How To Diagnose An Ignition Module Without Any Special Tools
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- How To Diagnose An Ignition Module Without Any Special Tools
This video is to help anyone diagnose whether or not their "NO SPARK PROBLEM" is due to a bad ignition module or wiring without using any special tools. This video is for engines without points.
Don’t forget to click the 🔔 to turn on Video Notifications for more money saving videos and tips, featuring all the brands like Stihl, Husky, Husqvarna, Honda, Echo, Tecumseh, Dolmar, Makita, Poulan, Ariens, Briggs and Stratton, Murray, John Deere, Craftsman, MTD, AYP, etc.
Help me make videos or buy me a beer!!
/ donyboy73
Connect with me on these social media spaces (plus that's where I announce contest winners)
Facebook: / donyboy73-the-small-en...
Twitter: / donyboy73
Instagram: / donyboy73
If you enjoy my videos be sure to comment, share, thumbs up and subscribe. Thanks for watching!
Easy to follow and thorough step by step tutorials do it yourself (DIY) to help you with your broken lawn and garden equipment including snowblowers.
I do my best to teach you how to easily diagnose problems the fastest, quickest and most efficient way with real repairs beyond just replacing a spark plug. These tips are for both the homeowner and shop owner.
Whether it be a handheld, two stroke, two cycle engine like a chainsaw, weed eater, weed wacker, string trimmer, grass trimmer, line trimmer, hedge trimmer, strimmer, brush cutter, leaf blower, or four stroke, four cycle units like a lawnmower, wood splitter, lawn tractor, snowblower, pressure washer, generator or a ride on mower that needs parts installed or replaced, I’m your go-to guy.
My favorite brands of spark plugs are NGK and Champion and are the ones I recommend.
I’ve been a small engine mechanic for many decades and also run my own repair shop so my videos are loaded with tips and tricks that I have learned and want to share with you. You will also find many tool and product reviews from top brands on my channel as well.
I have the largest Small Engine Repair Video Library on UA-cam and the entire internet with over 1200 videos, just GOOGLE "DONYBOY73"!
I want "DON THE SMALL ENGINE DOCTOR" on UA-cam to save you time, frustration and most importantly, MONEY with my HOW-TO videos!
Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” recommends safe practices when working with power tools, hand tools, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor".
#donyboy73 #db73 #smallenginerepair #how-to
Wished I'd a found this last week! My new module didn't help, just like you said. But your gap instructions was a great bit of knowledge. Thanks!
Excellent FIVE Star video:
1. contains no annoying music
2. gets to the point quickly
3. covers topic completely
4. speaks clearly
5. Thank you
Totally agree it's been 6 years since you've left this message thats forever ago. Are you still alive?
Yeah just wondering are you still making UA-cam videos?
I HATE the annoying music
First time here? Donnyboy's channel is one of the few and probably the oldest 'no-nonsense' content channel on UA-cam
Thanks so much for this concise and accurate video. My 20 year old Toro push mower just wouldn't start this week. Changed plug, checked and cleaned carb, new gas, new air filter and still no joy. Did this quick test to determine I had no spark and picked up a new ignition module and I'm back in business!
these are the most helpful, simple videos..what the internet was made for..thank you for making them..cause real people are watching them and learning!
So, I found a deal on an ignition module for my old wheelhorse 800....and then I found this video. Needless to say I'll try this first. But regardless, MANY, MANY THANKS, You've made my life much more easy on many occasions! More important you're knowledge has kept my farm equipment running. Keep up the great work!
Gordon Hale you're welcome
No joy after rebuilding the carb. Adjusted the gap as you demonstrated and blower started on first pull. Many thanks, man! Much appreciated!
+Jim M you're welcome
IN A FEW SECONDS YOU GIVE ANSWERS WITHOUT MANY USELESS WORDS ...THANKS
Dony I have been watching your videos since the begining and they have helped me diagnose my small engine problems and has saved over 500 dollars in parts. Thank you for the help you have given me and the rest of your subscribers. Keep it up
Thank you for your work. Your methodical process-of-elimination approach makes the repair simple, and ultimately, obvious. Bravo.
