red rivets

Don't know if anyone has tried this before, but it worked on my Gravely Model 12
walk behind tractor today. The Kohler Model K301S engine had no spark after setting for over a year. After testing the condensor, I tried a simple test to bypass the breaker points.

I disconnected the wire from the coil to the points (battery disconnected) and replaced it with an insulated wire (16 ga AWG) just "haninging in space" A second insulated wire of the sane gauge was connected to ground. Then I removed the spark plug and "suspended" it between the coil high voltage wire and a third wire (about 20 AWG) wrapped around the threads of the spark plug and connected to ground. I reconnected the battery, switched on the key and verified 12 volts through the ignition coil to the wire "hanging in space." At this point, I merely touched the wire from the coil to the ground wire and quickly opened it. I got a spark across the spark plug.
All this did was "bypass" the points (which were bad) and simultaneously tested the condensor and coil.
You don't have to turn the engine over with this test, so you are NOT testing engine timing. I replaced the points with a new set, set the gap, put everything back to tohether and the engine fired right up!

Live Oak

Welcome to Tractor Forum red rivets! Thanks for posting this test info. I am sure others will benefit from it.

rocking 416

I do it a more simple way One wire to battery postive side + Then strait to the postive side of the coil + With points open or off Ground the coil to battery or any solid ground Use the spark plug wire it has an any plug you will see the spark if coil and condensor is good Or i use an old test lite an condensor you can test D.I.S coils the same way