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Afternoon, hoping someone can assist. I received this generator with no spark. I replaced the spark plug, coil and wire and ensured the magnet is clean and magnetized. When installing the coil it's gapped to .016. I also ensured the grounds were clean as well. I attached photos of what I'm working with. It's a pretty simple engine so I'm not understanding why there's no spark. Any assistance would be appreciated.



Another question I have is regarding the switch on the front? What is the point because it doesn't receive power so what does connecting anything to it actually do? In the picture below there's a black wire connected at the engine (possibly vacum) and the low oil sensor. Assuming those plug into the switch?

I can update that i do have spark holding plug to block. Also it does appear to be a grounding issue. This was more obvious when i went back to it to check and the clip that went to the head fell off. I'll reground somewhere else then give it a try.

Clean up that rust with some emory cloth or fine grit sand paper, by hand. Don't want to grind it, but bring it back to a shiny surface, fairly smooth. 100 grit or higher. Start there. Then I'd check with an actual spark tester, to see if it is firing on time, or not.

Coil air gap on Tecumseh engines is .010. Your setting is too wide.

Coil air gap on Tecumseh engines is .010.

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Check that... shouldn't gap be .0125?
Also, surface rust on flywheel has no effect on coil ability to produce spark.

Not unless I’ve taught and been setting them wrong for the last 40 years.

Russ2251 said:

Check that... shouldn't gap be .0125?
Also, surface rust on flywheel has no effect on coil ability to produce spark.

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Unless it is thick enough to touch the laminations as the magnet passes by.

If I could lay my hands on the ignorant idiot moron who posted the first polish your magnets video on U-tube I would like to polish a sensitive part of his anatomy till it is magnetic

So an update and more questions. The engine runs. Got spark and fires on first pull. It's a little rough like loping or a wave if that makes sense. Guessing I just need to clean the carb a bit better. The governor is just doing a constant adjustment so I don't know if that should be holding more steady or not.

RoadWarrior said:

Clean up that rust with some emory cloth or fine grit sand paper, by hand. Don't want to grind it, but bring it back to a shiny surface, fairly smooth. 100 grit or higher. Start there. Then I'd check with an actual spark tester, to see if it is firing on time, or not.

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Yep will do. I did get some of it but was trying to avoid hand sanding lol.

Rivets said:

Coil air gap on Tecumseh engines is .010. Your setting is too wide.

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I did end up figuring that out as well. This actually is what led me to getting spark almost immediately after adjustment. Thanks

Now, some wiring questions. I don't know what the purpose of any of it is. At this point the ground for the coil isn't connected and it fires. Also, the low oil switch and the other ground from the block are plugged into the switch on the generator but I don't know why. Is that switch purely a ground interrupt? There's no power supply and it fired just fine when neither of those was connected and whether the switch was in the on or off position. Would like to get this back to its delivered state but the wiring seems pointless.

Leave the coil & magnets alone
Go back and read your magnetism notes for 3rd grade

The coil has a timing chip in it
The timing chip works as a set of points
The kill wire from the switch and throttle cable GROUNDS THE CHIP & COIL so it can not generate a spark

bertsmobile1 said:

Leave the coil & magnets alone
Go back and read your magnetism notes for 3rd grade

The coil has a timing chip in it
The timing chip works as a set of points
The kill wire from the switch and throttle cable GROUNDS THE CHIP & COIL so it can not generate a spark

Click to expand...

Can you refresh my memory on the exact item you're referencing? I can't locate my 3rd grade notes at the moment.

Right now I don't have the ground from the coil to the engine attached. Also, I have the brown wire in the top of the switch and the other engine ground in the middle of the switch. Whether the switch is on or off and with the ground wire not attached for the coil the engine will start on the first pull. It seems the switch does nothing and having the ground on from the coil has no effect.