Snowblower ground problem
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2005
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Snowblower ground problem
a friend of mine is having a huge problem with his snowblower. Not srue what make it is can't remember nevertheless we can't get it to fire. Theres no spark but plenty of power. It worked and ran for about half an hour a week ago, then all of a sudden couldn't get it to fire again. we tried runnning a ground to a spare battery we had laying around and trying to see if the ground we had was all of a sudden junk. no luck. what is weird is if he puts his finger on the end of the spark plug and touchs the muffler with his thumb and i pull the cable, he get's a shock, which tells us theres definetly power going tot he spark plug but no spark. Changed the spark plug with one we knew work, but that did nothing. If theres power going through the wire, the coil should still be good right? ANyone have a suggestion on how to fix this dilema, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Ontario, canada
If it's an older one, it could be the points or a bad condensor.
Make sure the plug wire is in good shape and isnt grounding out someplace.
Pull the spark plug out , hook it to the lead and lay it on a ground. then pull the engine over and see if it has spark. Try this with a couple different plugs.
You want a good blue spark with a snapping sound.
Make sure the plug wire is in good shape and isnt grounding out someplace.
Pull the spark plug out , hook it to the lead and lay it on a ground. then pull the engine over and see if it has spark. Try this with a couple different plugs.
You want a good blue spark with a snapping sound.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
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From: Southern MD
Are you sure that it's spark related? Are you getting gas to the cylinder?
Don't get the wrong idea. . . . please. It is not my intent to insinuate that you don't know what you're doing.
Is the spark plug wet? If not, the issue is lack of fuel, not spark.
Are any of the (external) wires disconnected, or frayed and touching metal?
How old is the snowblower? To repeat what Fordzlla said, it could be bad points or condensor. (Easy fix. You just need to pull the flywheel to access the components.)
Keith
Don't get the wrong idea. . . . please. It is not my intent to insinuate that you don't know what you're doing.
Is the spark plug wet? If not, the issue is lack of fuel, not spark.
Are any of the (external) wires disconnected, or frayed and touching metal?
How old is the snowblower? To repeat what Fordzlla said, it could be bad points or condensor. (Easy fix. You just need to pull the flywheel to access the components.)
Keith
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Cullman Alabama
If the "User" got a shock when his Sadistic buddy gave the cord a yank, but otherwize you dont see a Blue Arc, at least 1/8" long, then your ignition is not putting enough of a jolt down the plug wire.
The Capacitor may leak or be shorted, corroded points, rust in between the Flywheel Magnet and the Coil fields, all that kind of stuff happens to the Snow blowers. (cause we'd look kinda silly in July, running a Show Blower)
There's a little Neon looking light you can get to check the Plug Voltage. Mine came from NAPA.
I'd agree with the old Ranger though, I'd bet its a fuel problem, and not igniton.
A real good imitation starting fluid that wont hurt your engine is Carb Cleaner.
IF you give the carb a shot right down the tube, and yank on the rope, and it starts right up, your gonna have to apologize to the old Ranger!
The Capacitor may leak or be shorted, corroded points, rust in between the Flywheel Magnet and the Coil fields, all that kind of stuff happens to the Snow blowers. (cause we'd look kinda silly in July, running a Show Blower)
There's a little Neon looking light you can get to check the Plug Voltage. Mine came from NAPA.
I'd agree with the old Ranger though, I'd bet its a fuel problem, and not igniton.
A real good imitation starting fluid that wont hurt your engine is Carb Cleaner.
IF you give the carb a shot right down the tube, and yank on the rope, and it starts right up, your gonna have to apologize to the old Ranger!
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2005
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If the plug is wet that would tell me there is no spark or too much fuel. If your buddy got a shock it should have been enough to really give him a jolt and he will never do that again! remove the plug and pull the starter several times, then let it sit for an hour or so to let the fuel evaporate. Clean the plug and re-install it, with the carb primmed, pull the starter, should fire. If it is old, check the points under the flywheel and make sure they are clean and opening and closing. Fuel, fire (air, fuel and spark) and compression and it WILL run.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Just out of curiouosity - Bring it indoors (garage, not the living room!) where it can warm up above freezing, then take it outside and see what happens.
Could be water in the fuel system.
It could also be dang cold blooded on starting period...
Could be water in the fuel system.
It could also be dang cold blooded on starting period...
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Freshman User
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thanks for all the quick replies first off. We pulled the flywheel off twice now to clean the points and the magnets, and just to get as much corrosion off from everything else. he put in a new carb and cleaned it all out. The bowl of the carb is full of gas we know that much but come to think of it the spark plug didn't seem wet. But even if theres no fuel getting to the combustion chamber why wouldn't there be any spark showing?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: cape may county NJ
replace the points and condencer and make sure to set them at 0.20 there not worth messing with and for $8 bucks at least you know there good and if you need a coil at least your points are already replaced and most of the time if the coil is bad you will have no spark at all or it will run for 10-15 min and then start misfiring and loose all spark just my 2 cents
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From: Atlanta GA
> we tried runnning a ground to a spare battery
What good would that do unless you also ran to the positive to complete the circuit? Are you saying you have electronic ignition and a starter?
I would approach this the same way as a car.
Get a spark (plug) tester which is a simple device ($6) that plugs into the spark plug wire, ground it, set it to the correct range, pull the cord and see what kind of spark you get. If you do not get a (as an example) 20kv spark, but, have one at 10 kv, then you know the ignition system is working, but weak. Usually a coil problem. If no spark, then something might be grounded with a bad wire or disconencted.
When I get time today, I will go out and test a mower and see how it works and what voltage level.
What good would that do unless you also ran to the positive to complete the circuit? Are you saying you have electronic ignition and a starter?
I would approach this the same way as a car.
Get a spark (plug) tester which is a simple device ($6) that plugs into the spark plug wire, ground it, set it to the correct range, pull the cord and see what kind of spark you get. If you do not get a (as an example) 20kv spark, but, have one at 10 kv, then you know the ignition system is working, but weak. Usually a coil problem. If no spark, then something might be grounded with a bad wire or disconencted.
When I get time today, I will go out and test a mower and see how it works and what voltage level.
Last edited by rebocardo; Nov 30, 2005 at 09:08 AM.
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