Installing and adjusting points and condenser on Briggs and stratton engines Tutorial

[HMFboy29]

my z50 mini trail will run and ride then after like 10 minutes it will die and not want to start untill cooled

[forku2umf]

AZippoVarga I mean, he is doing this on a walk behind mower! Wonder what happens when the battery falls off and he mows over it. (probably won't have to mow that area for years). He talks about installing an automotive tach on it, too!He's mad at me for my comments, but, read what he said to ME! Jeez! I know I am new to this "small engine" stuff, unlike him. I JUST started doing it in October of 19 hunnert and 73. I guess I can learn from him. Hope to hear from you.

[forku2umf]

@ZippoVarga Finally! Someone who knows what they are doing. I look at nothing but idiots. Filthy "shops", torn clothing, etc. Check out "how to wire a coil to a Briggs". That idiot puts a m/c battery, a car coil and ground wire to a/f stud (no air filter!) All that to get spark on an old points vertical shaft Briggs. Check it out! Hilarious! Your work area is bright, clean and neat (from what little I can see). How long you been doing this? Contact me at internationaldave@gmail.com

[ZippoVarga]

@forku2umf What a wonderful compliment Dave! I am OCD, so my work shop is always neat and orderly. Sure.......there's clutter.......but it's organized chaos...lol. I've been doing self help videos and video requests for about three years now. I'm always learning and I love to pass on my experiences to save someone a headache. There are a lot of people on here that use unorthodox methods of making repairs and you just have to laugh at the degree of ignorance some times. Thanks Again Dave!!

[04Dasani]

I have the same motor having spark problems new coil&points con, Can you show how to install the coil?

[ZippoVarga]

@04Dasani I can explain it here very simply. Loosen the coil bolts, put a business card between the flywheel and coil, rotate the flywheel around until the magnets pull the coil to the flywheel, pinning the business card between. Tighten the coil bolts, rotate the flywheel to remove the business card and the coil it perfectly spaced. Works EVERY time!

[inspector1963]

continued..I do have spark now and spray starting fluid in the carb and the engine just coughs a little but will not run....any suggestions on what to do next?

I pulled a muscle 2 weeks ago trying to get this dinosaur to start up and run and haven't tried to start it sense...but I would like to try to restart it this weekend...thanks for any advice

[inspector1963]

thanks for the tip!...I have a 70s B&S 5Hp pulsa-jet carb on a old red snapper tiller that was given to me.It ran 5yrs ago and just stopped.I got it and it had old gas in the tank.I cleaned out the tank and carb and replaced the pump diaphragm and cleaned out the jets the best I could.I put it back together and tried to start it but it had no spark so I bought a new coil and installed it.The points and condenser looked good so I did not mess with them.I tried to start the darn thing...no luck?

[wckdkl0wn]

This was very helpful. That motor looks like the 12hp that is in my homelite. Currently I am getting no spark. I have a feeling it is the coil or the points. Points open and close as motor turns. I cleaned up the points with some sandpaper and also bypassed the key switch to eliminate any safety switches and also tested with known working plug. If points are out of adjustment would you get no spark at all or weak spark?

[ZippoVarga]

@wckdkl0wn You would get no spark or a weak spark depending on the condition and gap of the points. The standard is 20 thousandths of an inch, but I have many engines that miss that mark by as much as 3 or 4 thousandths. The way I adjust the points is to get to the "home" position of 20 thousandths and with the spark plug resting on the head with a good ground, I turn the engine over while adjusting the points and watch for the bluest spark. Best of luck buddy!! Cheers!!

[wckdkl0wn]

@ZippoVarga I replaced the coil and now motor runs great. I'm now having issues with the hydrostat but thats a whole different problem than this. Seems like I narrow 1 thing down and find out something else doesn't work. But I guess it wouldn't be called a project if it ran perfect. :)

[ZippoVarga]

@wckdkl0wn Great to hear the engine is running. Keep us posted on the Hydro buddy!!

[nathanmeitzler]

Where can I get points at?

[nathanmeitzler]

Where can I get points at?

[nathanmeitzler]

My tractor has the same problem and I was wondering where u get those points at. I probably don't live near u so a specific store wont help but if you ordered them of line what website?

[ZippoVarga]

@nathanmeitzler Any Authorized Briggs and Stratton dealer or Lawn care dealer can get you the points. Just copy all the numbers off the engine and they will be able to tell which points are correct for your engine. Good Luck! By the way....they will set you back about 45 bucks.

[bcarbaugh]

Is it normal that the screw for the adjuster is very tight on the new points I bought?

[ZippoVarga]

@bcarbaugh Absolutely.....and make sure when they are properly adjusted that you lock the nut down securely. The points will float out of adjustment even though the screw is hard to move. They are made this way to make it easier to make minute adjustments. Best of luck!!

[scottsamonek]

I have a 1979 KAWASAKI KZ 1000 LTD. My bike starts perfect and idles fine. When I hit the gas in neutral it revs up fine to the red line just fine but when im driving it there is a total loss of power. Could that be the points?? It ran good then all the sudden there is a loss of power when I hit the gas while driving.

