waldersha

I have a tiller with an 8HP B&S engine. This thing is real old and had some pretty grungy looking buildup so I pulled out my power washer a couple of weekends ago and cleaned it all up nice. Started it up and ran it back in the shed no problem.

Went out Saturday to fire it up again and got nothing. Turns out that I now have no spark??? The plug wire will shock you good if you grab it and pull the rope. Wire itself, not the end that hooks on the plug. So I think that there is a ground problem? There is a grounding block? just below the carburator along with all the throttle linkages. Tried to clean that up, but still not having any luck. Anyone have any suggestions besides throwing it in the ditch? (already thought of that one)

waldersha

Nothing as far as ideas?

PistolWhipt

From the way I read your post it sounds like you need a new plug wire assy. If you can grab the wire itself and get popped but get nothing at the end where it actually connects to the plug ... maybe you got some water / corrosion in there preventing the flow of electricity. You think ??

I'd replace it anyway ... if it is as old as you say. You want the whole spark getting to the plug.

Just my .02 worth,
PISTOL

wheelo90

I am going to have to side with Pistolwhipt.
Here are my views, I would say that you are getting good ground due to the fact that the plug screws into the engine block itself.
Good Luck!
Wheelo

Clunk

Yep, wire trouble.

JimmieD

That should be a braided wire core in a rubber insulator jacket. Remove plug clip from end, cut back some insulation and re-fasten the plug clip. Sometimes there's a little metal spike of sorts that punches down into braided wire and makes connection with sparkplug clip. Easy fix at home either way, probably w/o buying new parts. Some plug wires are epoxied into the coil and are near impossible to remove, but rarely fail at that end of wire. It's usually the plug end that dies. Also make sure that your kill switch/wire isn't accidently shorted to the block.

ftltmp

I would also pull the cover off and take a piece of sandpaper to the out side of the flywheel, there is a magneto on there that will get surface rust on it especially since you washed it . You might be getting enough to feel it in your hand but not to fire the plug. Just my .02

P.J

This method has worked for me a few times.

waldersha

Thanks guys. We did pull the cover off the other night and scratched up the flywheel good. Then I fell for the oldest trick in the book. . . (hold this wire, I don't feel anything) Then my brother fried me. I will try redoing the wire end, but I think it might be the whole plug assembly as well.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

darkvader

the older briggs had points(behind the flywheel). if the wire checks out go there, water in the points cover can do some strange things. there is a replacement briggs coil(magentron) available that elimeates the points.
Clark