Troubleshooting ignition on an older 8HP Tecumseh

[Cornelius]

Need some help here....
Just got an 30 years old Ariens snow blower here, and there's 3 feet of snow outside...

But there's no spark...
It seems that the point and gap are ok; not certain about the capacitor, but i think it's ok. I measure around 1 ohm on the primary, and 8k ohm on the secondary (high voltage) side of the coil.

Any ideas?

[billswan]

cornelius

Are you sure your spark plug is good?

Can you barrow a sparkplug out of some other small engine to test with?

Are you sure there is no shorted shutoff switch and or wire?

Are the magnets on the flywheel strong?

Are you absolutely sure the points are clean and oil free?

The condenser can be tested by seeing if it will hold a charge.
If you could charge it off a spark of a running gas engine it will hold that charge, but be very careful my dad dropped a charged cap on a car battery and it discharged laying on the battery and the hydrogen coming out of the battery blew the battery open. near new battery busted wide open good thing no one got any acid in there eyes.

Billswan

[Tom T]

For quick check of the cap use an anolog meter neg to case pos to lead reverse and the meter should jump and go to zero. Tom T

[Cornelius]

Are you absolutely sure the points are clean and oil free?

No...
Yes!
Actually, i was cleaning and filing the points while you wrote your reply. 
At first look, they looked ok, but measuring connectivity while closed, there was no connection.

I 'measured' the cap with my ohm-setting, and switched over to VDC and measured a couple of volts, so the cap are ok.

It's Alive! 

I had to pull a couple of times (or so), but it started and works good now.
It eats easily through 1.5 feet of new snow without hesitation, but it only throws the snow 4-6 feet away. Are there any belts that needs to be tighter?

[Tom T]

Alive is good  ;Dead is bad in most things some it is a good thing. Belts iif there is a sliping belt set uo ( hand leaver) make sre the belts are tight about a half inch pushing in on on the belt is good. Tom T

[Henry W]

Are you blowing wet snow or powder?
If it is heavy wet snow it will not throw it very far.

Check the belts and tension. Make sure you have extra shear pins also.

Henry

[Cornelius]

I'm blowing compressed powder at -5C.

Seems like clogging on the inner side of the chute makes it throw shorter... The heat from the engine makes some of the snow melt and freeze inside the chute. But when it really have a full mouth, it throws 12'-15'

I've heard a rumor that silicone spray inside the chute prevents clogging?

Thank you all for replies.

[Henry W]

I seen that before. When the chute is clear it will throw the snow as you said.

I tried silicone and it does not work very well.
Riveting a thin sheet of teflon in the chute works good.
You can also try wrapping the chute with foam insulation or foil wrapped insulation so the heat is kept away.

Henry

[Cornelius]

We'll see what i try after the next snowfall...

Now, take a look at what i got in the bargain when i bought the snow blower:



The guy i bought the blower from, said that this engine had just been standing in the shop for years as a reserve, and have only been started a couple of times.

It's a 12.57 cu/in. (206cc) 130000-series. I haven't managed to find the HP anywhere, but i'm guessing around 5HP; it weighs 17kg (37.5lb). I gave it a drop of gasoline, and it started right away, so i guess i just have to make a portable battery generator out of it...