# Need picture/diagram of Yardman snowblower key assembly with wiring



## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

I have a buddies 5 hp yardsman snowblower the one with plastic key that needs to be inserted to start it. The wiring got ripped out and not sure how It goes back. I’d like to construct new wires to the key assembly so that I can get this started again. It worked this summer. Thanks


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

that wire is to shut it off. it should still run with it broken. it just won't want to turn off without that wire hooked up to the key or the plastic piece at the bottom of the throttle that it was broken off of.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Remove the key wire, you don't need it.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

Hello thanks for the reply are you positive? The reason I ask is this snowblower started no problem before now even when I spray ether in the carburetor it won’t even attempt to start and the only difference is the wires got pulled out


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

The plastic key is part of a switch. The holder into which the key is inserted is the other part of the switch. The holder has a metal piece that grounds the circuit (to the engine) when the key is removed and when the key is inserted it prevents the grounding of the circuit. The circuit consists of the ignition coil long black wire and a shorter grounding wire to the engine shroud. 

So you are looking for a long black wire from the coil that connects to the key holder and a shorter wire that could be any colour from a good ground to the other side of the key holder. The connections are specific for the coil wire and the ground wire so if you get them wrong the engine will not have a HT spark and not start.

It is much easier to stop the engine by pulling the key. If you want to test start the engine without fixing the key holder then locate the long black wire from the coil and insulate the end and fasten out of the way. The engine should start. To stop the engine ground the black coil wire to the engine ground or touch a grounded (to engine) wire to the coil black wire.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

yes. that is how most small engine work. when you shut them off that wire ground out the coil stopping spark. it normally goes to the bottom of the throttle assembly so when you push the throttle all the way down it shuts the engine off but on your machine it is broke off. have you been using the choke? also do you have spark?


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

You are right, thats how my neighbor shuts his 11hp Yardsman off. The 5hp model i have was my father in laws who passed. Its basicly a pos but wanted to get it runnjng and sell it for $50 . It started right up this summer but someone ripped the key/ignition wires off as the pics show. Right now there is a spark at yhe plug but wont even start with ether


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

crazzywolfie said:


> yes. that is how most small engine work. when you shut them off that wire ground out the coil stopping spark. it normally goes to the bottom of the throttle assembly so when you push the throttle all the way down it shuts the engine off but on your machine it is broke off. have you been using the choke? also do you have spark?


Does the top green wire here in picture attach to the coil And the bottom green wire is attached to the key assembly?


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

yes that is how it is


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

Thanks, love when replies come so quickly😉


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

Jmbeam59 said:


> Does the top green wire here in picture attach to the coil And the bottom green wire is attached to the key assembly?


Is there a way to start this machine without this key assembly? I tried grounding the coil wire but it still won’t start is there something else I need to do


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

don't ground the green wire. you only ground the green wire to shut the engine off. make sure the green wire is not grounding out and it should just start up. i usually recommend priming the machine till you see gas drip on the ground, make sure the choke is on with the throttle in the full position and then pull the pull start. usually most machines start pretty good like this.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

It’s weird this machine was running good late fall until someone ripped the ignition key wires out. Usually when the gas is gummed up and I spray ether in it’ll start for a second or two but now nothing Even with good spark at plug


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

do you have another spark plug that you could try putting in the engine? i have had cases like yours stump me too. good visible spark but would not fire even with quick start and the machine ran jut fine in the summer. swap out the spark plug and it worked just fine after that. if you have a flat head lawn mower you might even be able to borrow the plug out of it.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

crazzywolfie said:


> do you have another spark plug that you could try putting in the engine? i have had cases like yours stump me too. good visible spark but would not fire even with quick start and the machine ran jut fine in the summer. swap out the spark plug and it worked just fine after that. if you have a flat head lawn mower you might even be able to borrow the plug out of it.


I’ll look around👍


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

Jmbeam59 said:


> I’ll look around👍


Wow you were correct, even though I had a good spark out of current plug I switched it out and machine started right up! Bad is motor oil started pouring out of it. cant see where. What a mess! Glad I epoxied my garage floor. Ugh now new issue🙄


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

hahaha got to love that. fix 1 issue and find another lol. have you checked the oil level? i would guess it might have come out of the crank case vent behind the carb but there has got to be a reason it did that.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

Jmbeam59 said:


> Wow you were correct, even though I had a good spark out of current plug I switched it out and machine started right up! Bad is motor oil started pouring out of it. cant see where. What a mess! Glad I epoxied my garage floor. Ugh now new issue🙄


Dumb dumb move, since it wouldn’t start I sprayed starting fluid and most likely it caused way to much of an explosion. It started right up and was running until all oil sorted pouring out. Lesson learned! Glad it was a pos machine.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

So you think the block may have not been cracked? Once I clean things up I’ll check it out. Have three projects going on in my garage, best move to add hot water Radient heat tubing in the concrete floor👍


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

it kept running till you shut it off right? i was just wondering if the engine might have had too much oil in it. there is a vent on the valve cover behind the carb. i don't know exact reason it happens but when something is wrong oil sometimes gets forced out the vent.


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## Jmbeam59 (Feb 3, 2021)

You are correct, had to pull off spark plug wire to shut off. Cleaned up mess but couldn’t tell where oil came from. Need to get some plastic so I don’t have huge mess if oil leaks out again, then put some oil back and see what happens.cant Think why this happened, I know I’ll never use starting fluid again. Usually I use carb cleaner but this damn machine wouldn’t turn over until I listened to you and tried another spark plug even though the original one had a good spark. Started right up🙄


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

before starting it again you may just want to look the machine over and just try and find where the oil came from just to make sure it doesn't happen again or at least be ready for it. i don't think the starting fluid was the cause. i think water in the oil or over reving can cause it to do that but water in the oil will usually raises the oil level and turn it into a milkshake and over-reving is usually pretty obvious if it happens but usually the choke should keep it from doing that and it shouldn't cause it to puke oil out immediately.


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