briggs and stratton engine ic twin 19.5

[donp815]

Hello everybody,
New to forum, and was browsing for some tips on a Craftsman rider w/42" deck. Neighbor had it for 3 seasons and it just stopped on him. No popping, backfires or anything, but would not restart. He played with it and had it running once late last fall for about 5 minutes: then stopped again. Listening to him try to start it, it sounded like it was kicking back when starting. It set out all winter covered with a tarp. He offered it to me for $100. I walked over and looked at it and really in the back of my mind I was thinking sheared flywheel key. He had replaced the plugs and put a new pinion gear on the starter, but he put the spring under the gear and totally destroyed it. I took a chance and bought it. Flywheel key was ok. Replaced battery, starter gear, and solenoid, hit starter and it fired right up. Sounded good for about 10 seconds, then shut off. I thought I had it made and only had to trouble shoot the fuel system. Had to quit that night because it was late after I got the starter on. Next 2 days, cold and snow flurries. Yesterday, put just a little gas in carb to prime it. Evidently a big mistake as the engine fired and kicked back hard and fast enough to ruin another starter gear. I have learned on this site that this engine doesn't have adjustments for the valves. But I also learned that this is usually not a problem. Picked up 2 new starter gears this evening and will try again tomorrow. If it ruins another before I can check the fuel system out, I will probably have to give up on it. I think it is a 2000 model. Good looking, solid body and deck, but just like us humans, without the heart we're nothing. Getting too old to bend, :laughing:stoop and squat like I used to.

When wiping dirt off of model and serial no. they wiped off too. I think that would have told me the year made. Anyway, here's the numbers on engine.

Family: YBSXS.7482VE 274846
Model: 461707
Type: 0147-E1
Code: 0103305A

Can't afford a heart transplant on SS.:laughing:

 

[donp815]

Hello everybody,
New to forum, and was browsing for some tips on a Craftsman rider w/42" deck. Neighbor had it for 3 seasons and it just stopped on him. No popping, backfires or anything, but would not restart. He played with it and had it running once late last fall for about 5 minutes: then stopped again. Listening to him try to start it, it sounded like it was kicking back when starting. It set out all winter covered with a tarp. He offered it to me for $100. I walked over and looked at it and really in the back of my mind I was thinking sheared flywheel key. He had replaced the plugs and put a new pinion gear on the starter, but he put the spring under the gear and totally destroyed it. I took a chance and bought it. Flywheel key was ok. Replaced battery, starter gear, and solenoid, hit starter and it fired right up. Sounded good for about 10 seconds, then shut off. I thought I had it made and only had to trouble shoot the fuel system. Had to quit that night because it was late after I got the starter on. Next 2 days, cold and snow flurries. Yesterday, put just a little gas in carb to prime it. Evidently a big mistake as the engine fired and kicked back hard and fast enough to ruin another starter gear. I have learned on this site that this engine doesn't have adjustments for the valves. But I also learned that this is usually not a problem. Picked up 2 new starter gears this evening and will try again tomorrow. If it ruins another before I can check the fuel system out, I will probably have to give up on it. I think it is a 2000 model. Good looking, solid body and deck, but just like us humans, without the heart we're nothing. Getting too old to bend, :laughing:stoop and squat like I used to.

When wiping dirt off of model and serial no. they wiped off too. I think that would have told me the year made. Anyway, here's the numbers on engine.

Family: YBSXS.7482VE 274846
Model: 461707
Type: 0147-E1
Code: 0103305A

Can't afford a heart transplant on SS.:laughing:

OK. All seems good on starter end. Engine fired IMMEDIARELY and ran for about 3 seconds. After that, no start. Assumed I was getting spark, so started checking fuel. Could see fuel coming into carb after removing air cleaner. Have no compression gauge, but both cylinders blew my thumb off with what I thought was a lot of compression. Plugs are new and properly gapped. Is it possible for a coil to fail, then revive for a few seconds? Only to fail again? Pulled the plugs and grounded to case, no spark. I pulled the kill wire from the coil as suggested in another post, still no spark. Rivets, wnen reading your post on checking coil resistance, you gave some approximate values. That was for a 2 hp engine. Should mine be close to these? I'm thinking that between the plug wire and ground is the secondary? Couldn't dedicate a lot of time to my machine because another neighbor brought his mower over and wanted me to help him pull the deck and replace the mandrel and blades. After 1 PM Dr. appt. today should be able to check more thoroughly with no interruptions. All thoughts and ideas welcomed and greatly appreciated. Hopefully, tomorrow will be able to post something more of a positive nature.

 

[motoman]

Well, I am not a pro , but I do know that a visual on a spark outside the engine will not tell you if is ok under compression. You could try a diy spark tester (check this forum) or purchased one. Generally coils are said to last, but some do have transistors /capacitors in them which can fail at hot. There are cold compression specs somewhere in this forum.

