# OT: Leaf Shreader



## ironhat (Sep 20, 2003)

Sorry for the non-tractor question, folks. My 5HP Craftsman chipper-shreader worked fine after the complete carb rebuild that I did three years ago. Well, as you can imagine, it's a bear to pull start and after my congestive heart failure, I'm not to do that anymore. So, I put it in the shopper for sale last fall. The first guy and I dig it out of the shed and it won't start. A quick analysis shows no spark even with a different plug. He sticks around while I tear off the shroud and the starter to see if the gap is right. Just the thickness of a business card where I ever so accurately set it back then. What next? I haven't ever seen or heard of a coil go bad but then, I'm not around that many small engines. Help me out here, guys. What do I do? And, BTW, I didn't get the gas out since that test and I now have a nerve condition and had to have a stimulator imbeded in my spine and can't lift my own... shoes. Yea, that's it. Shoes.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Have you tried a new spark plug?


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## ironhat (Sep 20, 2003)

Yep, I have.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I have seen magneto's go bad but very rare. No evidence of mice chewing or making a nest?


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## ironhat (Sep 20, 2003)

Nothing, TF. THe shroud was clean. There was some superficial rust on the flywheel so I sanded the whole flywheel as well as the magnet. I reversed the paper and did the coil but I can't believe that the little bit of rust prevented any amount of spark. Now that it's warming up I get someone to pull it out where I can work on it and get the coil tested. The dang shop just up the street is a parts replacement joint. I went there looking for a screw for this same mag because it was missing and he said that he had a hard time finding it. It would be $2.56 + $5.50 s/h. Holy crap! I thought we could just look through a coffee can of old parts and swap a couple of bucks. These guys are of the opinion that if you didn't buy your mower there you can go elsewhere for your parts. Guess what? I've never bought a mower from them or anything else.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

If you are not getting a spark, the problem rests with one of the issues you have already checked or the magneto or mag pickup sensor itself may be bad. There is not much else I am aware of in this system to go wrong other than the spark plug wire coming from the mag being bad. Wish I could offer more help but it appears you have done all the correct troubleshooting steps.


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## ironhat (Sep 20, 2003)

Thanks for all your help, TF. One last thing, though. Where is the mag pickup sensor? There can't be anywhere left to look. Let's see, spark plug, plug wire, mag, flywheel, magnet. Is it under the magnet. I can't say that I've seen anything else listed above. 

TIA,
Chiz


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

In most cases, in my experience it is a one piece unit with the magneto and senses the magnetic portion of the flywheel. If the pickup is bad, the entire mag will probably need to be replace but I am not familar with your set up. It may be different.


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## ironhat (Sep 20, 2003)

I unwittingly happened upon this thread. As I don't like it when others allow a thread to die without posting the resolution, I had done just that. The solution was as Live Oak said, it was the magneto. My unit was too old to have a sending unit. I replaced the mag with a used unit and sold the chipper. Oh yes, I gapped the mag to the flywheel with a business card, using the magnet to hold the two surfaces to stay in approximation with each other while I tightened the cap screws on the magneto. 

Later,
Chiz


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## farmertim (Dec 1, 2010)

Glad It all got sorted ironhat, sometimes these issues are really pesky. it is ironic that it nearly always the last thing we look at which is the problem
Cheers
:aussie:


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