RetroMower 349 #1 Posted October 23, 2021 About a week ago I posted a question about my k241 intermittently misfiring and it was suggested I investigate the vent on my gas cap and the condenser which the cap was fine and after swapping the condenser, the problem persisted. Today I thought the carb may need cleaning so a in a quick test I took the carb off my perfectly running B100 and put it on my c100. Ta da it ran great at first but when I tried to drive it it sputtered and stopped. Frustrated I lifted the hood and it fired right off. I closed the hood and it immediately shut off. Now my frustration was turned to confusion. The culprit was the hood just barely touching the negative terminal of the coil. Pushed the coil down and problem solved. Perhaps I should keep my stupidity to myself but if it helps anyone avoid changing parts for nothing or worse buying new parts which thankfully I didn't do, it's worth it. Please see exhibit A below. 10 8 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,557 #2 Posted October 23, 2021 No stupid here… Good points for folks who are trouble shooting future issues… Thanks for posting. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,739 #3 Posted October 23, 2021 Actually, that was pretty smart diagnosing the issue the way you did. Excellent !! It also shows why it is good to have more then one horse. 4 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfrpalm 218 #4 Posted October 23, 2021 Easy fixes are the best kind! 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #5 Posted October 23, 2021 50 minutes ago, wfrpalm said: Easy fixes are the best kind! After swapping carbs and making a new gasket, switching condensers, pulling fuel lines checking for plugged a filter and seeing if the pump was ok, it wasn't exactly easy lol. I'm just glad if anyone can benefit from this experience 2 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #6 Posted October 23, 2021 Oh no, definitely no idiots or idiotic questions here... I'm glad that you figured it out! Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peter lena 8,627 #7 Posted October 23, 2021 @RetroMower when i read your lead in on the repetition of a problem , first thing i said was , that's your lead tracking point. actually consider yourself lucky to be able to make something fail , almost on que . electrical issues on my horses used to be a real problem , till i started taking advantage of regular failures, and the tracking down of its cure. once i found a common baseline of trouble , corrosion and improved grounding , and set up my 3 horses the same way , the problems stopped . often experiment with a fix , till its solidly reliable , no matter what it is . then apply it to my other horses , they all start and run the same , and all the attachments run like they should . often go over board on a problem , making it work with total ease , that's only me , glad you found problem , pete 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #8 Posted October 23, 2021 Don't worry Retro... we have all have our s ... 'cept for @Achto but he lies about fishing too! 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 7,004 #9 Posted October 23, 2021 @RetroMower no stupid mistake here, just a story about how you gained some new knowlege. By sharing it on the forum, you are providing the rest of us with a bit of wisdom. Earlier this week I was troubleshooting a non start/rough running issue on the C195 I recently picked up. Turns out that the majority of the non start issue was lack of gas in the tank. I didnt realize it until I found that the fuel pump wasn't pumping. With the tractor being a recent purchase, I have not run it a whole lot, using it mostly for trailer duty. My 14-8 only sips fuel on trailer duty. The C195 uses much more fuel doing the same thing. The gas I thought I had in the tank was gone. Solution? A 'boat type' gas gage - pull the gas cap, stick a wooden stick into the tank until it touches the bottom. Read the gas level by how much of the stick is wet with gas. This was the system my great uncle used on the Chris Craft that he ran on Lake Michigan. 5 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #10 Posted October 24, 2021 That's an easy problem to cause and difficult to diagnose. Real easy to install the coil a bit too high in the bracket so it grounds to the hood. Intermittent electrical problems are always the toughest to solve. Great job! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #11 Posted October 24, 2021 28 minutes ago, 8ntruck said: @RetroMower no stupid mistake here, just a story about how you gained some new knowlege. By sharing it on the forum, you are providing the rest of us with a bit of wisdom. Earlier this week I was troubleshooting a non start/rough running issue on the C195 I recently picked up. Turns out that the majority of the non start issue was lack of gas in the tank. I didnt realize it until I found that the fuel pump wasn't pumping. With the tractor being a recent purchase, I have not run it a whole lot, using it mostly for trailer duty. My 14-8 only sips fuel on trailer duty. The C195 uses much more fuel doing the same thing. The gas I thought I had in the tank was gone. Solution? A 'boat type' gas gage - pull the gas cap, stick a wooden stick into the tank until it touches the bottom. Read the gas level by how much of the stick is wet with gas. This was the system my great uncle used on the Chris Craft that he ran on Lake Michigan. "Remember kids, always check the gas before replacing the engine." This is what I always tell myself after I do "A big dumb.