OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines It ran beautifully for 45 minutes then....STOPPED!

I was "baffled" below but now I'm really hosed off.

I fitted the new electronic ignition unit and immediately had a healthy spark. It started 2nd pull and ran sweeter than ever.

I started slashing and it was running strong and sounding sweet, not revving too high and chewing through stuff that would make it struggle previously.... then 45 minutes later it coughed and misfired a few times and then stopped, no spark.

I've checked: all wires still connected and everything as it should be underneath the flywheel... what could have gone wrong now, surely I've only got a coil or a new unit to blame?

Curmudgeon,

I would be checking by putting a plug first as it is cheaper than a coil.

That's no spark at the HT lead!

Will it spark directly from the plug lead to ground, when you pull the starter with no spark plug installed in the engine? If it has an insulated terminal on the end of the plug lead, you will need to push a piece of metal rod into the terminal, and place the other end of it close (say, 1 mm) to the cylinder head. Do not touch the metal rod when you do the test, it is likely to be uncomfortable. It will hurt you with a much lower voltage than is required to generate a spark.

The most common time for electrical components to fail is in their first few hours of operation from new. (Known in industry as "infant mortality".)

I have no spark directly from the HT to ground.

So you think my electronic ignition has coughed straight away?

Bugger!

Sounds like it's a goner, provided you are sure the wiring has not come adrift. Is that a Victa 2 stroke with a plastic carburetor, that has a couple of wires going into it? If so, it is important to disconnect those wires, ensuring they do not touch each other, then re-test the ignition. (They are the kill-switch circuit.) If it has some other kind of kill switch wiring, the same applies: trace the kill wire, and ensure that it is not grounded.

If you can make sure the kill wire is not grounded, usually the easiest way to be sure it is the module is just to switch it for another one without disturbing the wiring.

Curmudgeon,

Did you pop rivet the module on or use a nut and bolt because sometimes if the module becomes loose you end up with a bad earth which will stop the spark.

I removed the condenser & points and used those old mounting points to screw the new unit in then connected the wires with a blue point.

I'm inclined to think that there must be some on going problem like a dodgy earth.... that would account for 3 points ignitions not providing a spark and then this one stopping dead too.

Either that or I'm just unlucky!

I've given up on any kill wire.... at the moment the LAST thing I'm worried about is stopping the engine!!

I agree, there needs to be a careful examination of the continuity of wires and the quality of grounding. You haven't used a crimp-on connector somewhere in the wiring have you? (Sounds like that might be what you have called a blue point.) Those things are sometimes a problem, I don't use them. You may have a bad ground somewhere, but that should be easy to check. I usually prefer to use a meter to check rather than keep disturbing the parts, in case I cause problems - the fewer things you disturb between tests, the more reliable the tests are.

My favourite technique for cases where I can't find the problem by inspection and electrical tests, is to have a "comparison part" which I know is good. I then make guesses, switch parts (switching back to the original after each test), and when one of the changes fixes the problem, I know which part was the defective one. Then I put the comparison part back into the cupboard and find a service replacement for the bad part.

Im not sure if heat can affect those modules or not. I have had a mower here with one mounted under the flywheel and it gave no trouble.
The electronic ignition did not come along till the series 80 motor with the external coil. The module was mounted externally under the flange that the cowl bolts too, above the carb.

The early ones were 4 times the size of the module you buy now so i doubt there would be room internally as a retro fit.

About your only option is to try another module.
You culd try swapping coils first. But the module is a lot easier.