Thanks for the video. I almost went out and bought an ignition module, needlessly. truly appreciate it.
excellent tip on placement of the coil. When I first watched this video, I thought for sure the engine couldn't be two-stroke as I had never heard of a mower with such an engine although most line trimmers and blowers have 2 cycle engines. While they (2-strokes) are a simpler, yet higher performance engines they burn more fuel and require more maintenance than a 4-cycle engine per hour of use.
Thanks Donny, mine was indeed the ignition module, but narrowing it down quickly sure helped a lot. Love this old LawnBoy, glad to keep her running.....
What a great group of tips for diagnosing small engine problems (there is hope for us viewers after all)! It is always a bonus to learn tips that require no specialized tools.
Thank you for the diagnose.... I disassembled my entire snow blower to find out I had 2 kill switches 1st at the low idle shut off throttle and 2nd at plastic key pull out. it was the low idle shut off!!! with both ground wires removed set the gap on the coil had a strong spark and fired right up THANK YOU.
I'm working on a Lawn Boy just like the one in your video. The lawn mower just stopped running on my one day and i couldn't get it to crank back up. So, I took it into my garage and started taking it apart. The flywheel key looked a little ruff so i replaced it with a new one. I also sprayed it down with degreaser to clean it up some. I also cleaned the flywheel and coil to make sure everything was good and clean. Then i used a business card to set the coil gap. I also put a new spark plug in it. When i went to crank the lawn mower it still would not crank. So, I pulled the plug to see if i was getting spark. I noticed that when i laid the spark plug close to something metal(Engine) it would spark off the side of the spark plug to the Engine, but not at the tip? Then i laid the spark plug away from anything metal to see if i had spark at the tip of the spark plug, I had no spark? This has really baffield me? PLEASE HELP!!! THIS IS MY FAVORITE LAWN MOWER!!!!
After screwing around trying to find out why I had no spark on my mower I said to myself" What would Dony do?", watched this and had my mower running in 10 minutes. Turns out that the shutoff connector attached to the coil and to the brake mechanism was not quite always releasing from ground. Adjusted it and motor runs better that it has for years. I also used the cc method to adjust the coil clearance, that my also be giving me a better spark. Anyway, thanks a lot for you videos, it is good to know that there is a resource here that can save us some time and money.
This a well done and informative video on the subject. Thanks for editing the video and not showing 12 minutes of rambling talk, shaky camera, and 95% useless footage!
+ken444444 thanks lol
Wow! Short, clear and to-the-point! Thank you so much!
IM sure someone has already mentioned wire brush the rust off the magnet and the module and regap,...ive had half a dozen or more where rust was the culprit even when it apeared to be gapped properly,...but were way humid down here in kentucky,...also those old 2 stroke lawn boys love to clog up the muffler and wont run till its cleaned,..thanks for your videos
,mike
Thanks for the video.
My older mower would not turn over. Followed your video..No spark.. New $50 ignition coil and a good carb cleaner she is up and running again.
Informative video... Much appreciated!
Thank you Dony. I have been searching for assistance on how to repair my mower. I like DIY projects. If this works I will definitely subscribe to your channel and look to you for more DIY small engine repairs. I’ll let you know in the morning.
Good video. Used it to fix a Poulan 22.5" Push Mower with a B&S 3.5 Classic my buddy pulled from the curb. The buddy swore it was an ignition module... turns out the PO installed it upside down and had it rubbing the flywheel! The safety bar wire was unplugged too... regapped it in the right orientation and it runs well... and I got a free mower!
Dony this video just saved me from buying a $50 ignition module. I was getting no spark on a craftsman with B&S 190cc. I did try replacing the spark plug but that didn't fix it so I figured it was the ignition module. After seeing this video I regapped the module and now the mower fires up on the first pull! It is much easier to pull the cord now so I think the module was rubbing against the magnet. Thanks!
