Craftsman dyt 4000 lawn tractor not getting any spark Help please

[Nukeman7]

My buddy has a Craftsman dyt 4000 lawn tractor he wasn't getting any spark. He bought a new coil from eBay or Amazon and installed it in the tractor and, the engine started right up, but when he put everything back together, the covers and everything it wouldn't start any more. so he tried another coil............. same thing ran for a while put the covers all back on now it won't start. (He did set the "air Gap" between the coil and the flywheel each time he installed the coils) I assumed we should have battery voltage to the wire that plugs on to the coil of a Craftsman DYT 4000 lawn tractor, but I must have this wrong, because I see the tab for the electrical plug provided keeps being referred to as a "Kill wire connection" So does this system need battery voltage to the coil to start and run, I am also going to have him test the old coil, and the two "new coils" he installed. Now unless the old coil was bad, and the two new coils are junk too, and failed to work after they were hot.

I doubt that 3 coils would coincidentally fail back-to-back at the same time. The actual cause of the problem is pretty clear based upon the words highlighted above. Something is shorting out or grounding the ignition coil (or spark plug wire pigtail) when your buddy re-installs the cover.

 

[mk378]

When swapping parts around, it is possible to put a coil on upside down, and it will not fire at all like that. Briggs stock ones are marked "THIS SIDE OUT" (faces away from the engine block) and "CYL SIDE" (facing the block).

It could have been running on one cylinder for a long time due to some other problem (bad spark plug, stuck valve, etc). It is often not immediately obvious to the owner. This will make you think that both coils are bad even though it is really only one. If it ever runs again do a drop test by disconnecting spark plugs one at a time to confirm both cylinders work. If the coil on the bad cylinder is still making good sparks there must be some other problem.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

OK, likely the same engine as the one on mine. I would go with a B&S 591459 Armature-Magneto ("ignition coil"), a Stens 520-441, or a Rotary 9293.

Just as an FYI, Equipatron sells the B&S OEM part for $40.55 (plus shipping) and Amazon sells the Stens part for $40.89. Also, Amazon is currently selling the B&S coil for $37.22, and the Rotary 9293 coil for $33.47.

Good Luck!

He has a Rotary 9293 coming from ebay.hopefully it will solve it this time. can't see what else it could be.

 

[IndyIan]

Just throwing this out there, I had no spark on my LT1000 brigs, assumed the coil too, put in the new one and no go either. So I started looking at all the wiring.
Mine ended up being corroded connections on the ignition switch plug, and a little bit of clean up had it back going.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

He got the coil Tuesday, and put it on today.
So far so good!

 

[mrbreezeet1]

When swapping parts around, it is possible to put a coil on upside down, and it will not fire at all like that. Briggs stock ones are marked "THIS SIDE OUT" (faces away from the engine block) and "CYL SIDE" (facing the block).

It could have been running on one cylinder for a long time due to some other problem (bad spark plug, stuck valve, etc). It is often not immediately obvious to the owner. This will make you think that both coils are bad even though it is really only one. If it ever runs again do a drop test by disconnecting spark plugs one at a time to confirm both cylinders work. If the coil on the bad cylinder is still making good sparks there must be some other problem.

It only a single cylinder.