™ " 1 2 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,714 #12 Posted October 24, 2021 20 hours ago, RetroMower said: After swapping carbs and making a new gasket, switching condensers, pulling fuel lines checking for plugged a filter and seeing if the pump was ok, it wasn't exactly easy lol. I'm just glad if anyone can benefit from this experience Heck, at least you know that everything is in working condition! Good to go through them once in a while! Don 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 11,361 #13 Posted October 24, 2021 @RetroMower don't be to hard on yourself, we've all done things that afterwards, we think, well that was pretty stupid! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,574 #14 Posted October 24, 2021 I do a lot of trouble shooting at work. The most frustrating issues are usually to easiest fix......Once you find the problem. Glad that it was an easy fix. 3 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #15 Posted October 26, 2021 (edited) My last "A Big Dumb ™" was when my 310 had an intermittent headlight-blowing-fuse problem. I got out my trusty Fluke, set it to beep and wouldn't you know it. The headlights are shorted to ground! It was longer than I care to admit later that I realized, "Hey big dumb, light bulbs are, by definition, a high impedance short to ground. Turn off the beeper and switch to Ohms, dummy." You know how I found the short? The old fashioned way. I put the battery back in, turned on the key and the lights and then jiggled wires. When I heard sparkles coming from under the engine, I knew I hit paydirt! Edited October 26, 2021 by echris 1 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,574 #16 Posted October 27, 2021 (edited) A set of these can be handy when searching for an electrical issue the old fashion way. ( Trial & error that is ) https://powerwerx.com/resettable-atc-blade-circuit-breakers?gclid=CjwKCAjwzt6LBhBeEiwAbPGOgaIE8qInelwSSTEhwTZKMO0ghduvENbEJ4OtD1IfVpLGjdU945vSUBoCF2UQAvD_BwE They save you from throwing away multiple fuses while you are looking for an issue. Edited October 27, 2021 by Achto 4 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,042 #17 Posted October 27, 2021 I was drawn to this because when I hear "idiot", I thought I was being summoned... Again. All I can say is that I've seen nothing here that tops many of my boo-boos. 1 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #18 Posted October 27, 2021 19 minutes ago, kpinnc said: I was drawn to this because when I hear "idiot", I thought I was being summoned... Again. All I can say is that I've seen nothing here that tops many of my boo-boos. We could probably turn this thread into biggest bonehead moments. I have a good one a couple weeks ago if anyone would also like to throw their hat in the ring. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,042 #19 Posted October 27, 2021 1 hour ago, RetroMower said: We could probably turn this thread into biggest bonehead moments. I have a good one a couple weeks ago if anyone would also like to throw their hat in the ring. Aw hell no I'm not putting up my greatest hits! ...But you go ahead. I can't speak for everyone else, but I promise you won't hear me laughing. PA is too far for that sound to travel from NC. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #20 Posted October 27, 2021 13 hours ago, kpinnc said: Aw hell no I'm not putting up my greatest hits! Lol fine I'll go first. Earlier this year I got my C100 out to drag around the lawn sweeper and to knock down some high grass. I knew the hot wire with a glass fuse needed tending to since it was falling apart. Got a new blade type at the auto parts store and it had longer than necessary leads that I thought "ahhh I'll tie them up later". Well it wasn't long till that wire found itself pinched in the steering gears and poof it vaporized the wire which looked like the wicked witch from oz. I'm suprised the 15 amp fuse didn't blow. Moral of the story... dont procrastinate. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,042 #21 Posted October 27, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, RetroMower said: Moral of the story... dont procrastinate. For me, that is an involuntary bodily function. Like digestion, respiration, and procrastination. Edited October 27, 2021 by kpinnc 1 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 11,361 #22 Posted October 27, 2021 Once when rewiring a tractor, which I had to remove the gas tank, to get to the switch. I got it all back together, but it wouldn't start. So went through the wiring again, trying to find the problem. Not finding anything obvious, redid all connections, making sure grounds were good. Still wouldn't start Double checked, still, no start Can you see where this is going? If you didn't, it finally dawned on me to put gas in the tank, because I emptied it to remove it. Once it had gas it ran great. Here's your sign 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,227 #23 Posted October 28, 2021 Guy goes into the lawnmower repair shop to complain "I got this mower from you 20 years ago and it still runs great, but it's taking a tank and a half of gas to do the lawn when it used to only need one tank. What's wrong with it?" 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,227 #24 Posted October 28, 2021 Nothing. You're walking slower. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #25 Posted October 28, 2021 Has anyone ever done this one? Working on a wiring issue so you pull the battery to get to the guts underneath. Some time later, you try to fire it up and it's totally dead. Nothing at all. A short while after that, you go back to the workbench to grab a tool and notice the battery. Still sitting on the workbench. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
