beer when it’s finished. 

[Pullstart 59,744]

Someone here or somewhere else taught us this stuff, we’re just passing it along!  Here’s to hoping you have it going soon!

[ebinmaine 63,214]

6 hours ago, Fuzz said:

new

Hey no worries.

You were probably born with a half decent attitude and a desire to find food. Other than that we have to learn everything.  

 

 

I asked the exact same question a couple years ago.

I've always messed with Briggs or Tecumseh. Both have points under the flywheel.

Never even occurred to me that they'd be out where a human could reach 'em on a Kohler.

 

Keep asking questions.

 

We all like to work on these tractors... In person or from a distance vicariously.

 

[RandyLittrell 3,827]

Glad you've admitted its your first! There will be more to come!!

 

 

 

 

Randy

[SPINJIM 1,978]

18 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I order ordered one last week. I have that one. I’ll have to get that condenser too and probably some points. Working on removing the flywheel to clean the points and magneto now. It’s getting gas to the carb but no spark 

 

The points are under that little red cover to the left of the condenser in your picture.   No need to remove the flywheel to get to them on that Kohler, but you might want to just clean under the flywheel.   Nice tractor.  I'd also agree that you're better off with a Kohler engine instead of the original Tecumseh.  Good luck with it.   

   Jim

[Fuzz 20]

New condenser and points. Still no spark. Suggestions? The red wire hooked to the old condenser. Is it possible it’s the wrong one and it needs to be hooked to the condenser not the points?

Edited September 13, 2019 by Fuzz

[Fuzz 20]

Just thought about it. I don’t see a cut off switch on here anywhere. Where would that be and could that be my problem. It’s off?

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,504]

Where does the red wire go? Behind the flywheel?

Any other wires coming from behind the flywheel?

Do you have an ohmmeter for testing?

 

Garry

[Fuzz 20]

Just now, gwest_ca said:

Where does the red wire go? Behind the flywheel?

Any other wires coming from behind the flywheel?

Do you have an ohmmeter for testing?

 

Garry

Yeah the red wire goes behind the flywheel. It was originally hooked to the old condenser. You can see in a picture I posted yesterday asking what the condenser is hah. I have an ohmmeter on the way. It’ll be here soon. 

[Stormin 9,975]

17 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Thanks for the help guys. I’m new to all this so I’ll be asking a lot of questions along the way. I’m a hell of a carpenter but my small gas engine skills are questionable hah. I’ll owe you guys a beer when it’s finished. 

 

Be expensive beer for me, Fuzz.

[ebinmaine 63,214]

Gonna want a proper wiring diagram as well as the ohmmeter.

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,504]

Looks to me like the kill wire is not there. It would be connected to the red and condenser wire and the ignition switch would ground the circuit to shut the ignition off.

 

Take both wires off the points and snug the screw back up. Use the ohmmeter to check point resistance.

One lead on the points screw and the other grounded to the engine block. Turn the engine over so the points operate. Points closed should be 0 ohms resistance. Points open should read infinity = no connection.

If you don't have that clean the points and try again. They are not making electrical contact when closed.

It is that opening and closing of the points that force the coil to fire the plug.

 

Test ignition coil

Ground one ohmmeter lead to the engine block. Other lead to the red wire. Should have 1 to 5 ohms.

Now switch the test lead to the spark plug wire. Should have 5,000 to 10,000 ohms.

Now if you take the grounded lead and put it to the red wire with the other still on the plug wire you should have 5,001 to 10,005 ohms - the 2 reading above added together.

 

If all OK reconnect the condenser and red lead to the points. It should run. Let's hope the points were dirty. New points have a coating on them to prevent corrosion.

When installing the wires on the points make sure they are only touching the mounting block and spring. Easy to have them off a bit and touching the metal point frame which is the same as turning the key off.

 

Garry

[oliver2-44 8,861]

You don’t have to remove flywheel on a Kohler, the points are under that square cover above to the left of the condenser. 

[ebinmaine 63,214]

18 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

Looks to me like the kill wire is not there.

 

 

On a Kohler?

 

 

[pfrederi 17,147]

 I think we should note this is a pull start Engine it has a magneto under the flywheel with points and condenser  on the block as shown in his pictures.  there is no external can shaped  ignition coil. as a Mag system there has to be a kill wire (or a button in the points cover) to stop it.

 

Make sure the concertgoer for the condenser is not touching the points body hard to tell in teh picture but hat would kill the spak.

Edited September 13, 2019 by pfrederi

[Fuzz 20]

31 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

Looks to me like the kill wire is not there. It would be connected to the red and condenser wire and the ignition switch would ground the circuit to shut the ignition off.

 

Take both wires off the points and snug the screw back up. Use the ohmmeter to check point resistance.

One lead on the points screw and the other grounded to the engine block. Turn the engine over so the points operate. Points closed should be 0 ohms resistance. Points open should read infinity = no connection.

If you don't have that clean the points and try again. They are not making electrical contact when closed.

It is that opening and closing of the points that force the coil to fire the plug.

 

Test ignition coil

Ground one ohmmeter lead to the engine block. Other lead to the red wire. Should have 1 to 5 ohms.

Now switch the test lead to the spark plug wire. Should have 5,000 to 10,000 ohms.

Now if you take the grounded lead and put it to the red wire with the other still on the plug wire you should have 5,001 to 10,005 ohms - the 2 reading above added together.

 

If all OK reconnect the condenser and red lead to the points. It should run. Let's hope the points were dirty. New points have a coating on them to prevent corrosion.

When installing the wires on the points make sure they are only touching the mounting block and spring. Easy to have them off a bit and touching the metal point frame which is the same as turning the key off.

 

Garry

All of that tested fine. Still no spark... does the on/off switch have to be hooked up? Where does that wire hook to?

[pfrederi 17,147]

8 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

All of that tested fine. Still no spark... does the on/off switch have to be hooked up? Where does that wire hook to?

 

The on off is a toggle switch on the hood stand panel.  The kill wire goes to that and the switch  grounds the wire when in the off position.should be grounded. The other end is hooked to teh condenser lead (or points wire which ever is easier.  Check and make sour your d=condeser wire connecter is not touching the body of the points

 

In you r first picture the black wire looks to be your kill wire.  It is missing in the second pictur.

Edited September 13, 2019 by pfrederi

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,504]

Have you tried a new properly gapped spark plug?

 

Garry

[Fuzz 20]

Here’s the wire for the on/off switch. It’s not connected to anything. I wired it up just for the hell of it to the points. Nothing.... with a spark plug tester I get a very faint light on it. If I take the plug out and set it on the block, no spark. Everything tests fine with the ohmmeter.