# New 1220 owner



## fotno (Aug 12, 2004)

I recently became the proud owner of a 69 Bolens 1220, after trading an old .22 rifle for it. I figure that as it sits, I have about $100 in the whole outfit. I think you can see why finding this board felt heaven sent. 
It's not running at present, but it was a running machine when parked a year or so ago. According to the gentleman I traded with, it had (past-tense) an automotive type coil on it, that he removed and subsequently lost. I downloaded the parts break-down/wiring diagram, and didn't see a coil illustrated in the electrical flowchart. 
My question... Did it come stock with such a coil? And may a replacement be purchased say at Napa, or another automotive source, instead of a specialty lawn&garden outfit? 
The wiring otherwise looks complete, and much like the diagram. I guess you can tell that electrical repair is not my strong suit. 
Any and all help, greatly apreciated. 
Fotno


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Fotno Welcome to TF!
What engine does the 1220 have? Is it a 12 hp tecumseh? If you can give me the model #, I may have a diagram in an engine manual.


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

The 1220 was only made for one year 1969 and was the same as a 1050 with the exception of the engine. It should have a tecumseh 12hp with solid state ignition. There was also a 1225 which was the hydro version and had a wisconsin tra-12d. The wiring diagram you are reffering to is used to show the lighting circuits and usually says "light group" on top.

Here are some pages from the tecumseh manual showing the ignition


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

next page


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Welcome fotno:friends: glad to have you aboard sixchows is the Bolens man if he don't know Bolens never made it.


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Have you looked at the bolens tube frame manual posted here on the bolens forum?
Here's page 2-11 showing a 1220 solid state ignition wiring diagram

http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=50613


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## aguysmiley (Jul 2, 2004)

Congratulations on your bolens, fotno. If your engine had an external coil, then an automotive style will work. Positive side of the coil gets hooked up to the key switch and the negative side to the points.


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Ken
See that's what I was thinking, but then it wouldn't be the original engine right? When he mentioned coil, I was thinking maybe someone swapped in a wisconsin 10 or 12.
Easiest way to tell is where is the spark plug wire routed to?


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## aguysmiley (Jul 2, 2004)

Oh no! Now I have to think. I didn't read much of those pages you posted, but it showed one that had a stator under the flywheel and an external coil. Was that available in '69?


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## aguysmiley (Jul 2, 2004)

Ok, well I don't know about the stator. It does show that some of the HH80, HH100, and HH120's had a battery ignition with an external coil and condenser. So if it had that, he will need a condenser also.


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

It looks like the battery one on the bottom middle of the page has points too. The diagram at the top of the page shows a different type of coil mounted to the side of the engine. I think we need to wait for fotno to respond before we confuse everything more than it already is.


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## aegt5000 (Feb 22, 2004)

Fotno...
Welcome to the forum, it's always nice to have another Bolens owner.

I can't help you too much with your 1220, but you're in good hands
with sixchows and aguysmiley. But I did want to caution you about
buying a replacement coil. If you buy the coil from an auto parts
store, make sure you by one with an internal resistor, if they don’t
carry internal resistored coils then you will need to buy a separate
ballast resistor and wire it in line with the positive wire that feeds
the coil. Without the ballast resistor (internal or external) the new 
coil wont last very long.

By the way, I think you will make much more use of the 1220 than
the .22, unless you live next door to Bontai Joe. :ride:


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## fotno (Aug 12, 2004)

*Yep, it's a Tecumseh*

The part # on the blower shroud is 
Model HH120 - 120090B
Serial - 8351
Manual transmission
Locking hub? on left wheel center. 
There is a sticker barely visible on the top of the shroud that even says Solid-State ignition. Duh! What a dipstick I'm turning out to be. The thing that threw me was the guy who owned it swearing on a stack that he took a coil off of it. 
Sorry to have been so vague originally guys, but all things electrical are kinda mystical to me. Kinda like algebra was in high school. 
Apparently the whole wiring harness is actually there and in fairly good shape, which is good. I'll check for spark when I can get fresh fuel hose (old one is rotten), spark-plug, and oil in place. 
Thanks so much for all the help so far, I appreciate more than I can tell you. There's nothing worse than feeling lost when trying to work on a new machine. 
I just want to do the ol' gal justice, this is too finely and heavily built a machine to do anything else. I want to be patient and informed enough to get her back to A1 shape. 
Thanks again for the advice, and the attachments, the will be a tremendous help. 
Fotno


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Fotno
You know sometimes with these old tubeframes, you never know what engine you might find in it. They were made for 16 years and all basically the same except for the engines. I've seen hoods chopped up to the point where they don't even protect anything just to cram the wrong engine in. Let us know how else we can help.


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## Mike_bytes (Jan 16, 2010)

*Bolens 1220*

I was emailing the Tecumseh engine model number looking for replacement parts when I noted that the engine serial number on your tractor is two numbers different than mine. Mine is serial number 8353. These engines appear to have been 'born' within minutes of each other. :bd:


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## dgs345 (May 10, 2010)

*bolens 1220*

i just got a bolens 1220 i think it needs a magneto it only starts when it is cold and runs for a few seconds it i take the mag off and put it in the freezer it will run again where can i find parts for this thing


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## NewGuy (May 10, 2010)

Mike_bytes said:


> I was emailing the Tecumseh engine model number looking for replacement parts when I noted that the engine serial number on your tractor is two numbers different than mine. Mine is serial number 8353. These engines appear to have been 'born' within minutes of each other. :bd:


Is that what that means?


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