# 1970's craftsman snowblower has no spark after sitting a month



## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

Been working on this for two days now. Got 6 inches last night and sat in the garage all day today freezing trying to get spark. Craftsman 2 stage 22" with 5 hp tecumseh, bought it about a month ago and it ran great, parked it in my garage and I am getting no spark now.

Plug is wet and still no life after spraying some carb cleaner. Verified no spark with inline tester. Points gap was at 0.007, adjusted it to .020 and sanded tips. Still no spark. Also removed side connections as they were all rusty and wire brushed and sanded them to get good connection, had to recrimp/solder the points lead from magneto wire. Removed what appears to be the kill switch (white wire connected to points) still nada. I got 7.5k ohms on the secondary side of the coil. Flywheel magnets aren't loose.

Pretty lost at this point, go to take off the spark plug boot it pops right off with ease. Here's the interesting part, there is no crimp connector just a spring I guess to support the spark plug boot's angle. I'm positive it didn't fly off, so that was kind of bizarre. Replaced it still no spark. I think that was the main cause of no spark, now I wonder if maybe something is wrong with the points I adjusted.

So I go back to step 1 and the gap is at .020 however when testing continuity with the points closed and the side terminals disconnected I was getting no connection. It seems like I have to set the gap at under .015 at the highest point for the points to contact each other at the base circle of the cam. So I tried that and still no spark.

At this point, hopeless, I put it all back together hoping I just couldn't see the spark with the tester. And surprise surprise still no life. I'm getting pretty quick at taking the rear cover and flywheel off, so I got that going for me which is nice.

The only other thing is from my understanding at the end of the spark plug wire you should get a connection to one of the two wires going off the magneto that connects too that side terminal stud. Which I'm not, is it possible it's a coil issue? I never want to see a red snow blower again.

Pictures:


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I would check spark by pulling the plug out and literally holding the wire in my hand to see if you get anything at all. 
I'd put an ohm meter from that stud to gnd and pull it over to see if continuity changes as the engine goes around.
I'd disconnect the white wire from the points system, leaving only the necessities.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

nt40lanman said:


> I would check spark by pulling the plug out and literally holding the wire in my hand to see if you get anything at all.
> I'd put an ohm meter from that stud to gnd and pull it over to see if continuity changes as the engine goes around.
> I'd disconnect the white wire from the points system, leaving only the necessities.


Trust me I checked for spark every which way imaginable it's not there. Visually and using the meter. I tried removing the ground wire before but not after doing the other things mentioned. Will try again, also when I put a volt meter on the end of the spark plug wire and the other probe to ground I was getting a spike of voltage as I turned the flywheel, but it wasn't much and was hard to tell if it was really from that or maybe the probe moved and it was reading open.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

The spring that was in the spark plug boot is your connector. The coils go over the tip of the spark plug. The last coil goes straight towards the spark plug wire and is supposed to have a 90 degree bend in it. The spark plug wire should be cut straight across and the 90 degree bend would pierce the insulation of the wire and make contact with the core. Let me see if i can find a pic.

Few more ideas....new plug..trust me sometimes they just wont conduct anymore.

This is a post after new point's drove me nuts...just more to check..

bought brand new tecumseh point set and put it in a 6 hp tec. everything set perfect and there you go right?...no spark

as it turns out where the stud goes through the insulator it was a bit lower and the points spring when put in properly was touching the mounting plate for the points grounding it out causing no spark.

solved thatissue then.......still no spark

a little cursing and further examination.

The flat steel spring that holds the arm/points against the crank eccentric did not have the same bend so when i set the points at .020 at wide open they stayed there through the whole revolution of the crank....they nevermoved. re-bent the spring and now we have life.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

td5771 said:


> The spring that was in the spark plug boot is your connector. The coils go over the tip of the spark plug. The last coil goes straight towards the spark plug wire and is supposed to have a 90 degree bend in it. The spark plug wire should be cut straight across and the 90 degree bend would pierce the insulation of the wire and make contact with the core. Let me see if i can find a pic.
> 
> Few more ideas....new plug..trust me sometimes they just wont conduct anymore.
> 
> ...


Oh, huh yeah it does have that 90 degree bend in it at the bottom. So I'm guessing you would just stick the angle pointed part right down the center of the wire to pierce it? 

I'll double check the spring clip to see if it's touching that plate for the other side of the points. Mine move and close but at .020 they don't seem to move far enough, not really sure which way to bend it to adjust it. Thanks though this is getting insanely frustrating.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

check the points spring to ensure it is keeping the plastic points arm steadily riding on the crank eccentric. that was my issue. it wont run at .015

I can be wrong but I dont think coils will go bad from just sitting in a garage.

I went outside and took a boot off that style of plug wire here is a pic of what the plug connector should look like


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

td5771 said:


> check the points spring to ensure it is keeping the plastic points arm steadily riding on the crank eccentric. that was my issue. it wont run at .015
> 
> I can be wrong but I dont think coils will go bad from just sitting in a garage.
> 
> I went outside and took a boot off that style of plug wire here is a pic of what the plug connector should look like


Okay now i see what your saying thanks. Will check it out and see what happens, appreciate it.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

Took it apart again went back to the points. I think the gap is sufficient at the moment when it's on its highest point the gaps are open and no continuity and when it reaches the bottom I get continuity.

However I seem to be getting two grounds on the top point, not the bottom which is always grounded. When I connect what I think is the main lead off the coil to the points it's grounded. And also when I connect the kill switch it doesn't matter if the key is in the on or off position the top point is grounded even though the bottom point is not touching and is open. Does this help?


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Try taking off/replacing the condenser? It absorbs the voltage spike after the plug fires, keeping the points from burning more. But it's not necessary for testing.

