# Help! Ignition issue where to connect loose wire?



## BrandonNbountiful (Nov 29, 2016)

High. I'm Brandon and I live outside of Salt Lake City Utah.

Today I have 16" of snow. Got to start the snowblower for first time this year. starts for a few seconds, dies won't start. Thought it was old gas, drained and filled, still no start. While inspecting the carburetor I see a green wire hanging loose. It connects at one end to the ignition switch. The other end has broken or shaken loose. 

For the life of me, I can't figure out where it goes. My ignition switch is the simple push/pull style plastic key type, and apparently only has this one green wire attached. In my 54 years this is the first single wire ignition switch I've seen. The wire is only 4 - 5 inches long, so not a lot of possibilities. The connector may have broken. 

This is a 24 inch Ariens 624E 2 stage that I bought new In 2008. It has always started without fail up to this point. 

:icon_scratch:


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

Whats the actual model/series then well know which motor, but I am sure someone will know exactly where there goes without looking at a manual and know it by heart but lets see if we can at least get the engine model narrowed down in the mean time encase I am the only response (which I doubt)


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

One wire off key grounds to same cvr key is on, the green wire u speak of I believe should attach to the throttle lever shutoff switch, or the the tab connected to the throttle shutoff. Sorry that I can't explain better


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Common sense should prevail as to where this wire came from, just take a look at the possibility's. When in doubt, look in your manual or put the info in google and look into the search results.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Just put my rider and push mower away and brought to the forward of my lower garage my 2 older Arien's and my older 7100 Yardman. C'mon snow .... LOL


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Heres one that is also broke, the wires should be attached to a terminal on the white plastic piece. 
Unless the wire is shorting out against something i dont think its causing a no start situation


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Exactly, as long as the key is in and throttle is up it should start


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Usually, a broken wire from the ignition switch would result in not being able to TURN OFF the engine. The ignition key switch opens a switch breaking a ground circuit allowing the engine to start and run. Removing the key grounds the ignition coil, killing the spark and stopping the engine.

Suggest you remove the spark plug, then pull the engine over with the plug wire attached to the plug, and the threads of the plug touching a head bolt, and see if you can see a spark across the plug gap when you crank the engine over. Might be a bad plug, or bad ignition coil if there is no spark showing at the plug. Best to do this in reduced light so you can see it. Also make sure the plug is gapped properly and not covered in crap or carbon.

Did you drain the carb of the old gas? If not, could be there is still old gas in the float bowl and the new gas has not yet displaced the old yet. Might try a quick spritz of starting fluid into the carb to see if it will fire and run long enough to get the new fuel into the carb.

Look for the easy stuff first


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## BrandonNbountiful (Nov 29, 2016)

Thanks for the picture NWCove. That looks like the original configuration, except attached to a white plastic block, that is attached to the throttle linkage. I can see how the throttle linkage touches the bare metal wire coming out of the end of the white plastic block to shut down the engine. 

It looks like the key interrupts the ground, and makes a ground when removed. So the wire hanging free should do the same thing. Is that correct? If it is correct then it should start. 

Part way through typing this reply I went out to the garage to see if it would start. I discovered that the bowl on the carb was dry. I removed the bowl, and in a few seconds gas leaked out. I reinstalled the bowl, and tried to start and it started. Maybe the float had been stuck.

Thank you everyone who replied so far. I hope that my ineptitude can help others.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

im sure i will be corrected if wrong, but there are a few mentions of the "key" being a kill switch,.. it does kill the engine , but ive always thought/used that key as a way to lock out/disable it, as opposed to shutting it down. the throttle lever going to the stop position is the way i shut that style machine off, then i remove the key and somehow misplace it .


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Both do same thing, just for different reasons


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## BrandonNbountiful (Nov 29, 2016)

Now if I can just stop the carb from dripping gas...

I cleared the most important parts of my drive and walk with the leak. (After 1 attempt to fix it) Hopefully it's just that the gasket is not seated right. 

I've been a lot stressed over this because I couldn't get my car out at all and it was too much for me to do with a shovel. By last night when I came across this forum, I wasn't thinking clearly and was over tired. My other worry was that my neighbors are so great that they come do it for me and I feel embarrassed when they do. 

More snow starts in the overnight wednesday-thursday, and it looks like things will only get worse from there with storms lined up, nights in the teens and single digits. I love living in the mountains but some years the snow on my lawn gets 5 to 6 feet high. I've learned the hard way not to let things get out of control. This is my 2nd snow thrower since I moved here from San Diego 11 years ago, and I'm going to be upgrading again. My biggest gripes being the handles are so low I have to stoop, and heavy snow means I have to move at a snail's pace or the machine can't keep up. Oh, and headlights, heated grips. 

Yesterday's storm was very heavy at my house, while Salt Lake officially only had a few inches. That happens early in the season because the lake is still warm. Most ski areas got between 1 1/2 to 4 feet over 2 days. Just 2 weeks ago we had days in the 60's and 70's.


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## BrandonNbountiful (Nov 29, 2016)

Ariens 624E W Tecumseh 6 HP and plastic key that punches in to start. When I posted last night I couldn't remember the model.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

If it's leaking gas the needle probably isn't sitting right, gas shouldn't reach the top of the bowl. I put a shutoff in the gas line incase it starts leaking in middle of winter


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

I believe this is your engine diagram for parts atleast.

https://www.partstree.com/parts/tec...-horizontal-engine/engine-parts-list-ohsk5xb/

The two ground wires/harness:
https://www.partstree.com/parts/tecumseh/parts/37682/
https://www.partstree.com/parts/tecumseh/parts/611131a/


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

I second e.fishers suggestion to add a fuel shutoff valve to the gas line. That allows you to turn off the fuel supply to the carb, and let the engine run until the fuel is used up in the carb. If the carb works OK besides the leak, that buys you some time to rebuild or replace it in spring when the weather is not threatening. 

I don't know about you, but working on small engines in a cold garage or shed with numb fingers, trying to get a problem solved is my second favorite thing. My first favorite thing it to have an unclean donkey sit on my dinner.


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## mikerogers0763 (1 mo ago)

Grogey said:


> Whats the actual model/series then well know which motor, but I am sure someone will know exactly where there goes without looking at a manual and know it by heart but lets see if we can at least get the engine model narrowed down in the mean time encase I am the only response (which I doubt)


Model number is92000


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## mikerogers0763 (1 mo ago)

Its a Tecumseh 5hp model #92000 ariens snow blower VCR


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