OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions on Other Engines Qualcast super 14

I last used my qualcast and was good till I cleaned it down! I've noticed a screw is missing from the carb and cannot find it! Also it seems I have no spark even with a new plug!

If you post some pictures Michael, we can discuss what has happened. Did you by any chance hose it down right before the ignition stopped working?

What sort of engine / carb is it?

Yeah the thing cut out while hosing it off. I'm pretty sure they call it a zenith carb and the screw that's missing is off of the top I'm not sure if it's a jet screw or not

I'll post pics when I have Internet on my comp cos it doesn't work on my phone

Ok forget bout the carby prob for now, I'll get a second hand one. Still no spark I've cleaned the flywheel and coil where they meet. Points are good aswell still no spark, so I'm suspecting the coil. Anyone else have an idea? If it is the coil should I change to elec ignition?

It sounds as if there is a good chance you got water in the capacitor or more likely, the coil secondary - never put water near anything British, I thought everyone knew that. If either coil or capacitor is the problem, your best chance of saving it is to dry it out very gently, by blowing warm dry air over it for a long time. It must not get hot during this process, or you'll finish it off completely. Realistically there is a good chance it is ruined anyway. If you tried to start it with the coil wet, it will have flashed-over inside the secondary winding, and that may have created carbon trails that now can't be removed.

It is more common for capacitors to fail than coils, and they are easier to get, so trying another capacitor is the first thing to do. If that doesn't help, when you have dried the coil out, if you take it to a mower shop they may be able to test it for you. If the mower shops can't test it, low voltage testing with a resistance meter is not a reliable test for this kind of problem, but if you have access to a megger, that will give you some kind of indication. It tests at about 500V, but the coil runs at around 10,000-20,000V, so the repair shop's proper test is the only authoritative way to find out. If it fails low voltage or megger tests, it is garbage, but if it passes them it may still be garbage.

If another capacitor doesn't help, and your coil is given a clean bill of health on a proper high voltage test, tell us about it and we can work through some less likely possibilities.

Hi Michael, looking forward to seeing the pics mate....I am not familiar with the Super 14.

Ok testing the coil when my dad can. Victas have an air gap on the coil to magneto how would I check this on my Suffolk motor? It seems to me like you can't really do it easily. May have found a donor mower for the carby and maybe a coil if needed. But it's a package deal with a alroh 6 wheel edger, if anyone collects or needs one I may have one tomorrow

I don't know what model that Suffolk is, Michael, and you haven't posted pictures. Usually either the coil-to-magnet gap cannot be adjusted, or there is a way to access it. The early Villiers 2 strokes had a removable flywheel cover, for instance.

I suggest you post pictures of the Alroh Imp edger. Meanwhile I can't understand why someone would package a complete machine that has a Briggs and Stratton engine, with an old British carburetor.

It's a qualcast non runner and a alroh non runner not sure if either are complete

Got them both the qualcast is a bit newer with electronic ignition but shoud be ok for parts. It's a qualcast punch. The alroh just needs a pull start and I'll see if I can get it going

the alrohs are a interesting machine, after somone quizzed me about mine today while he was helping me with something it started second pull after sitting for a good few weeks....

Ok coils gone been hard to find one😨