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Kohler 8hp k181 no spark

#1

R

Rltkktlr

Replaced coil, still no spark. I am thinking I probably should have ordered a condenser also. By the way only way for me to find parts is EBay, straight from China of course so just hoping they are good. Anyway in Checking the condenser, I am on 20k ohm setting, Red probe to wire, black too body, meter just stays at 1, should I not see a certain ohm reading? Thanks for any help.........I am adding an edit here because, it turned out it was the coil I just damaged the primary wire installing the new one. The aftermarket coil wires came more out of the bottom then OEM coil and they were hard to not get pinched. Anyway if I would have been better with my ohm meter would have realized right away coil was bad because ohms on secondary winding(spark plug to ground) was something like 37000 ohms. New one was 9800. Anyway hope this helps someone, unfortunately I screwed up and pinched a wire so was a little confusing when I realized I had intermittent ohm readings on primary, which is what led me too the mostly broken wire. Also sorry this is so long. Great site by the way.


#2

R

Rivets

Checking a condenser with an Ohm meter is not a reliable test. If you replaced the coil, did you set the air gap at .010, unless you have a rare unit which uses an automotive style coil. If the coil is set properly, I would then check to see that the points are set to .018-.020”. If they are I would replace both the points and the condenser. Here is a service manual if you don’t have one.


#3

B

bertsmobile1

And double check the insulator between the fixed and moving arm on the points.
More than one cheap set had the insulator missing or had a steel washer in there .


#4

R

Rltkktlr

Thanks guys. This coil is set inside fly wheel and I think is not adjustable. I will try a new points and condenser. Will first look at insulator. Will let you know


#5

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Here's what the IPL shows for the coil, with 2 lugs + and -
full.png


#6

R

Rivets

That’s what I mean about automotive style coil. Has polarity, needs to be hooked up properly.


#7

R

Rltkktlr

Now somewhat confused, how does an automotive coil relate to my Kohler coil inside the flywheel.


#8

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Now somewhat confused, how does an automotive coil relate to my Kohler coil inside the flywheel.
That's what KOHLER diagrams show for the ignition coil for that engine. However, there are 2 ignition diagrams. automotive style Coil is 41 on top diagram, and 7 on the bottom.
1601403694416.png
1601403713909.png


#9

R

Rltkktlr

I tried to take a picture of my coil for you but says it’s too large to post.


#10

R

Rltkktlr

Anyway it’s a magnetic coil inside flywheel.


#11

R

Rivets

Please post your spec number, then we will know what you have. We’re not question your knowledge, just want to be sure when we continue to try to help.


#12

R

Rltkktlr

Thanks. And I should have posted that right away. By the way even though the ohms maybe unreliable I would still like to mess around and compare the old and new parts. Thanks for the repair manual, but it doesn’t seem to have electrical specs, say for coil and condenser? I really thought it would. Anyway spec no. 30467. Model K181T


#13

R

Rivets

The Kohler part number is A-235741-S, but is NLA. It has been superseded to part number 4775520, but run almost $200.00. Before purchasing a new stator (coil) I would measure the resistance on both the primary and secondary windings of your exi coil. To test the primary winding, disconnect the small wire coming from the coil to the points. Measure resistance through this wire to ground. Good winding will have a resistance of between.5-1.5 Ohms. To test secondary winding, measure resistance between spark plug terminal to ground. Good winding will have a resistance of 2.5K-5K Ohms.


#14

R

Rltkktlr

Well I had already replaced coil with an aftermarket coil. Primary winding 15 ohms(that’s an auto setting on my ohm meter) secondary is 9.8 ohms. I ordered a condenser hoping that’s the problem. My sherry meter can’t get it too move off 1 in either 200 or 2k or 20k. Actually I was expecting range to be like in the thousands so 20k setting. But sperry not showing anything


#15

R

Rivets

To me those readings would indicate primary winding good, but secondary winding bad.


#16

R

Rltkktlr

I agree according to your numbers. Any idea why Sperry meter would only show 1(which I assume is the same as OL on other meters) at any settings? I really want to see a reading from a non automatic setting. Anyway I ordered a condenser will let you know if that produces spark. Appreciate the help. I always learned don't replace 2 parts at the same time cause then you never knew what worked. But should have ordered the condenser, because then Murphy’s law would have helped me out!!!


#17

R

Rltkktlr

Oh wait. Primary was 15ohms your spec was .5 to 1.5 ohms


#18

R

Rivets

I made a mistake also, primary should be between 10-17 Ohms. I used reading for automotive coil. Secondary is the same. Don’t understand either why your meter would read 1 on all ranges???


#19

R

Rltkktlr

Thanks. Will report back when I get new condenser( right from China I am sure so maybe coil will like that! Oh ya know what I don’t have coil in for those ohm readings,


#20

R

Rltkktlr

Ok. Little set back, well sort of. While I was ohming the primary winding I noticed it was intermittent. (I had had too solder the original wire that goes too condenser and points on because aftermarket coil had a very short primary wire) so I thought my solder was bad. As it turned out the new coil wires came more from bottom of coil then the OEM coil, this caused the wire to get caught between coil and motor and damaged it, hence no spark. I repaired it and it fired right up. Side note I am pretty sure the secondary reading was 9800 ohms, my old one was some crazy number like 37000 ohms! Thanks again for all the help. Bye the way I will probably make another post as I had an original problem before I lost spark.


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