Help with electrical on Tecumseh Engine riding mower

A few years back, I bought a riding mower from Tractor supply. I don't remember what the brand name is, but it has a tecumseh 13 1/2 HP engine.

I won't go in to detail (long sad story), but I've got the ignition/starter wiring goofed up. I also don't have the ignition key. I want to just install a couple toggle switches but I'm not sure where to wire the ignition. I have already got the starter working, but no ignition. There's several "safety switches" on the thing, so I'll be bypassing those as well.

Can anyone tell me where to wire the battery to for the ignition, perhaps what wires on the ignition key I can jump?

I imagine this sounds like a pretty basic question, but I've never hot wired a thing in my life, including a lawn tractor .

dolfantimmy

Reply to
dolfantimmy
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First things first.

Do NOT wire the battery to the ignition.

That's a quick way to fry the coil. If you've already tried then you've likely already fried the coil. Say bye bye to $35-$60 or more if you've done that.

The ignition "kill wire" will be any of several places but it should be a wire coming out from under the flywheel housing. It's likely going to a post near the throttle linkage and the wire from the mower hooking there but sometimes they're just hooked direct.

To wire it up hook one side of the switch to the post or wire and the other side of the switch to ground. Turn the switch off to run and on to kill.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

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Reply to
Wayne Cook

On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 17:26:27 -0700, Wayne Cook wrote (in message ):

The ignition on these things are directly opposite to what are on cars. They do NOT require power from the battery for ignition. These are magnetos and will run all the time until they are grounded out. The battery merely spins the starter motor; the ignition generates its own electricity. The ignition switch is in reality a "kill switch". When you switch to "off" you complete the circuit to ground the magneto coil. The safety switches on the discharge chute and such are also kill switches. If you cut the wires (or totally remove them) then the ignition will function. You may have an electronic ignition module located next to the flywheel or on older machines there is a points & condenser setup UNDER the flywheel that you have to pull the flywheel to get too. Locate all these kill switch wires, make sure they are not accidently grounded, and the engine should run, or at least have spark at the spark plug...........unless the coil is boogered or some other component is broken or out of adjustment. Hope this helps. Roger in Vegas

Reply to
Roger Hull

If it came equipped with an electricial starter you may also have a wire coming from behind the flywheel that is the output from an alternator that uses the same magnet in the flywheel.

Contact the Tecumseh or tractor supply for more information.

Reply to
Hugh Prescott

Thanks for the great help folks, I love newgroups.

Anyway, I want to be sure, so here's what I find based on your suggestions.

There is a single wire coming from the ignition switch to the coil. Of course the spark plug is connected to the coil as well. There are also two wires coming from under the flywheel.

If I understand correctly, I shut cut the wires going under the fly wheel, and wire one of them to one side of a switch, the other side to ground, providing me a kill switch.

What do I do with the wire from the coil? Leave it alone?

Then I just need the starter switch, right?

Thanks, Tim

Reply to
dolfantimmy

love newgroups.

what I find based on your

ignition switch to the coil. Of

the coil as well. There are also

flywheel.

the wires going under the fly

side of a switch, the other side to

coil? Leave it alone?

right?

The wire coming from the coil should be the kill wire. I'm trying to download the entire thread to see what you have..

Reply to
Rick

love newgroups.

what I find based on your

ignition switch to the coil. Of

the coil as well. There are also

flywheel.

the wires going under the fly

side of a switch, the other side to

coil? Leave it alone?

right?

The two wires coming out from under the flywheel are probably the alternator leads. You'll need them for lights (if any) and charging the battery. The small wire coming from the ignition coil is the kill wire-ground it to stop the engine.

Reply to
Rick

You folks are awesome. I got it running!!!! I had to by a new float and bowl, but so far so good.

I discovered there was some water in the crank case, and I had to of course change the oil. The thing sat for years.

I still have this issue, when it runs, I get a ton of White smoke from the exhaust. Is this just burning off the crud (varnish and such) from the years of sitting, or is there a problem? My neighbor said "Let it run, it'll go away", but I got concerned. Do y'all agree with him?

Thanks, Tim

Rick wrote:

Reply to
dolfantimmy

a new float

had to of

White smoke from

and such) from

said "Let it

with him?

Oil burning-may be the rings are stuck in the piston from setting so long. or the bores are rusted.

Could be worn valve stem/guides too...

Reply to
Rick

Pour an ounce or two of Marvel Mystery Oil into the gas and run it.

It may...may..free up the rings if thats an issue.

Gunner

"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosphy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

Reply to
Gunner

.

by

and I

(varnish

neighbor

agree

and run it.

Or it has just elected a new pope...

Reply to
Rick

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 15:50:54 GMT, the inscrutable Gunner spake:

Remove the sparkplug(s) and pour an ounce of MMO down the barrel. Let it sit overnight and try it in the morning. Add some to the gas, too.

I use the great stuff in my air tools. Schucks Auto Parts has it for $10.79/gal.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 12:12:03 -0700, Larry Jaques wrote (in message ):

White smoke is water. Assuming this is an air-cooled engine, there is water in the gas or in the crankcase. Oil would be blue smoke and black smoke would be excessive fuel.

Reply to
Roger Hull

Or, use the old "oil of wintergreen cure" About half an ounce of oil of wintergreen in a couple ounces of deisel fuel squirted into the cyl a few ccs at a time. If there is rust it will release it. Then squirt some real strong carb and choke cleaner in and let it sit for a while

- adding more every hour or so. THEN squirt in a bit of oil and start the engine. Once it is running, and warm, change the oil again. If that doesn't fix it, it needs mechanical attention.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

The oil smoke can be awfully close to white under the right conditions.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

Is it running really hot - burning the carbon big time. White ash. But then I figure that would be noticed. Perhaps the plug is a bit hot and that causes it. Some people run hot plugs in the 'winter' and cold or normal plugs in the summer due to the heat load on the cooling systems.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Oil of wintergreen? Ive never heard of that trick before. Thanks!

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Reply to
Gunner

Had an old swather sitting in the orchard behind the shop back in the sixties - had a Wisconsin VG4D on it, sized tighter than all getout (water got in through the rusted out muffler). The boss decided it was time to get it running, and that's what we used. Three days, IIRC, and I was able to break it loose with the crank and a 3 ft piece of water pipe. Then we added more oil and worked it back and forth untill it turned smoothly. That old critter always did smoke a bit after that - but most old VG4's smoked a bit anyway - like an old Lycoming or Conti. Three years later it was still running.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

Where would I find this "oil of wintergreen"? Lowes? Autoparts store?

Tim

Reply to
dolfantimmy

At Safeway, ......... in the spices. Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

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