10 hp techumseh

i have a 65 suburban with 10 hp techumseh.the engine has been professionally rebuilt,but is hard to start.once started,it runs like a dream. once you shut it off, it's really hard to start,then will only run a min or so and shuts down.i've cleaned flywheel,carb,plug,added new condensor. could the ciol be breaking down,and where could i find one? it's the longest coil i've ever seen. thanks for any help anyone can offer.

It sounds like the engine is mechanically sound because of the rebuild. So that leaves two issues: Fuel or ignition.

Best thing to do before looking for a new coil is to diagnose if you're losing spark when the engine dies. Here's a tester that I use:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4445

Vibration and heat are two things that will lead to failure in a condenser and coil. That's why it's important to have the tester in the circuit when the engine is giving you problems. A no-spark situation can be sporadic; sometimes engine heat can cause a failing ignition part to stop working.

How do you usually get it started when it is cranking? Does it eventually fire off on it's own, or do you have to fool with the choke?

Spark can be tested using something similar to the above device. Fuel starvation is a little trickier. There are lots of little things that can bedevil your diagnosis in the fuel area. The spring that keeps the float valve from jamming in the seat, or a bad vent on a gas tank, can be frustrating to locate. The next time it shuts off, hit the drain valve on the float bowl of the carb. See if there's any gas in there. If not, then you will have to start backtracking the fuel delivery system. Is the mixture right? Is the tank clean? Some of the older tractors had a filter inline. Is it clean?

Keep us advised......

i try different things to get it started again,mostly just pull the rope til i bout fall over! LOL i have cleaned the points b4 and it would start. the gas tank is plastic and clean as a pin.new filter and line.bowl is always full when it quits. sometimes it does lose spark. i can sometime clean the flywheel and coil with a piece of sandpaper again and it will fire.theres no oil getting to points or flywheel,so thats not the prob.

Have you checked the wiring to see if there is an intermittent ground in the system?

If your tractor had an electrical system, I would recommend that you convert over to a battery ignition. The one I have that's been converted over fires off the first revolution the motor spins over. If there's gas, it's gonna run.

If you're stuck trying to find parts for yours, make sure to get the original part number for what you need. Then keep searching ebay by using that number. I've been surprised by some of the things I've found listed via the part number.

the only wiring on the whole tractor is from the points to the coil to the plug.being a rope start,no other wiring is on it. i've sanded the points and coil mountings to make sure theres a good ground. i think the motor cover has been changed,cause when a friend ran the #'s for me,it showed an electronic ignition.

How do you shut off the tractor?

Is there a grounding strap that goes over the plug?

when you push the throttle to the bottom,the engine shuts down.the model # is 143.569052, serial # is 6131, with 12345 spaced out behind it. everything i go to shows electronic ign. whats the 12345 for?

i posted some pictures of it on the photo album. can anyone tell me what model it is, and if it really is a tecumseh? never fooled with one before and all i have to go on is what the guy i got it from told me. he said it's a 10hp and the tractor is a 65. the serial and model # plate is gone, so i'm just guessing on this thing as i go along.

ok,it quit again. started fine yesterday. took some pics of it and others and started to shed to put it up before storms that were coming. decided that i better charge battery some as it has no charging system. charged it about 30 min on 10 amp. started right up.backed up about 20 ft and it quit like you cut the switch off. cleaned and reset points. checked carb, plenty of gas. put a spark checker on it, but couldn't get any fire. funny part was,when i would cut the switch off, the checker would lite up,and sometimes the engine would try to crank maybe a quarter turn. gonna try rewiring everything and get another condenser. any other ideas? i've put so many hrs in this thing i'm begining to wonder if it's worth it.

Try to bypass the switch. Wire it direct to eliminate the switch. Maybe that's the problem.

i tryed that,still no spark.prob coil or condenser gone bad. thats all i can think of.

Hello,
I just battled the identical issue on my recently acquired 65 suburban. I finally figured out after checking all the things that you did that I was losing spark. I tried a new condensor with no luck. Luckily mine also has points so I wired in an automotive coil and condensor with a kill switch on the positive side of the coil and it now runs beautifully. I can send you more info and picutures of the wiring make up if you need.

Good luck

Jarrod K.

Detroit, Mi

after you shine the points with emery you need to wipe them with a dry piece of white cardboard. open them up put the cardboard (like poster board or match book) in then let them snap shut and pull the cardboard out. look at the piece of cardboard carefully you will see some dirt or a black spot on it,top and bottom do this untill the cardboard comes out clean. they can be really tricky but once they get firing they will straighten out. it sounds to me like they are intermittent that is why the tester lights up when you turn off the switch off, the switch is sending the ground thru the tester rather then the points. good luck Dave