swapping to electric ignition on a lawnmower

[clemsonfor]

I have an old wheel horse. 1980 or 81 model year with an 8hp briggs and stratton electric start on it. It has the old points ignitition on it. Called the parts store and he was saying no i dont have that coil, but we would just swap to electric ignition. I asked how as i have not done this before, he explained but seemed busy so i did not really go into to much detail with him, as i have not even bought the part from him yet, was just checking pricing and availibility. He was saying just leave the points in there an d pull the wires out. Well i have pulled the flywheel and stator and exposed the points, he said put it all back to geather and put the coil on, here is the part i did not understand. He said to make sure something was spaced like 1/1000 or some similar clearence to the flywheel.

Anyideas how to do this conversion and what he may be describing.

I have never been this deep in a small engine, but am handy and can follow directions. Have rebuilt boat lawnmower and other carbs, replaced coils electric ignition and can trouble shoot with directions on where i need to go. I have googled this but cant seem to find the directions anywhere. Its probly so simple no one writes about it or just one sentence like i have already been told.

Maybe he was talking about stator to flywheel clearence? That is a set distance as it has screws that center it?

-Nate

 

[oldnslo]

I believe most of the kits come with a plug to place in the hole where the point operating plunger goes. Other waise leave the points in-place.

The electronic ignition will bolt on where the existing coil armature sits. No more need to remove the flywheel to access the points.

good luck

Roy

 

[clemsonfor]

So the coil needs to sit .010 from the toothed flywheel (electric start). Other than that i am following you.

 

[rus_geek]

As K7 says, you use the paper the instructions are printed on as your "thickness gauge" to set the distance. I just did this last summer to my Simplicity tractor. The magnet in the coil will pull it into the flywheel. With the paper in between, you tighten the mounting bolts on the coil and then remove the paper.

The wiring hookup was equally simple and well-documented with the new part.

-rus-