That engine has 2 coils, they are independent of one another. Seeing spark jump the gap of a spark plug OUTSIDE of the combustion chamber does not prove there is a spark when the plug is threaded into the head. Compression changes the operating parameters enough to "blow out" a spark sometimes when a magnetron (Briggs coil) is defective. Swap the coils to the opposite cylinders and see if the problem follows the coil to the other cylinder. You will have to physically dismount and move the coils, you can't simply swap plug wires (if they would even reach). This would beat just buying a new Magnetron (as Brigg$ is $o proud of them).

The black wire running off of your coil is a grounding lead and it is meant to kill the engine. When that wire is connected to ground, it keeps the coil from firing. It is the way that the ignition switch turns off the engine. Disconnect both of the black wire leads coming off the coils and make sure they aren't touching any metal on the engine or tractor frame. Now try starting the engine. If it starts and runs fine then either you have the black wires connected to the ignition switch wrong or you have a short in the wires somewhere. Just a heads up when you try this though. You will not be able to turn off your engine with the ignition switch with both those leads disconnected. You will need to fully engage the choke on the carburator to do it. Most newer tractors will choke off the carburator when the throttle lever is pushed all the way up. Keith

***" if one of the jets were clogged wouldn't I need more choke, not less throttle"*** Actually, closing the choke plate is very similar to closing the throttle plate as far as total volume of induction AIR is concerned. The difference between closing the choke and closing the throttle is that closing the throttle will decrease the amount of venturi vacuum applied to the carb bowl (that incites fuel to flow out of the fuel bowl through the jets) and into the intake plenum. Closing the choke (with throttle open) INCREASES the venturi vacuum applied to the carb bowl, causing more fuel to flow out of the bowl and into the intake plenum. You really do need a genuine spark tester to determine whether (or not) the spark is remaining viable at all RPM and under all combustion chamber conditions. Testing for spark by connecting a plug to the spark cable with the plug removed from the cylinder reveals very little about the the situation, mostly it will show only that some type of spark is happening RIGHT NOW. Because the parameters (conditions) inside the combustion chamber change significantly with changes of RPM and throttle position................the ability to "throw a spark" also changes significantly. It is well documented that a spark plug can make a healthy looking spark when checked OUTSIDE of the combustion chamber, but WILL NOT spark under combustion chamber conditions, or will spark at idle but begins to "cut out" as throttle is opened. That is why you need a bona fide spark tester so the sparking can be checked with the plug doing its job INSIDE the combustion chamber. And yes, looking at the IPL for your engine, it probably has the 2-bbl carb. And that underscores the likelihood of 1 jet being restricted while the other is still unrestricted.

"could be a bad/missing magnet onthe flywheel, but that one is rare. i have not owned a briggs engine yet that did not have a coil go bad on it. the one on my generator eats coils at a rate of about one per 100 hours" First off, there is only one magnet on the flywheel that affects ignition. Second, I have been working with small engines for about 60 years. The only B&s engine I have ever encountered that had regular ignition coil problems were the horizontal twins, 40, 42 and 46 series. Other B&S CDI coils very seldom fail and I would say are among the most reliable in the industry. If you have one regularly going bad in 100 hours, you have some other problem causing it, probably getting a shot of juice from some extraneous source. Walt Conner