Thank you, you showed me something I always wanted to know. Isolating the coil from any switch! Brilliant, very good!!
He's isolating the coil by unplugging the "kill wire" so it can't ground out the coil. He's taking the coil ground wire out of the circuit. Great video.
Some don't have a ground wire
thanks for that further clarification. Love learning these things.
What a great video ! 1st video I saw that was concise and right to the point, eliminating all of the usual problems without
wasting $50 on a coil that is not needed
you're welcome, make sure you are subscribed
You just save me a trip to the lawnmower repair shop.👍. I just try your techniques and they work . Great videos like always, keep them up
Great idea man.I’m doing a generator right now and was about to order a coil.Thanks
That is another thing to check out when working on mowers. I want to thank you so much for this tip.
Many thanks Donny for the good advice you give in this video - I followed the instructions for checking the gap between the stator and the fixed coil. It worked very well - I now have someone's throw away McColloch hedge trimmer which is up and running as it should. You are a star ! Liked and subbed your channel !
I almost got new ignition module for my tecumseh, absolutely needlessly, good I watched that video, best appreciation to your video Donny, thx:-)
Filed the posts and reset the gap.... one pull and it started. Thank you for posting!
An important point to mention: If you are working on a "vintage" era lawn-boy the ignition coil actually has to be connected to ground to run! These have the exact same looking coils as the one there in your video but they are white! For some reason those had a very high failure rate which is why the moved away from that design. Furthermore, just because you see spark it does not mean the coil is good, the spark can be weak or not hot enough to ignite the fuel/air mixture. The coil can also fail intermittently as it heats up with use.
I have spent MANY hours chasing bad coils, particularly on old lawn-boys and Tecumseh engines.
Condenser and points is a whole other deal if you are working on a really old machine.
Same here.
I ended up bringing the coil to a repair shop and they tested it. Toast! So I am switching to a magneto type. I hope this solves the problem if not, then well everything is repaired except the valves....but at least with your help donyboy73 i have learned a lot. thanks a million.
As others have said, you do a marvelous job making these videos. If you're not already, you'd sure make a great shop teacher in a technical school....You certainly help many here, including myself, for which I'm very grateful. Keep up the good work......One of the best channels on YT.....
i just used this technique to fix my power washer!!! Thank you so much!!!
Fantastic,used it on 4 engines i thought were at the right hi rpm and the tack showed me I was 400 off. I set the lawnmowers at 3000-3100 . I noticed the tab that holds the govenor spring is bent or the spring looses tension. I was waiting to see a vid with your new tack , I should have had one years ago.
I have watched most, if not all of your videos and have learned lots. Thank you Dony.
thanks
donyboy73
I have a question for you
I have a 2013 lawnboy
How to find info on the transmission
Clarence Thibodeaux i
Thank you! I did the same process on my John Deere riding lawn mower with a Briggs and Stratton engine. Fixed the problem!
Thank You for the explanation of how the coil works. I fixed mine by adjusting my spring for the shut off switch. Saved me money by not buying a new coil, which I thought was the problem for no spark.
this really helps me alot. Now to test mine to see if i have to replace the module or not.
Good video. Never really thought about this. Always checked it electronically.
Very good video, you explain it well. I'm not electrically oriented, so watching this was what I needed to find the problem in short order. Thanks!
My ignition module on my 2 yr old Toro personal pace recycler mower failed on me. I was rather PO'd that a $500+ lawnmower was giving me trouble in less than 2yrs, but between my luck with small engine equipment and the fact the whole mower is $500+ not just the ignition module I accepted it. Lucky I found another one lying around. I just had to drill the holes a bit bigger on it and it fit.