A little searching found that the primary circuit, which connects to the points, should be low ohms to ground, maybe 200 and the secondary circuit, the plug wire, should be 2K to 15K to ground. This is VERY general though.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

nt40lanman said:


> Try taking off/replacing the condenser? It absorbs the voltage spike after the plug fires, keeping the points from burning more. But it's not necessary for testing.
> 
> A little searching found that the primary circuit, which connects to the points, should be low ohms to ground, maybe 200 and the secondary circuit, the plug wire, should be 2K to 15K to ground. This is VERY general though.


I'll try and remove the condenser and see what happens but why is the main lead of the coil to points grounded to the engine without touching the points terminal? If it's always grounded out there will never be a spark on the secondary side.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

It's not supposed to be grounded, it's supposed to go to ground through coil windings. If you check it with an ohm meter and get 0 ohms, it's shorted to ground and a problem. If it's +/- 200 ohms (from what I've found) it should be OK.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

I removed the condenser to completely isolate the ignition. So kill switch is also disconnected from points terminal. The points are now not always grounded, with the main lead from the coil connected to the points still no spark. If the short wire from the magneto that screws next to the side of the condenser touches metal it will ground out the points again. Made sure it was out of the way and still no spark. Not sure how you would test to see if the spark was getting to the end of the spark plug wire but I remove the end of the spark wire that goes to the plug and probed it and the farthest away on the wire by the magneto I checked the resistance and was only getting a few ohms. Not like 8k. Don't think I'm testing it right though. 

The only thing I can imagine at this point is it needs a coil. When I parked it, it had some snow in it and maybe the moisture got into the coil?

Edit: I also checked continuity between the spark plug wire and any of the leads off the coil and got nothing which also makes me believe it's the coil.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I can out and check the same on a coil I know is good. give me a couple.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

td5771 said:


> I can out and check the same on a coil I know is good. give me a couple.


Would really appreciate it man, I know jack about magnetos and have nothing to base off.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

sorry, both the ones I have in a box are electronic ignition. I have a edger with points but give me a little more time to get the shroud and flywheel off to check it.

I dont know if they are the same but no resistance on the electronic coils with one end to the spark plug wire and other end on any wire.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

td5771 said:


> sorry, both the ones I have in a box are electronic ignition. I have a edger with points but give me a little more time to get the shroud and flywheel off to check it.
> 
> I dont know if they are the same but no resistance on the electronic coils with one end to the spark plug wire and other end on any wire.


Dang well thanks anyway man appreciate it. I was looking at a parts list for a coil when I noticed there appears to be a connection along the spark plug wire. #12 shows it, I had someone in a thread on the tractor forum to check that but I thought he meant the crimped end, gonna have to check it out.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

Edit: I also checked continuity between the spark plug wire and any of the leads off the coil and got nothing which also makes me believe it's the coil.

I got no continuity either on either wire

I got no continuity from plug wire to any leg of coil

with coil connected-- between plug wire and any leg of coil I got .007 ohms

plug wire to stud off points:

closed points---i got .000

open points--- i got .000

However. I dont know if it is the frigid cold but the meter is acting a little inconsistent.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

number 12 is the wire, just showing that it can be longer, there is no actual break in the wire or connector

thats why the #12 points to both parts of the wire


I would remove the coil at this point and have it checked, I guess thats why tec makes a tested specifically for it.

I doubt my results were much help


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

It sounds like you have a crappy connection on your plug wire's working end. If your boot pulled the connector "spring" right off, that could be your problem. The wire is a solid copper core and the connector has to pierce the wire's insulation or pierce the very end of the wire. I would leave the boot off the wire to make sure you have a good connection. Your coil was working. The problem is most likely not your coil. You can check your coil with your meter. The only things that happen to a coil are open or shorted windings. I think your plug wire is the culprit. MH


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

td5771 said:


> number 12 is the wire, just showing that it can be longer, there is no actual break in the wire or connector
> 
> thats why the #12 points to both parts of the wire
> 
> ...


Ah I see, no you were a big help you gave me at the very least a few less variables so thanks a lot I really appreciate it.



> motorhead64


It could very well be. Below is a picture of when I went to pull it off and it came off without much effort. I tried to hook the spring back in the wire with the 90 degree part piercing it but it just came loose again so for the tests I mentioned previously I just left the clip off and tested right at the exposed wire.


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

Getting no continuity between the plug wire and any tips of the armature, gotta find out what's going on with the plug wire. Thanks guys.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

If someone had one and could test it would help significantly. I may have something in a pile at my father's house.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

I did that. I call the tips on the armature the "legs of the coil"


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Is that a solder joint on the end of the plug wire? If so, it could be a "cold solder joint" in which case it is a lousy conductor. That plug wire looks sick. I would replace it. MH


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## ranvette (Jan 5, 2014)

I have had 2 coils fail although they do last for a long time.You can get the coil at your local Napa auto parts.(they are repro replacement coils)At least i did a few years ago.Do the points and condenser and the coil.You may as well while your in there.It will have spark when your threw for sure. Cheers !


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## Moffman (Jan 3, 2014)

motorhead64 said:


> Is that a solder joint on the end of the plug wire? If so, it could be a "cold solder joint" in which case it is a lousy conductor. That plug wire looks sick. I would replace it. MH


Is the plug wire removable from the coil? I didn't think it was.


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Some plug wires are just a friction fit into the coil. They have an end cap connector that grabs the sides of the opening in the coil and hold it in place. They are replaceable. Some have been epoxied into the opening. Give it a slow steady tug and see if it pulls out. If it does, you can get wire and connectors at your local auto supply. If not, I would go with a replacement coil for the sake of the spark wire. MH


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