# John Deere 928E no spark repair



## Dan50 (Jan 28, 2018)

Hi everyone,

Newbie on forum. I have just fixed up a couple of Honda single stage machines, both needed carb cleaning. I am currently working on my brother's 928E. It has no spark at a grounded sparkplug. I thought I fixed the problem when I cleaned up a rusty suspect looking ground wire connection from the on/off switch, but alas, still no spark. The switch checks out OK with a multi tester.

I am trying to remove the flywheel cover to check out the coil but I am having trouble removing it. Tell me, do I have to actually remove the carb first in order to remove this cover? Wow, heck of a design!!

Any other tips out there to solve the bigger problem of no spark appreciated also.

Thanks, Dan


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

If this is a Tecumseh, you have to remove 3 head bolts and 2 small bolts on each side near the bottom. When you have the flywheel cover off, sand the magnets on the flywheel, remove the magneto and clean the coil ends, use a file and give yourself a good ground where the 2 bolts go through the magneto into the block. Also the throttle control may have a grounding wire going to it, disconnect that and then check for spark.


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## Dan50 (Jan 28, 2018)

All good tips, I'll give them a shot, thanks. It's a Briggs, looks like I may have to yank that carb.


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## Dan50 (Jan 28, 2018)

Yup had to take carb off first in order to get flywheel cover off. Removed on/off switch from coil and turned engine over. Had spark at plug. Put on/off wire back on coil- no spark. Traced problem back to loose connection at on/off switch. Looked ok visually but not as tight as it should have been. Tightened connector with pliers and ready to rock! ****, should have started there!


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

Some free advise---

They don't make them like they used to be made!!!!! I have gone through a bunch of high voltage transformers on Honda engines. Those are the thingees where the spark plug wire originates. The issue is engines with magneto style ignitions, those with a rotating magnet will put out huge voltages and rely on the spark plug to limit that voltage with an arc, probably in the 15-20KV range. So if the spark plug is missing and by that I mean the spark plug wire is off as many people pull it off to check for spark, the voltage is going to try soaring to whatever it takes to break the air and arc.

Now the problem is that the manufacturers of the transformers cut corners and the arc can occur INSIDE THE TRANSFORMER..........but only once. The internal arc ruins the transformer and you will get no more spark from it. 

So my warning.... it's worth the price you pay for it.....nothing, is that always test for spark using a spark plug and be SURE the body of the plug is grounded to the engine. And if you doubt that this is a common failure, check Ebay for the many ads for these transformers by whatever they call them.


Good luck-


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## justcoz (Mar 16, 2018)

Dan50 said:


> Yup had to take carb off first in order to get flywheel cover off. Removed on/off switch from coil and turned engine over. Had spark at plug. Put on/off wire back on coil- no spark. Traced problem back to loose connection at on/off switch. Looked ok visually but not as tight as it should have been. Tightened connector with pliers and ready to rock! ****, should have started there!


Now you know for next time


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## Dan50 (Jan 28, 2018)

foggysail said:


> Some free advise---
> 
> They don't make them like they used to be made!!!!! I have gone through a bunch of high voltage transformers on Honda engines. Those are the thingees where the spark plug wire originates. The issue is engines with magneto style ignitions, those with a rotating magnet will put out huge voltages and rely on the spark plug to limit that voltage with an arc, probably in the 15-20KV range. So if the spark plug is missing and by that I mean the spark plug wire is off as many people pull it off to check for spark, the voltage is going to try soaring to whatever it takes to break the air and arc.
> 
> ...


Foggysail,

Great advice on checking for spark. I've always done the ground the plug to metal on the engine method. BUT, I can't say I've ALWAYS done it that way. Makes sense, that voltage has to go somewhere!! I'll remember that!


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