# 1988 Mtd hydro 18 no spark



## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

Hello i am new to this forum and i need help.I have a 1988 hyro 18 rider it has a briggs stratton twin 18 hp cylinder motor.I used it last year a little then one day it didnt start any longer.So here is what i have tried.I replaced the coil,and the solenoid, replaced the fuel pump in the carb,new starter, tried jump starting it checked the fuse looked for a shorted wire or kill switch all i have done and replaced didnt matter still no spark,It has sucktion at the carb, i even poored gas into the carb, no good. So i dont think its geting a spark.Is there someone out there that can help or tell me how to re wire it a simple way.The mower had power when i used it i would hate to disgard her.


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## farmertim (Dec 1, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Justavinny, we have some real wizards on these issues on here, just stand by they will be with you soon.
a couple of days at the most I'd say.
Cheers
:aussie:


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

*no spark*

Welcome to the forum! Is it possible you just have bad sparkplugs?Try a new one,on each wire,and see if it gets spark.If not,disconnect the black wire that goes to the side terminal of the coil.This is the kill wire,and disconnecting it will let you know if it's the coil(yes,they can be bad when new),or some thing in the harness.If you don't get spark with it disconnected,check the air gap,between the legs of the coil,and the flywheel(it should be .010/.012).Also check to make sure the ground between the coil and the coil mount is clean. If you do get spark,with the wire disconnected,you'll have to check the ignition switch(terminals might be corroded/broken,or switch is shorted),and the safety switches(seat/clutch/deck).I'm thinking,though, that it's either the plugs,the coil,or the ignition switch. good luck,and holler if you need more.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hey,justavinny,it's me,again.I forgot to ask you..HOW are you checking for spark?Do you have a tester,or are you just laying the plug on the engine?Also,what are the plugs gapped at.They should be .030,on the twins,and Briggs recommends a J-19 lm Champion. On the twins,BOTH cylinders fire, at the same time.


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

*1988 mtd 18 hp no spark*

Thanks for trying to help guys. I removed the spark plugs and they are soaked with gas so i dont think im getting any spark.I sanded down the lands of where the coil mounts on the engine reinstaled the coil tryed to start her up still wont start,no spark.I may have a bad ignition swith or maybe a short in the line some place?I am going to scower the net ti try to find a new ignition harness and iggy switch.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

*spark*

When you reinstalled the coil,did you connect the kill wire,to it?Try starting it with the kill wire disconnected,before you start throwing $$ at it.Usually it won't be the harness,unless it's chewed up,or melted.Also,disconnect the ign.switch,and jump it at the starter terminal.This will by pass the safety switches,and the harness,and narrow the problem to the coil,or plugs.


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

jhngardner367 said:


> When you reinstalled the coil,did you connect the kill wire,to it?Try starting it with the kill wire disconnected,before you start throwing $$ at it.Usually it won't be the harness,unless it's chewed up,or melted.Also,disconnect the ign.switch,and jump it at the starter terminal.This will by pass the safety switches,and the harness,and narrow the problem to the coil,or plugs.


I never thought of disconnecting the iggy switch jthegardener,thank you ill try that next ill get back to you if it works. Also what i did is when i took the engine covers off i spray painted the block,so some may not be getting a ground ill check that too.


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

Im done wasting my time on this rider.Im buying a new one.


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

Its just sitting now im wainting to rent a trailer so i can take it to a repair center


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

Meanwhile two tress feel since last week and now i really need my rider so i can cart away the logs.One hit my house did some dammage.So i tryed to start up my eco chainsaw,that too refuses to start.So i got a nice shindaiwa 360 model started up with the guy i got it from,came home sat i down in my garage.The next day i plained to do some cutting with it,what do you think happened i added some gas mix to it now that refuses to start!So i tryed to start up my eco that started right up so i did some sawing.Now i have to take the shiny to a tech also which i dont have the money for either one i might loose my job.Right now i am battling deppresion i lost my family one after each other died on me a total of10 loved ones,im having a hard time.As for the rider i may of put the coil on wrong ill try flipping it over stranger things happened to me.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hey,justavinny,have you checked the fuel to see if it has water in it? I just had a neighbor bring in 3 units,& they just suddenly wouldn't start.He ha just topped off the fuel cans,so we didn't think of the fuel being bad,until he poured some on a log to start it,and it wouldn't light. Turned out the gas station has a leaking fuel fill,and it was half full of water!


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## Justavinny (Jul 14, 2011)

jhngardner367 said:


> Hey,justavinny,have you checked the fuel to see if it has water in it? I just had a neighbor bring in 3 units,& they just suddenly wouldn't start.He ha just topped off the fuel cans,so we didn't think of the fuel being bad,until he poured some on a log to start it,and it wouldn't light. Turned out the gas station has a leaking fuel fill,and it was half full of water!


Ill empty the fguel tank out,and lines.And add fresh fuel,good idea i didnt think of that.One of these has got to work.


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