Spark...but no spark!


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Old 04-27-09, 06:57 AM
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Spark...but no spark!

Hello all,

This is my first, but won't be my last, post in the DIY Forum. I have a Tecumseh OHH50 on my sons go cart. The cart is older, I don't know exactly how old. It has been at my fathers farm for a couple of years and sitting outdoors. My son and I decided to bring it home and make it our project to get this thing going like a bat outta Hades. This is to be a learner project for the boy as he wants to build a '73 Firebird Formula with me for his first car. (he is 12) So, we tear it down and do the basics first. Clean the carb, change the oil, change the air filter, and change the plug. Here is where it gets weird. After a few pulls I can tell it is missing one of the main 3 (fuel/air/spark). So I go to check spark first...no spark. So I pull out the plug and stick an allen wrench in there and give her a yank. Yep, it shocked me. So I figure I got a bad plug. Went back to the store and I made sure I had the OEM spec Champion N4C. Brought it home, same thing! There is fire in the wire, but not on the plug! I am stumped. Anyone?
 
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Old 04-28-09, 12:02 AM
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Are you grounding the plug when checking for spark?
 
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Old 04-28-09, 05:38 AM
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Originally Posted by cheese
Are you grounding the plug when checking for spark?
Yup. I am sitting it against the engine block. Also, last night I took the boot off the end of the plug wire to reveal the metal coil that is just inserted into the wire. I removed the coil, snipped 1/4" of wire off and re-inserted the coil. Then, just because I am a glutton for pain, I pinched the coil with my fingers and had the boy give the cord a pull. Made my hair stand up and my sack shrivel to nothing. With the coil still exposed I put the plug onto the coil and ensured that there was a very good connection. Grounded the plug and pulled...nothing. My only guess is that the points (I guess that's what they are called in this type of engine) are not producing enough voltage, but I do not know what they need to produce or how to check what they are making. So, now what?
 
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Old 04-28-09, 06:09 AM
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Maybe a bad condenser? I'm not sure if that would do this, but just an idea of where to look.
 
 

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