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17.5 Tecumseh has spark until it heats up & then the spark quits

15 years ago

One my card playing buddies brought over his 1999 TSC Huskey Garden tractor with a 17.5 hp tecumseh engine (OHV 175 204801A) for me to look at. He said it will run initially until it warms up and then it will die.

Today I went out to my garage and started it just fine. I left it running without moving it at all (I did engage the parking brake so I could leave the seat). After about 4 to 5 minutes of running fine, the engine shut down. I removed the spark plug and grounded it to the block to varify that it had no spark.

It seems that if I wait a while, I will get spark back. Once it gets spark back though, it will not run as long and will lose spark again.

Does this condition sound like a coil problem, a saftey/interlock switch, or maybe a ignition switch?

I appreciate your advice on steering me in the right direction.

Dave

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Comments (5)

bill_kapaun
15 years ago
I would think coil.
hercules
15 years ago
Dave,

You did well at describing the symptoms. To me, it sounds like a classic case of coil breakdown when arriving at normal engine operating temperature. The strongest clue you offered was: "It seems that if I wait a while, I will get spark back. Once it gets spark back though, it will not run as long and will lose spark again." Good observation on your part, Dave.

Hal
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davidcalhoun
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks guys. I will focus on the coil shortly.

I have one more weird thing that happen between the time I posted and before I read your responses. I thought the old ignition might have something to do with it so I pulled the wires and tapped on the old ignition. After I re-attached the wires, I turned the ignition key over to check for spark (I still had the plug out and checking for spark that way), the starter motor started running and would not shut off until I pulled the battery cable.

It did not matter where the position of the key was in the switch. Each time I tried to re-attach the battery cable, the starter motor would kick on and stay running until I reomved the battery cable.

OK. So I go out and buy a new matching 6 prong ignition and put it in. As soon as I tried to attach the battery cable, the same thing occurs - the starter motor starts running. I even pulled the wire harness off the ignition switch and then tried to hook up the battery cable - still the same problem. How can that happen if I don't even have the ignition swich hooked up?

Now for the $64,000 dumb question. Is this weird starter motor problem related to the coil problem or is it just my dumb luck that something new is also wrong?

Dave
davidcalhoun
Original Author
15 years ago
Forget my last post. I figured out the starter motor problem. I had a stuck solenoid. A light tap and that temporarily took care of it.

Now I can work on the coil.

Can this type of coil be tested?
njdpo
15 years ago
i dont know if it can be tested - but I also have had similar problems and it too has been the coil.

I once saw an old teacher of mine start a motor with the same problem. he made us watch the motor with the shroud off. After a minute or so - the coil started to arc to the block... It was very cool to watch...

Dont forget to clean your motor off real good before you button it all back up.

While your at it - you might as well put a new solenoid on your shopping list.

good luck.

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