old 8 hp briggs no fire

[redone 45]

Hi GUys

well I  am dealing with an old 1983 Briggs with a generator attachment. i use it often, how ever next time i wanted to use it, the engine started to run just a mints. it would not start. no fire to plug. nothing. I pulled starting recoil cover off, check coil. was dead. i brought a new coil from a dealer. of Briggs parts house. the new type dose not match the same coil as old type. it to would not operate a spark either. i went to ebay, now purchased a coil looks the same. but the numbers do not match.

hummm. aim i on the right track????

P.S flywheel Magnets are fine. and key way is good also.......................

Thanks for your advice.

Bill

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,272]

What are all the numbers on the engine?

 

Garry

[oilwell1415 563]

If it's a magneto make sure the kill wire hasn't grounded itself somewhere.  If something wears through the insulation and the wire gets grounded you won't have any spark.

[Achto 28,865]

26 minutes ago, oilwell1415 said:

If it's a magneto make sure the kill wire hasn't grounded itself somewhere.  If something wears through the insulation and the wire gets grounded you won't have any spark.

 Disconnect the kill wire from the coil & see if it has spark. If it does then you will be on the hunt to find out where the wire is grounding out.

 

Also, did you have the coil installed the right way? The coil will fit with either side facing the cylinder. There should be markings on the coil that say some thing to the effect of "cylinder side". This side would be installed facing the cylinder. If you have it on backwards the polarity to the magnets on the flywheel will be wrong and it will not spark.

[wildman 205]

Does this have the low oil shut down

[Stepney 2,351]

I've had many an issue with the lug that grounds the coil (if it's set up that way) shorting out through the insulation and killing spark at random. Have seen online that apparently B&S is making replacement coils for older engines that look nothing like the original at all. I always hunt for NOS originals since I've had issues with current versions. 

[Achto 28,865]

@redone

One more question. Does this engine still have points?? If it does they will be located under the fly wheel. Kind of a PITA set up. A picture of your original coil would help me determine if your engine has points. If it does have points I suggest switching to a solid state coil. You can cut the wire that goes to the points and leave them right where they are. No need to pull the fly wheel. The Briggs part number for a solid state coil is 398811, this coil will work on any Briggs from 7hp to 16hp. Again it is very important that it is installed with the correct side towards the cylinder or it will not spark. On a side note: If you install one of these on an old cast iron block Briggs then you need to put it on the wrong way in order for it to work. The polarity on the flywheel magnet is reversed on a cast iron Briggs.

 

Here is a good source for a coil, their after market equivalents work well also. I have used them many times.

http://www.psep.biz/store/briggs_stratton_ignition_coils.htm

Edited February 8, 2020 by Achto

[Rob R 970]

Achto response is on the money if it is an old B&S and has points the coil is different then the new ones that has and extra pick-up on the coil which eliminates the points. My old 15hp B&S was the old style I replaced the coil with the new style I got spark but the spark was very weak and never started or ran right. I finally gave-up on the new coil found a used good old style coil and hooked the points back up. The spark was super strong.... that was five years ago and the engine starts and runs perfectly! I surmise that the new coil required a higher cranking speed to supply the spark the engine needed. Staying with OLD style coil and points!!!

Edited February 8, 2020 by Rob R