Tecumseh H60 No Spark Excitement

[ccs002 76]

Good afternoon all. I'm working on my Suburban that many of you helped identify as a 550 or possibly 400 that has had an older Tecumseh H60 swapped in at some point. I'm hoping you can give me some help on the next step of my adventure with it as I try to get it running. It wasn't getting spark so I pulled the flywheel off and checked the points. They looked ok and had continuity when closed but I went ahead and filed them anyway. I had an aftermarket coil for another project so I stuck it on. Still nothing. I noticed, however, that if I hold onto the plug wire I can feel a weak current passing through every time I move the flywheel a few inches. Out of curiosity I installed the old coil and it was about the same. I also installed a new condenser since I had one. This engine has electric start so it has the charge coil under the flywheel and magnets every few inches all the way around the flywheel. Could the charging system somehow be interfering with the ignition coil preventing it from building enough charge to jump a gap? I unhooked the kill switch button that grounds out the points just to eliminate that possibility as well. Any advice it idea of what to check next would be greatly appreciated. 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

Check the point gap

[ccs002 76]

I just double checked and they're at .020"

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,169]

Garry

[Tractorhead 9,065]

The charging system doesn’t have anything to do with the ignition system.

this are both completely independent systems on H60 and HH60 Engines.

 

Firstly check optical the wire ( black) what goes from ignitioncoil to the Rectifyer board on the other side of the Engine.

no broken insulation and double insulated.

This is the shutoff wire and it works if connected to ground.

 

This cable runs behind the starter to the rectifyer Board on the other side and ends up on lower left side to

a single mount screw and handed over to a green wire, what is connected to ignition key port (M)

check if this wire is free an nowhere clamped between starter and Engine.

if this cable is somwhere grounded it was the same as key is switched to off.

 

Check as second point the magnets in the Flywheel with a flat screwdriver if they will have enough magnetic force.

a normal flat screwdriver must stick that way, that it holds itself only on magnetic force.

if so first task is done and the magnets and flywheel seems good enough to work.

 

Next task is setup the gap on the points as @jabelman and @ccs002 allready suggested.

some engines have an index point somwhere aside the Startegear on the flywheel.

If you have a ignition stroboscope, that‘s a good way to go.

 

if it ain’t ignites, remove the condenser for few cranks, just to see if spark occurs or not.

don‘t run it in that Status without any condenser because the points will burnt quickly,

it‘s just for check if conderser itself is in good condition or not.

 

The Manual garry offers here is a perfect reference for all your needs to set up quickly.

 

Good luck👍

[ccs002 76]

I tested the kill wire and it seems ok but I've left it disconnected to eliminate it as a possibility. Magnets on the flywheel all appear to be strong. Points are gapped at .020" and have continuity when closed. I'll try unhooking the condenser and see what happens. 

[ebinmaine 69,550]

1 hour ago, ccs002 said:

see what happens

Can't offer anything else but I'm curious to see what solves it. 

[ccs002 76]

Ok so it seems I might just be getting old. I seem to have pretty good spark when i turn it with a drill and not by hand. For some reason i thought these coils had pretty good spark even at lower speed but maybe not. I'm going to put it back together some more and see what happens. 

[ccs002 76]

Success! Apparently the old coil was no good after all and I was just turning it too slowly to get spark enough to see. I put it all back together and it took off after a few tugs. Still have to deal with the fuel system before I can drive it but not a bad result for a Monday! Thanks everyone for your help! 

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Good to hear it is grunting again..👍

 

some here prefer the Kohler, just a few the Tecky‘s.

I like the Tecky’s, they are also great and solid Engines.😇
The only is the fiddling arround for fine setup the Fuel system, most i know hate that.😂

little more on the enriched side is the best for this Engines to be longlifety.👍

maybe it was before a problem with spark based on just a weak contact to ground ( coil mounts)  

nothing is impossible live show’s me and to believe ain‘t a good solution to find out.

Check, measure, rework is the only way to solve.

 

congrats to your running Engine.

[ccs002 76]

@Tractorhead I like most of the older engines. I've worked on more Briggs and Kohler engines but find the Tecumsehs well built as well. I started really working on lawn and garden stuff towards the end of Tecumsehs (2008ish?) and thought at that time they had one of the best and simplest to work on walk mower engines out there. 

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Here the B&S and Tecky‘s keep balance.

 

i prefer the Tecky‘s, no idea why, but i like them...

 

[formariz 11,988]

15 hours ago, ccs002 said:

Ok so it seems I might just be getting old. I seem to have pretty good spark when i turn it with a drill and not by hand. For some reason i thought these coils had pretty good spark even at lower speed but maybe not. I'm going to put it back together some more and see what happens. 

When you get it going you will notice that if battery is not fully charged  it will be difficult to start it again. That is because starter is turning it slower. Those engines always like to be tuned fast in order to produce a good spark. Every Tecumseh that I have if battery is not left on a trickle charger it will have difficulty in starting which only gets worse after each attempt as battery drains and stater gets slower. If left on trickle charger they usually start pretty much right away.

[Tractorhead 9,065]

@formariz 

I just tried the Starter after replacement once, to see if it works.

The original Starter was very weak and was not able to turn the engine over compressionpoint.

The replacement starter acts here much better but produces a horribly Sound while cranking.

 

Normally i start mine only by Pullstart.

STherefore i have a simply sequence,

pull full choke, throttle half, than pull it gently over compression point.

after that ignition on and a strong pull and it runs, as long as throttle is on half.

if it‘s shortly below half i need a second pull at least.

 

never needs more than 2 pulls to fireup.

 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

As I was told once once your Tecumseh is tuned and running right, don't touch it, don't look at it

[formariz 11,988]

1 hour ago, jabelman said:

As I was told once once your Tecumseh is tuned and running right, don't touch it, don't look at it

Wise words.

[ebinmaine 69,550]

1 hour ago, jabelman said:

don't look at it

Are we talking like -  Approach the tractor from the back only and don't say anything crass?

 

Like "Medusa"  don't look at it??

 

It seems reasonable. I'm just clarifying. 

 

 

[ccs002 76]

It's running almost entirely under its own power now. I still need a governor spring so I have proper throttle control but I was at least able to go for a short ride with it.