I did not find or see a spark with this, but holding the spark plug in my hand i did get a little tingel when i spun the fly wheel over, good boy Dony, Art in Alberta
One of the better videos I’ve watched. Clear concise and to the point. Thank you.
thanks, yes i have a few spark test tools but in this video i wanted to show people this way since i get asked this a lot
This was great. My mower is starting again thanks to your excellent videos!
you're welcome, make sure to subscribe
William. Yes i eventually did replace with magneto so no pints or condenser. I decided to tear down the motor and replace oil seal etc. I am just waiting for parts...have not had time to work on it anyway. thanks for your insight though.
Awesome video! Now I can figure out! The gap on the flywheel was so big!
After you do this and still have no spark check the magnets on the fly wheel for strength. The tiller I am working on the fly wheel magnets are extremely weak. Great video.
I have a mower and a screw driver will barely stick to the magnet. No magnet = no spark. people should check this first before they do anything if they have access to the magnets.
hey dony, wanted to say that for those people who have the older lawnboys, 70's and 80's, some of the models were set up as either open to run, or grounded to run. these were ones with the early cdi models
I have that same lawnboy, had to do the same last summer. Yesterday i diagnosed a bad flywheel on a tecumseh H60, weak magnets not producing enough field. Engine had loss of power anything above idle. Coil & points/condenser new, engine timing perfect. All i did was watch all your videos (0_0) and installed a different flywheel.
Great video you saved me for buying a new lawnmower. Thanks! Is running great after adjusting coil
Thank you alot mate for all your efforts to show în the detail all the solvings on the gasoline engines. I learned alot from you !
Hey Donny,
When I take one down that far I always clean the magnets on the flywheel and the coil. Then reset the gap with the business card. Sometimes it is hard to see IF your getting spark. So I found a better way to tell. I just get the wife to hold the spark plug. And she lets me know. Of course its the little things in life that make it worth living. Good to see you Donny keep up the good work.
lol
hahhaha. when i was a kid i did that. i can still feel it.
you know what they say: don't put your finger where you wouldn't your dix. I have a feelin' wet willie won't be cider tonight, he'll be a couch capt.
I've also had luck sanding the rust off the flywheel to regain spark. Great video thanks for the info.
Flywheel rust don't matter as a lot of ppl think. It's rust where the coil bolts on that you want to sand and make sure got good contact
Right on time to cancel my order you just saved me $60.00 ... thank you God bless you.
thanks donny it sure is nice of you to show all us folks how to do these things ---- some of us are on a fixed budget but all our costs for living are not and the guys close to me charge 80.00 dollars an hour to work on anything we take to them some times it's cheaper to just go and buy a new weedeater or chainsaw because the cost is only 10- 20- bucks different ....
Thanks for the video!
I have this same Lawn Boy with a similar problem and wasn't sure how to isolate that switch from the ignition. Super simple...
Video was excellent!
Now i know how to test for spark.
Nice info . I still learn something from every video I watch . Thanks
Dony, Thanks for this vid. My riding mower was dead. I disconnected that small wire on the ignition module, and it fired right. I had to pull the plug wire to shut it off though. I guess I'll have to check all the safety switches. Thanks again.
could well be the safety switch for sure, sometimes the clutch one goes
donyboy73 Ya, but it's too much work to get to it on a Weedeater One, so
I'll just run it with the wire disconnected from the ignition module. Runs great.
Short and sweet ! Thanks for the info !
I spent hours going in circles to just find out the kill wire was not moving far enough to stop grounding out when the safety handle was held what a day thanks this video would have helped allot
Great video sir, I always learn something new when watching your videos. Thanks for making them.
you're welcome
THANK YOU for pointing me in the right direction. I had rust on both the coil as well as the flywheel. After cleaning, I had a nice strong spark. I do have a question though. The flywheel turns no problem by hand, sparks great...however when I pull the cord, it sounds like metal scraping metal from the underside... the blade isn't hitting anything...not a clunk, but scrape during the entire hard pull. The mower was stored for a few years...oil is good...but it's way harder to pull the cord now...any ideas?
check the brake cable
Thank you so much. This helped me solve a no start issue with my "new" pressure washer. ( On/Off switch is faulty )
I'm pretty sure it going to help me with the same issue... Unplug the switch before you cut and splice wire back together where it's kinked to no avail tearing your weedeater apart how foolish lol
Great clear presentation helped me correct my Briggs coil problem.
