# ss14 dumb question mice made me ask



## stm (Jul 20, 2014)

when you park in an unsealed building there's a slew of visitors. Perennial are the mice here which nested with the magneto\coil comfortably- the whole shroud 'penthouse' was full and when they peed it nearly burnt through the bottom. 
After cleaning out.....
START attempt 1 failed- no power at the ignition terminal out. So i pulled the power wire for ignition to battery + [spark plug removed and attached to lead] thinking i could quick crank for any response and, a blue spark appeared at spark plug....haven't cranked engine yet! Did this a few times and got a repeat.
For the record> new condenser plug points ancient magneto. So what is dumb here?
Ran when parked last year!
Thanking You!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

It sounds as if the critters chewed some wires,and you have battery voltage going to the points.
Since it's a magneto system, battery voltage to the armature could fry it. Start checking wires.


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## Bill Kapaun (May 8, 2007)

When the points open, is when you get spark.
(magnetic field in the coil primary "collapses" and induces the current into the secondary which produces spark at the plug.

I'd suggest removing the points cover and with the points closed & key ON, manually open the points.
Each time, you should get a spark.
IF you don't, repeat with the condenser disconnected.
IF you now have spark, the condenser is bad.
Do NOT run without a condenser. It reduces arcing at the points to prevent early failure.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Bill,
The engine is a Briggs Single ,and has magneto ignition,not battery / coil.


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## Bill Kapaun (May 8, 2007)

I don't have a schematic for an SS14, so assumed it was the same as the one for an SS16 I have. (which IS battery/points)


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## tcreeley (Jan 2, 2012)

Had an old GN400 suzuki at one time, I rode it as a commuter until I parked it for 19 years in a shed. Then one summer I tackled it again, The carb was useless- frozen and rubber seals gone. But the air filter had been customized by mice. 
I got a new carb and ditched the air filter housing and used a Kendall cone air filter instead. It worked great! Mice are cute in their nests, but pesky critters. Our cats are assigned that chore! 
-their pay is sleeping on the tractor seat!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Yeah,Bill,they used a couple of different engines in those tractors. My cousin had one with a Tecumseh,and his dad had one with a Briggs,and my other uncle had one with an Onan ! I think they changed by hp,and year.
The 12-14 could be Briggs or Tecumseh,but the 14-16 were either the OHV Tecumseh,or Onan, I believe.
Either way,they were great tractors !


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## stm (Jul 20, 2014)

Mighty Fine replies- i'm a bit skewed at describing situation so here's an adjustment.
> I'm not at the tractor to state engine type, however it has a battery and starter.
> Is the ignition switch power terminal for magneto reduced voltage? For whatever reason there is no power there now [presumably copper contact fried] that's why i removed wire and momentarily touched it to battery. 
>May as well ask has anyone seen the youtube vid of a ordinary auto coil being used instead of the magneto on ss-14?
stm


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## Bill Kapaun (May 8, 2007)

IF it's a Magneto system as described, you do NOT want 12V at the coil!
It generates spark the same way your walk behind lawn mower does. A magnet on the flywheel inducing an electric field in the coil primary winding as it passes by.

The coil is GROUNDED to kill spark. Ungrounded to allow spark.

Applying voltage to this type FRIES them!

You might want to provide the Sears 917.xxxxx number or the Model & Type numbers off the engine. Possibly there's a schematic floating around the web somewhere?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

+1,on Bill's reply!
Pictures help a lot,too.
Before going any farther,you need to identify the system you have !


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

deleted by John


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## tomamm (Aug 2, 2014)

Hi guys, new to this site, hope it helps
story: just bought a 73 Suburban ss16 with no spark.... found I have power to coil and nothing coming out of spark plug wire so I bought a duel coil ( kind of hard to find but I did) well that didn't work, so I took the flywheel off and cleaned that up and still nothing. Found the point cover and removed that. power going to points and nothing returning so removed them to have them replaced tomorrow . my question ...Why do I have whatever it is on my flywheel and a coil and points? 
PS did look for quite some time for a kill wire, never found it..
at this time I have it striped to look at ALL wiring . i.e. battery rack removed and steering cover/dash pulled up to get at wiring. Waiting to get the new points


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## Bill Kapaun (May 8, 2007)

Ic you have battery/points ignition, you don't have a kill wire. You just shut off the power to the points.

It's best to post the Sears 917.xxxxxx number to make sure we have the correct tractor.
If this is a 917.25751 or 52, then-
You can do a simple test of the coil.
Remove the wire between the points & coil.
Jump 12V to the coil. When you remove the voltage source, it should generate a spark. That's all the points do is basically act as a switch that you open/close. 
When they open, the magnetic field built up in the coil primary collapses and gives a pulse to the coil secondary generating a spark.


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## Bill Kapaun (May 8, 2007)

Ic you have battery/points ignition, you don't have a kill wire. You just shut off the power to the points.

It's best to post the Sears 917.xxxxxx number to make sure we have the correct tractor.
If this is a 917.25751 or 52, then-
You can do a simple test of the coil.
Remove the wire between the points & coil.
Jump 12V to the coil. When you remove the voltage source, it should generate a spark. That's all the points do is basically act as a switch that you open/close. 
When they open, the magnetic field built up in the coil primary collapses and gives a pulse to the coil secondary generating a spark.


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