On Apr 13, 11:00*am, hibb wrote:
I promised when I got this fixed I would post the results.

Last fall, I was having trouble with my lawn tractor and posted about
it. The tractor would run for about a half hour and then just stop. It
would have to sit for two or three hours before it would start again.
This machine has a 15 hp Kohler engine in it.

I got through the last few mowings last year without ever getting it
fixed but when I went to mow for the first time this year it didn't
want to start but finally did. It ran for about 20 minutes and quit. I
let it sit all night and tried to start it the next day and it would
not start at all.

But this year when I pulled the cover off of the engine I noticed the
likely problem right away. It was the magneto or what we used to call
the coil. I don't know how I over looked that last year. It has been a
while since I have had to work on an engine. I replaced the spark plug
but completely ignored the thing the spark plug wire ran to.

Oh well, it's fixed now at least.

David

Most people usually replace the magneto after a process of elimination
especially if it is an intermittent problem like yours, "Ive tried
everything else that the only thing left". Unfortunately intermittent
problem are a bear to find if it is not obvious whether its an air ,
fuel or spark problem.

When I was a kid I had a go-cart that I couldn't get going again after
tearing it down and putting it back together. I had done this
successfully a number of times. I finally gave up and took it to the
local small engine repairman. He looked at it pulled the screw out
that held the ground wire for the magneto and replaced it, pulled the
cord twice and it fired up. I had put a painted screw there. I bought
him a coke.

Jimmie