Good video, Dony. I still find it interesting to see how these work with no battery.
thank you so much i had a problem with my generator and using your video it helped me so much to fix the problem......
Hi "Great video" you can also gap the flywheel and magneto by folding a piece of regular paper in four. I've done that for years!
well, I just spent a while looking into one of these on a B&S 3.75 sprint motor..adjusted the gap to pulley with the card, removed the kill wire from module, still dead for spark...pulled a spare out of the older B&S engine the one with the gear drive -starter..killwire connection is different otherwise the same...fitted it, adjusted gap, put lid back on, success...immediate sparking.so i guess this one was the module..the hardest part of this job is maybe getting that gap right with that card
Hey, I followed your example. Including settiing the gap. I had a spark, but I was able to hold it in my hand and although I could feel the current, I could tell it is weak. New ignition module is needed I'm guessing. Thanks again for all the vids
you're welcome
Thanks for the info. I'll try this on mine !!
I've experienced the problem on Briggs engines before where it's the ground wire going to the blade brake kill switch has a bad connection with the wire at the switch, clean it up and it all works good again.
Your videos are always informative and well explained. You are such a good teacher. Thanks.
Check for excessive rust on the ignition module and flywheel magnets as well .
Cool deal man wasnt wanting to go spend 15 bucks on a tester when the part is also 15 bucks but this is a nifty trick
Great videos, highly informative. short and to the point. I'm learning a lot form you. Many thanks.
Good grief! I've been removing the shroud, disconnecting the wire, putting shroud back on, and checking for spark. Thank you for saving me loads of time and effort in the future. Gah!
I bumped into the spark plug which was exposed on a pressure washer while standing in water. That was a quick lesson on what not to do.
While that works on about 98 percent of small engines I will add this. Some early F engine Lawnboys had a ground to run coil. They only used them for a few years. But all in all disconnecting the wire will tell the tale.
Nice @ to the point-thank-you for your expertise!
Boy you know what you are doing and you are easy to understand. Good work!
+Debra Orr thanks
Nice instructions Dony -- I never had a Lawn Boy -- 2stroke stuff gets smelly .
Thanks a ton for these videos! I learn a lot from them.
Thank You. This eliminates a lot of doubt & extra expense.
Thanks for doing what you do D ,much appreciated rock solid info man
That 2 cycle Lawnboy is a great mower.
Hi, so for the first demonstration where we disconnected the wiring to isolate the ignition module, I went ahead and did the same although the spark plug did not produce any sort of sparks. The ignition module is literally brand new. With that said, my concern is whether the flywheel have anything to do with it. I left the small gap between it BUT the flywheel has been damaged on the side surface. It's pretty scratched up and dented so will it have any effect on it's functions? Additionally, how many ohms will the ignition module require for it to function? Thanks.
all I can say is thank you. I good videos very interesting and learning. again thanks
you're welcome, nice for me to hear that
I have a Victa powertorque lawnmower which I picked up from a scrap collection which had that problem.
The rubber bits inside the carby deteriorate causing the kill switch to short out,the carby needs to be rekitted & a new primer bulb front plate needs to be fitted as it leaks fuel.
If that problem persists I'd wire a ignition kill button in next to the throttle lever instead of using the carby killswitch.
This is gold. That’s a great mower by the way.
Sometimes its the simple faults that we miss.
Thanks donny :-)
Thank you, Dr. Small Engine.
Hey Doyboy:
Your lawnmower and chainsaw videos are top notch for us do it yourself mechanics.
Keep posting your troubleshooting tips, repair videos.
Thanks.
Oregon Woodcutter
thanks man
This video helped me tremendously. I'm going to book mark this video for future reference. Thanks for sharing.
Good video mate, but I must add that sometimes the magneto might be out of round by a fraction, so best to use the paper when turning to the other side as well as some have two magnets.