[Oldphil]

Model # 24a-465e129 Pulled out my trusty chipper and it does not have spark, last fall ran it dry and put it the shed. Has always run like a champ, being as it ran until dry of fuel I am wondering what goes bad while sitting. It has since new been a two pull start even when quite cold, where should I start????

 

[mla2ofus]

There usually is a wire connected to the throttle linkage that grounds the mag to kill the engine. I would start checking that first from where the wire comes from under the flywheel all the way to the throttle linkage.
Mike

 

[Oldphil]

Thanks will give it a try in the AM.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

In a shed ?..used to run great before ?..
--my guess mice ate your coil or spark plug wire !...hope I'm wrong..

 

[Whirly]

just how old is this engine.. we also need to know the brand of the engine too..

 

[austinado16]

Model # 24a-465e129 Pulled out my trusty chipper and it does not have spark, last fall ran it dry and put it the shed. Has always run like a champ, being as it ran until dry of fuel I am wondering what goes bad while sitting. It has since new been a two pull start even when quite cold, where should I start????

A quick google search shows that it's probably a 2003 Yard Machines Chipper. So it doesn't have points.

I've seen the surfaces of the magneto (ignition coil) and the magnet on the flywheel develop enough rust that it kills the coil's ability to be actuated by the moving flywheel magnet.

If it were me, I'd replaced the spark plug with something like a W14LMU Denso, and re-try. If still no spark, disco the kill wire from the control. If you still have no spark, and you're sure the kill wire isn't grounding against something, I'd suggest a new coil.

Some of the Briggs engines have an on/off switch, so make sure that's not FUBAR. Hence the recommendation to remove kill wire.

 

[markusedma]

I've seen the surfaces of the magneto (ignition coil) and the magnet on the flywheel develop enough rust that it kills the coil's ability to be actuated by the moving flywheel magnet.

This is an old myth. A magnetic field is not affected by the rust that can possibly build up between the magnet and magneto cores. It would make mechanical contact long before the rust actually stopped the induction process.

However I agree %100 on what austinado recommends on doing.

 

[austinado16]

I thought it was a myth too, for the same reasons, until I saw it in the shop twice in the past 3 months. Although it wasn't a machine I was working on, so I can't say that I have actual hands-on experience with it. However, both machines did go back to running fine after the rust was cleaned up.

 

[Whirly]

I thought it was a myth too, for the same reasons, until I saw it in the shop twice in the past 3 months. Although it wasn't a machine I was working on, so I can't say that I have actual hands-on experience with it. However, both machines did go back to running fine after the rust was cleaned up.

here again.. both machines could have been set up like my walk behind snow blower.. it has a toggle switch that is marked OFF/RUN.. I've tried to start it a couple times with it in the OFF position..

on edit.. I have a neighbor who has a MTD blower.. this one has a lil plastic key u insert in a slot.. he called me over one day cause it wouldn't start.. I found that he didn't have that key inserted in the slot fully.. thus the engine was still turned off..

 

[tomw0]

austinado:However, both machines did go back to running fine after the rust was cleaned up.

Wonder if there was enough rust on the flywheel to contact the magneto. If there was contact, it could have slowed cranking just enough that the engine wouldn't start. I do not think that the magnetic field would be distorted enough by rust to have any effect on the magneto function. I am thinking 'mechanical' vs 'electrical' difference. Either way, it looks better w/o the rust, and gives one time to think of other opportunities for solution while cleaning it off...
Remember the story about the lady whose car wouldn't start at times, but if she went in and made a cup of coffee, it would reliably start when she tried again. She called a radio show, and they suggested she get a buffer rag, and polish the fender that was closest to the curb and re-try. That worked as well as getting coffee did. I think it had to do with flooding the engine...
tom

 

[austinado16]

here again? Nope, wasn't the case.

 

[Oldphil]

Hi got it apart cleaned the flywheel, pulled and grounded the plug still N/G spark. I will hunt up a coil, also need a clean link for the engine manual.

Thanks for the follow ups!:fing32:


Question! I have instant notification checked but am not getting an email about new posts!

 

[Whirly]

Hi got it apart cleaned the flywheel, pulled and grounded the plug still N/G spark. I will hunt up a coil, also need a clean link for the engine manual.

Thanks for the follow ups!:fing32:


Question! I have instant notification checked but am not getting an email about new posts!

u can see all the new posts made in ur treads by clickin the 'USER CP' at the top of every page.. any tread that u make a post in will b in this list..

 

[suspicionofignorance]

If it is the culprit, Hard to understand how a machine that was running fine, parked, and suddenly has a totally dead coil...no overheating/cold cycling, ...rain, snow, nothing to cause failure...except elapsed time...!

 

[Whirly]

Hi got it apart cleaned the flywheel, pulled and grounded the plug still N/G spark. I will hunt up a coil, also need a clean link for the engine manual.

Thanks for the follow ups!:fing32:


Question! I have instant notification checked but am not getting an email about new posts!

I have another question for ya.. does this MTD unit have a plastic key ya insert into a slot.. this is what u pull out to kill the engine.. if u do not reinstall that plastic key it will not start.. it shorts out the coil when it is not in the slot..

 

[no2498]

? did you sand off the bottom of the coil also
and all of its mounting points also
then reset the gap

john

 

[Oldphil]

Did not pull and clean coil, will clean and gap it Monday rain tomorrow!

The only kill for the engine is the contact made when the speed control is pushed to the bottom.

Still cannot figure why I do not get instant email when a new post appears, checked all setting look correct will have to have a Mod look into it.

 

[austinado16]

The "ultimate" way to test for a dead coil is to remove the fan shroud and disconnect the kill wire that's attached to the coil. Then put the fan cover back on (just put the bolts in finger tight), put a new spark plug into the spark plug boot, rest it against unpainted engine metal, and pull the starter. If you still have no spark, you have a dead coil.

The only caveat to this info, is coil that uses a big plastic resistor spark plug boot. Since the resistor in those boots can fail (used on Honda and Kawasaki engines) you take one further step of unscrewing that plug boot, and seeing if you can get spark just straight out of the wire. If you were to see spark, you'd know you just had a failed boot. Of course this doesn't apply to the engine you're working on.

 

[tomw0]

austinado said:Since the resistor in those boots can fail (used on Honda and Kawasaki engines)

Does this apply to Honda power-washer engines? Had one that was running, just quit and would not re-start. Checked for spark and had none. Told SIL he needed a new coil, and ordered, replaced, and all was well.
Could the old one have had a resistor that failed? How do they fail and stop the spark, as they would either conduct with some resistance as designed, or have the spark jump the gap inside the failed resistor? I am imagining a 1/4w resistor that opens, and if you had the volts, the juice would jump, of course raising the spark voltage to get it to jump across the electrodes, just as an 'intensifier' does. Eh, what do I know?
tom

 

[Oldphil]

? does an old chipper like this have the resistor???