1 Lawn Mower Engine Fri Jul 22, 2022 9:18 pm
Rickmeister
Life time member
Dear All, I know that this is wildly off topic, but...
I have a mower with a Kawasaki FJ180V motor. Been sitting in the shed for about 7 months, I've been too unwell to use it. Anyway, the other day I pulled it out of the shed and of course, it didn't start. Fuel or spark are generally the main culprits. Pulled the spark plug out, held the body of the plug against the motor, no spark. Dis-assembled the thing down to the ignition coil, measured 360 Ohms between the "stop" spade terminal and ground, in both directions, looking for maybe a diode buried in the bowels of the coil.
Measured about 4K between the plug cap and ground. Still no spark! New spark plug, no change. Dug out my trusty Trio oscilloscope, probe between the "Stop" spade terminal and ground. Every time the magnet on the fly wheel passed the coil, there was a "blip" on the CRO. Probe onto the HT side, again, a much bigger "blip" on the CRO. But, still no spark evident on the spark plug!
Re-assembled the whole thing, and of course, it fired up after about three pulls!!
What does it all mean?? Every other motor that I've mucked around with, looking for a spark it's always worked.
Love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Rickmeister.
I have a mower with a Kawasaki FJ180V motor. Been sitting in the shed for about 7 months, I've been too unwell to use it. Anyway, the other day I pulled it out of the shed and of course, it didn't start. Fuel or spark are generally the main culprits. Pulled the spark plug out, held the body of the plug against the motor, no spark. Dis-assembled the thing down to the ignition coil, measured 360 Ohms between the "stop" spade terminal and ground, in both directions, looking for maybe a diode buried in the bowels of the coil.
Measured about 4K between the plug cap and ground. Still no spark! New spark plug, no change. Dug out my trusty Trio oscilloscope, probe between the "Stop" spade terminal and ground. Every time the magnet on the fly wheel passed the coil, there was a "blip" on the CRO. Probe onto the HT side, again, a much bigger "blip" on the CRO. But, still no spark evident on the spark plug!
Re-assembled the whole thing, and of course, it fired up after about three pulls!!
What does it all mean?? Every other motor that I've mucked around with, looking for a spark it's always worked.
Love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Rickmeister.
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Assumption is the root of all stuff-ups!