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2024/11/09 13:20:06
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Tecumseh OHH55 - No Spark

- Got out our leaf vacuum a week ago to start picking up all the leaves that have come down.
- On first try, engine fired and then died. Further cranking, shots of starting fluid, etc. and the engine did not fire. 
- Kept checking things and determined there was no spark. 
 
Disassembled things with these actions/results:
- Flywheel magnet passes the 3/4" screwdriver attraction test.
- Tried a new Chinese ignition coil.
Still no spark.
 
- Ordered and installed a new Tecumseh 34443 ignition coil. Left the coil kill switch wire off the coil. Set the coil air gap to the 0.0125" spec.
- Installed new NGK BR7ES spark plug
Still no spark.
 
- Reduced the coil air gap to 0.008" to increase magnetic coupling.
Still no spark.
 
- Tried another new BR7ES plug.
Still no spark.
 
- Put a 3/4" socket into my impact driver to spin the engine over faster and (?) increase the ignition voltage.
Still no spark.
 
- Replaced spark plug with adjustable-gap type spark tester, grounded directly to the engine frame. 
Still no spark.
 
What am I missing? What do I do to get this engine running? Right now the test setup is a coil, the flywheel, and a spark plug. What elsedo I do?
 
 
1 comment Leave a comment
Conrad Sigona
You probably think no one is paying attention to your problem, but you'd be wrong. I myself have looked it over and over again, and thought about it over and over again, but like you, came up with nothing. And I'm sure that other folks here also tried to help.
 
Permit me, however, to offer my method of diagnosis. Maybe it helps; maybe it doesn't. When you suspect a particular part is the cause of your problem, for instance, the spark plug, and replacing the spark plug doesn't help, make sure to reverse your change, that is, to reinstall the original plug. Your goal in diagnosis is to disqualify possible problems, what I call "lessening the variables". If you were to change the spark plug, and seeing no improvement, leave it in and continue looking for the problem, you just introduced another variable, namely, the new plug, rather than removed a variable. Maybe the new plug is bad. At least with the old plug, you're no worse off than where you started and can continue the quest. It may seem like a waste of time, particularly if the component in question eats up a lot of time to remove and to install it, but in my experience, it's worth it to avoid introducing new variables.
 
One more point: a functional ignition will produce a spark even when the flywheel is turned by hand. Work at night. Take out the spark plug so it's easy to turn the flywheel. Position the flywheel magnet just before the point at which it should cause a spark. Position the spark plug wire near a good ground. Turn off the lights. Manually move the flywheel a few inches back and forth, repeatedly letting the magnet pass the coil. On a small engine, it's easy to get the magnet going fast enough that you'll see a spark. But you need darkness to see it.
 
I'm sorry if none of this answers your question.
2025/01/01 21:37:49

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