[ZippoVarga]

@scottsamonek A little off the beaten path of a garden tractor engine, but I'll give it a whirl. Under no load the engine sounds as though it is fine. Under load, it's misfiring. Get an in line spark plug tester, put it to each spark plug and run the engine. My guess is one of three things are happening. Points or ignition module, bad coil or improper timing advance. Let me know.

[01bearhunter]

have a 1974 T-16 H Homelite with the same enging. Constantly runs rough and backfires. Had it to many "smal engine guys" but paying money and still backfiring.

Any suggestions?

[1944johndeerel]

you should have seen the condencer on my wisconsin abn when i first got the engine. something had smashed the back cover of the mag pretty good. the condencer had a huge dent in it. despite all that amazingly i still was able to get a hot spark out of it.

[ZippoVarga]

I just finished working on a 1962 Wisconsin 9 1/2 HP with a distributor! Odd massive engine. Probably weighs 50-75 pounds more than an equivalent Briggs.

[1944johndeerel]

@ZippoVarga i like wisconsin engines. the single cyl ones are very straight forward engines it seems. i havent dug far into any of mine yet. i am trying to get the magneto on my BKN back into time still because i cant find the timing mark that is supposed to be on the cam gear. but wisconsins were known as severe duty engines in ads. built extreamly heavy but they were expencive engines. they have loads of torque and are extreamly reliable engines though

[perez909]

hello! i have a briggs and stratton (16 hp) and the cable that goes to the points is grounded al the time....even when disconnected from the armature....is that armature bad or is that how it's supposed to be?

thank you very much

[ZippoVarga]

Do you mean the single wire going to the coil from the points? Is your engine a Cast Iron Briggs? I've tried to understand and answer your question a few times, but I'm not clear on what you need help with. Does your engine run? There are different models that are set up differently. A Video speaks 1000 words. Thanks!!

[dragracing3508]

if u want, u can cut the points and condencer wire and forget about it. all u need to do is buy a new magneto with the extra plastic piece comming of of the coil with that circle looking thing. mount on the new magneto and it will run

[ZippoVarga]

Good advice! Thanks for the comment!!

[dragracing3508]

sure....for the past week or so ive been doing alot of research on how these work because i have a 5hp briggs on my mini bike that i want to run again

[ZippoVarga]

Another option which will only run you about 15 bucks is to go to NAPA and get a "points eliminator." Two wires...one to ground (any place on the engine) and the other to the coil wire.....That's it! No taking the engine apart or replacing the coil and getting the flywheel re-polarized.

[dragracing3508]

yea i saw one of those on internet last night, but i had like 3 spare magnetoes so i just put one of them on my bike

[DouglasMorency]

I have a mtd 990 with a briggs 16 hp numbers are 326431 0139-01 and another mtd 960 with the number 326431 0136-01 7211271 and I was wondering if instead of using the coil 298968 if I can switch it with the coil 398811 to remove the points

will this work

Doug

[ZippoVarga]

Hi Doug!! The only way you can do this is to also use the flywheel from the electronic ignition engine, as they are polarized differently than the points flywheel. Another option is to send in the original flywheel (from the points engine) to Briggs to have it properly polarized Another, easier way to eliminate the points is to get an aftermarket Ignition module (points eliminator) from NAPA. These run about 15 bucks and are a cinch to install. Good Luck!!!!

[deercubgradyman]

Nice vid and thanks. I helped me with my Big 10.

[ZippoVarga]

More than welcome. I'm glad it helped!!

[ZippoVarga]

2. These are air cooled engines and rely on the flywheels RPMs to blow ambient air accross the cylinder jug and head. A lower than "MFG Settings" can and WILL cause upper valve train stress and strain.

So.....Short Bursts with a low idle should be restricted to 30 seconds to a MAX of a minute of run time at "lug lug lug" idle.

[ZippoVarga]

For those of you who want to know how to set the idle low I have to throw out a word of Caution....I love a low idle as much as the next guy, but with these splash oiling engines it's not wise to let the engine sit at "below MFG idle" for extended periods of time and this is for a couple of reasons.

1. At the base of the connecting rod is the oil splash and low idle does not splash enough oil to the upper valve train to keep it properly lubed.

[dangeroustoys56]

Nice tech video- ever worked on an onan before? Ive got a 20 HP onan horizontal twin and its not getting any spark- i believe it doesnt have points ( has a coil pack) - its off the tractor, because the wiring was all crap- i just want to see if itll run- it cranks but no spark- ive got a video of it- any ideas how i could see if it runs?

Thanks in advance.

[ZippoVarga]

Hey Kidd....sent you a message

[stevensj13]

another good tutorial!

[ZippoVarga]

Thanks! It's you guys asking me questions that prompts my videos on how toos.

[stevensj13]

:) I am working with a 3.5hp briggs sideshaft and was wondering if you could make a tutorial on how to set the idle really low, you know like thump....thump...thump because That would sound so good with one of those giant harly exhausts, with that echoing sound! i have not worked with idle adjusting in a while so I am a little rusty.

[ZippoVarga]

Hiya Steven! I sent you a message on adjusting the throttle.