OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Briggs & Stratton Engines No Spark 13hp Briggs

Guys the ride on stopped on me yesterday, Its got no spark. I've tryed different plug, checked wiring and removed kill switch wire and still no spark. Does this mean coil is dead or any other ideas. Thanks Dave.

You need to check a couple of things. I'm guessing this is is a Briggs engine with a Magnetron ignition - you should post the full string of numbers from the Briggs air cowl so we are all on the same page on this, or we can waste time at cross-purposes. If it is a Magnetron, remove the air cowl and check two things: the air gap between the outside of the flywheel and the Magnetron steel core, and the grounding of the Magnetron to the engine body. The air gap should be the thickness of a visiting card (0.012"). The grounding will most likely be OK if the mounting screws are tight and the unit is not rusty, but you might remove the unit, clean the mounting surfaces, and re-install it. Make sure the kill wire is not grounding out anywhere due to insulation of the black wire being worn or cut through somewhere along its length. Leave the kill wire disconnected, clamp a good spark plug to the body of the engine, connect the high tension wire to it, and turn over the engine, preferably with no spark plug installed in the cylinder head and using the hand starter if it has one. Watch the spark plug gap. If there is no spark, you should try again with a known good Magnetron unit fitted. If it sparks with the good unit but not with the old one, you have your diagnosis.

Thanks, It will be friday before i can quote the numbers on the engine cover due to being away at work. Thanks for the reply.

Model- 287t707. Type- 1121-e1. Code- 980622za

That is a more modern Briggs than the ones we usually deal with here: looks like June 1998 manufacture. It may use a different ignition unit rather than a Magnetron, but the above suggested course of action still applies, it is just a bit less likely that a second-hand magneto will turn out to be available for diagnostic purposes.

Ok thanks.

Just modified an old coil of a 3.5 hp. It works on there so the old coil is stuffed.

Yep, bad magneto unit or wrong wiring or grounding. It should be a routine fix now that you have established that.

Thanks for your help Grumpy

You are more than welcome Dave, that is what we come here to try to do, and it feels great when it works out well. I'll close this thread.