 

[donp815]

Well, I am not a pro , but I do know that a visual on a spark outside the engine will not tell you if is ok under compression. You could try a diy spark tester (check this forum) or purchased one. Generally coils are said to last, but some do have transistors /capacitors in them which can fail at hot. There are cold compression specs somewhere in this forum.

Hey Motoman, Really appreciate the reply, but I do not have a spark even with the plugs out and touching ground. Tried screwdriver to wire and ground also. Really believe coil is bad. Weather hasn't been cooperating with me last couple of days. Has to be about 60+ before I can take the air. Would like to hear a reply from Rivets about the resistance of the coil. After looking at posts, the readings I was referring to were for a point ignition system I think. Mine has no points, but not sure where to check resistance. Again, thanks. Am sure will get running after I get a coil. I'm slow, but eventually get there:laughing: hopefully before snowfall in about 8 months.

 

[donp815]

Hello everybody,
New to forum, and was browsing for some tips on a Craftsman rider w/42" deck. Neighbor had it for 3 seasons and it just stopped on him. No popping, backfires or anything, but would not restart. He played with it and had it running once late last fall for about 5 minutes: then stopped again. Listening to him try to start it, it sounded like it was kicking back when starting. It set out all winter covered with a tarp. He offered it to me for $100. I walked over and looked at it and really in the back of my mind I was thinking sheared flywheel key. He had replaced the plugs and put a new pinion gear on the starter, but he put the spring under the gear and totally destroyed it. I took a chance and bought it. Flywheel key was ok. Replaced battery, starter gear, and solenoid, hit starter and it fired right up. Sounded good for about 10 seconds, then shut off. I thought I had it made and only had to trouble shoot the fuel system. Had to quit that night because it was late after I got the starter on. Next 2 days, cold and snow flurries. Yesterday, put just a little gas in carb to prime it. Evidently a big mistake as the engine fired and kicked back hard and fast enough to ruin another starter gear. I have learned on this site that this engine doesn't have adjustments for the valves. But I also learned that this is usually not a problem. Picked up 2 new starter gears this evening and will try again tomorrow. If it ruins another before I can check the fuel system out, I will probably have to give up on it. I think it is a 2000 model. Good looking, solid body and deck, but just like us humans, without the heart we're nothing. Getting too old to bend, :laughing:stoop and squat like I used to.

When wiping dirt off of model and serial no. they wiped off too. I think that would have told me the year made. Anyway, here's the numbers on engine.

Family: YBSXS.7482VE 274846
Model: 461707
Type: 0147-E1
Code: 0103305A

Can't afford a heart transplant on SS.:laughing:

Replaced coil with use one that a friend had. Engine started and seemed to run perfectly. Ordered new coil and it should be here Thursday. After sitting all winter under a tarp, I'm sure I'll have some other problems with it, but the original problem is resolved. Would still like to know how to test coil just to satisfy my curiosity. I searched forum and came up with tests for a 2 hp, but didn't think they would be the same. If any body knows, please post.
Anyway, My sincere thanks to all on the forum for the assistance. I really enjoy the forum and have learned a lot from the posts that I've read. I'm sure I'll be back after the first test mow with more questions since I've never had a mower with a deck like this. All I've ever had is a single blade Snapper. Good mower but not for large areas. Thanks all again!!

 

[Fish]

The problem with going at it like this, If you replace the coil with a good/new one, it may run briefly, but the new/good coil is soon destroyed....

What destroys these coils/ignitions is when voltage is supplied to the "kill" wire. Also folks here that recommend replacing coils
without finding out why they are destroyed, they should be ignored.....

These ignition systems produce a good running spark with every revolution of the flywheel through the "coil's" field, if the spark is dead, then it is from stray voltage reaching the coil. The small engine we are involved with would keep running/sparking while the
flywheel is rotating, so it stops, if it loses spark, fuel, or compression.

Testing for spark is quite simple, if it doesn't have spark, then something killed the coil.

 

[donp815]

The problem with going at it like this, If you replace the coil with a good/new one, it may run briefly, but the new/good coil is soon destroyed....

What destroys these coils/ignitions is when voltage is supplied to the "kill" wire. Also folks here that recommend replacing coils
without finding out why they are destroyed, they should be ignored.....

These ignition systems produce a good running spark with every revolution of the flywheel through the "coil's" field, if the spark is dead, then it is from stray voltage reaching the coil. The small engine we are involved with would keep running/sparking while the
flywheel is rotating, so it stops, if it loses spark, fuel, or compression.

Testing for spark is quite simple, if it doesn't have spark, then something killed the coil.

Thanks Fish. I agree entirely. Fix the cause of problem.
In this particular situation, (FINGERS CROSSED!) I think the plug wires which ran under the coil and laid on top of the head were breaking down and shorting out before spark could get to plugs. This is the only explanation I can come up with since the problem was not consistent. I routed them over coil and taped them in place. So far, has ran about 2 hours with no problems while trying to get mower deck back into operation. Making headway, but still have a ways to go. I have never worked on these decks until this machine, so it's a learning process all the way. Again, thanks to all!!!