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Tecumseh OVXL120 will not start

16 years ago

I bought an old lawn tractor with this engine and ran it for about an hour, stopped it, choked and started it again about 15 minutes later, throttled it down and it stopped and hasn't started since. It seems to be getting fuel, but no spark. Removing the ground wire from the ignition module does not help. Spark plug was replaced, and simple tests with an old neon timing light (that I know works) confirm no spark. So it appears the ignition module is bad, but it is not possible to buy one and return it if this is not the problem, so I want to be sure. Also, I understand that if 12V is inadvertently applied to the ground terminal, it fries the module. Can't think of how this could have happened, since the whole harness goes from that connection through several safety switches and to ground. Understand you can't test the module off the engine. True? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

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Comments (4)

bill_kapaun
16 years ago
You can get a service manual at-
http://www.cpdonline.com/695244a.pdf

It appears about the only thing you can do to the module is set the air gap and make sure the flywheel magnets work.
larryf
16 years ago
If the ignition coil has failed, the most likely cause is a defective ignition switch. There are usually several spades on the switch - one which is connected to a voltage source. When you turned the engine off, voltage was applied to the shut off wire. The primary circuit of the coil cannot tolerate the amperage applied and burns out. Look at the side of the coil for damage.
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tekumcman
16 years ago
The replacement coil is part# 35135A. This coil is used
on 8HP thru 12.5HP on engines used during this time. Why
not find a "junk engine" with solid-state coil and try a
used coil first. I agree that the ignition switch could
be feeding 12V through the grounding wire connected to the
back of the coil. This is not very common, but...can happen. New coil is around $40-45, by the way.

T-Man
pfrancz
11 years ago
Q: The Tecumseh OVXL120 on my 1983 MURRAY lawn tractor is getting really hard to start just this year. It's been used sparingly a few hours per year. Once you place a marine bat in parallel with it's bat it starts and runs fine. Bat is checked and ok. Starter solenoid was jumpered out for test and no change, turns over slow with one bat. When running all is fine. Could the starter need rebuilding, ie. bushings etc. Connect bat to starter post and turns over slow, bypassing key, solenoid etc. It runs well once I get it started, but its really hard to start. Will only crank slow with it's own bat.

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