Trouty56 566 #1 Posted December 13, 2014 (edited) I need some help with a Kohler 161 k series with exterior points and a coil over magneto ignition under the flywheel.....the magnets are on the flywheel.... The issue is that when I check for the continuity break when the points gap....there is none....I changed the coil....same thing... This engine is on a Troy Built tiller from about 1970..... I removed the coil ground wire from the points and condenser....there is continuity between the engine and the wire to the coil....I don't think this is right....there should be no continuity. Edited December 13, 2014 by Trouty56 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,461 #2 Posted December 14, 2014 The ignition system on my K161T (B-60) had the same issue. I thought that I had an internal ground in the coil, but the coil/magneto from a K181T gave me the same readings. I just replaced the point and condenser, and I got spark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 566 #3 Posted December 14, 2014 The ignition system on my K161T (B-60) had the same issue. I thought that I had an internal ground in the coil, but the coil/magneto from a K181T gave me the same readings. I just replaced the point and condenser, and I got spark. Thanks Bob....I'll give that a try..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,045 #4 Posted December 14, 2014 The magneto primary coil winding is connected to the points and the other end is grounded to the block at the coil. This winding has very low resistance like 1 ohm and the reason it burns up if someone applies battery voltage to it. It is almost a dead short except for the 1 ohm of resistance which is not enough to keep the smoke from releasing. The secondary winding is higher resistance like 6000 ohms and one end goes to the spark plug. The other end is usually joined to the primary ground at the coil. If you connect the ohmmeter to the plug wire and the wire to the points you should have 6001 ohms because you are measuring the resistance of both windings. Garry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 566 #5 Posted December 15, 2014 The magneto primary coil winding is connected to the points and the other end is grounded to the block at the coil. This winding has very low resistance like 1 ohm and the reason it burns up if someone applies battery voltage to it. It is almost a dead short except for the 1 ohm of resistance which is not enough to keep the smoke from releasing. The secondary winding is higher resistance like 6000 ohms and one end goes to the spark plug. The other end is usually joined to the primary ground at the coil. If you connect the ohmmeter to the plug wire and the wire to the points you should have 6001 ohms because you are measuring the resistance of both windings. Garry Thanks Garry....I'll figure this out next time I work on this engine...probably Wednesday..... Just doesn't make sense to me is all.... This does confirm to me that the wires from the coil are connected correctly....one to the points/condenser and the other to the magneto then of course the plug wire. Gonna get some new points and condenser like Bob M said....then try it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites