WANT to start this old Tecumseh .. can you help me with the wiring .

[gdtractor]

Hi .

Well .. here I go again.. want to start this Tecumseh engine (on a wood splitter) - it has set outside for 6 or 7 yrs .. with a tarp over it .. It is wired for a key type switch - just so I know I have it "wired to fire" what do I have to hookup or unhook to get it to fire? any help would be a appreciated. Thx much .. Gary
Here is a video of the beast . thx
Tecumseh engine - need to start - YouTube

 

[Phillip w]

Dont know if i can help or not, i will give you what I can. The fact that it has set, you may need to go some tinkering with the carburetor. It may be gummed up with gunk. As far as the wiring, I'm not much help. As far ar what makes it fire? Alot of those small engines have a magnetic field type thing going on with the flywheel. I had one one time that say and developed rust on the flywheel. It wouldn't fire. I sanded the flywheel with course sandpaper and it got me going. You should be able to touch the plug wire to the engine as you turn it over and see if you have any arcing going on. ( be careful not to get shocked, I've been bit a time or two). I had trouble with my zero turn last summer. The were some guys on here that really seemed to know small engines. I found them under cub cadets. Hopefully you can hook up with one of those guys because they probably forgot more than I will ever know.

 

[jaxs]

You don't need battery power to ignition,engine create's it's own spark as it turn's. When you kill the engine,instaed of cutting power to ignition,you ground it out. Since it's not fireing when turned over with starter,the ignition is grounded out. Those two wires you didn't know what to do with,seperate and cap them with plastic wire nuts. Does starter still turn engine? If so,see if you have spark now. If it turn's and spark's,give it a shot of starting fluid to see what happen's. We will take another step after hearing what happened.

 

[frugalangler]

Generally, those old machines used a NC w/ key out switch, so it grounds the ignition as stated above when in the OFF position. Usually, just unhooking the kill switch will let it fire, I'd for testing leave the wires uncapped so you can touch them to shut off the engine, otherwise you may be in for a startle trying to stop it and can't. Replace the key switch with a toggle if you are sure you can secure it from use by unauthorized (spelled KIDS) persons for safety, once you get it running, replace the toggle w/ a new key switch (available at big box stores as replacements for lawn tractors).