Dixon won't start...weird?

[DeathbyDixon]

I have a dixon 3303 ztr mower built in 2000. It has a 12hp Briggs & Stratton engine on it that I put on 3 or 4 years ago. It has always started right up, but this year it has gone weird on me. Here is the lowdown on it. First of the year...6 weeks ago...it fired up and ran great. I got two mowings out of it. Then it starts to kind of surge like it is running out of gas. Turns out the carb. was pretty gummed up. I tore it down, cleaned it, and put it back on. Here is where it gets kinda strange. It would not start at all...just cranked. Figured it was the carb. since I just messed with it. Nope! Turned out that I had no spark. Had a brand new coil, so I put it on. No spark. Took off kill wire. No spark. After trying all of this over & over, I got a spark briefly, and then no more. Also during all of this when trying to start the thing, it just was dead, like it had a dead battery. Battery is ok. Did the solenoid with the screwdriver jumping the terminal trick. Cranked but no spark. Took off the ignition switch and got a strong spark using screwdriver/solenoid. It then started. It ran great. Turned it off. Put ignition switch back on. Will not start with ignition switch, just at solenoid. OK FINE! At least it will start. Went to start it the next night after work to mow...NO SPARK AT ALL!!!...AGAIN! This thing is killing me, hence my username...DeathbyDixon. Even tried a new ignition switch. NOPE...no go! I'm way lost. Is all of this going wrong at once connected or coincidence or ??? Please give me a few things to try before I bonfire this thing!! Sorry this 1st post is so long, but I wanted to be thorough.

Thank you,
Ben

 

[Lawnranger]

Intermittent electrical problems are some of the most difficult challenges to overcome. Many times I have found corrosion on ground connections to cause all sorts of problems. Locate all your chassis grounds then remove, inspect, clean and reassemble them. This is no guarantee that it will fix your problem but you have to eliminate all possible causes. Voltage drop tests are a good way to find high resistance in live electrical circuits. As far as the no spark condition goes, make sure your engine block to coil body contact points are clean and it would benefit you to take a wire brush/wheel and clean those surfaces well. I always try to eliminate the obvious source(s) of the problem first because so many times in the past I overlooked one simple thing and it turned out to be just that - one simple thing.

What is the factory spec for the flywheel to coil gap? How did you set that gap when you replaced the coil?

You have a little homework to do so let us know what you find.

 

[DeathbyDixon]

I set the coil gap at .010. I did clean some of the surfaces, but not all. I will look into that and the grounds. I also have looked at the wires themselves and found no breaks or worn through areas that may cause a short. I will look deeper into these things.
Any other ideas?
Thank you!!

Ben

 

[txzrider]

some of your issues sound like safety interlocks gone wild... I eventually decided to replace my snapper I had repowered once before, and then after the electrical gremlins got so bad it was just too frustrating... I had replaced the starting switch, pto switch and many connectors and still seemed to have a new issue every season. I would get it running great and the next time out had to start from scratch to find the latest issue. Which really pissed me off when I then started having flats on the front dolly wheels. Replaced them with solid tires and thought I was home free until this year when it would not start and found the cylinder full of water!! turned out I had picked the worse time to leave it out of its shed when tornadoes came through and (per dealer) forced enough water back through the muffler to get into the cylinder. It is most likely salvageable... I just did not have the heart to repower again or tear it down to rebuild it. I keep thinking I will pull the motor tear it down and rebuild it. And then order a new wiring harness and end up with a nice spare ZRider.... but honestly I love my new Country Clipper! so it will have to wait.

 

[DeathbyDixon]

I was kinda wondering if it may be something with all the dang safety switches. The one on the seat is disabled. I may disable them all. I hate the dang things. If I cannot figure this thing out I may super simplify the wiring. Sick of this crap!! Every year it is something. Electrical crap this year...first time for this...it figures. Sometimes I feel cursed!! I will keep after it. I think I will go to another topic on this forum...suggestions for a new mower. But I will keep after this thing that is trying to kill me...Dixon!
Thanks!
Ben