John Deere LX 176 - No spark issue

[Fish]

I must admit, I have not worked on that many Kawasakis, but they are pretty much the same as Briggs and Tecumsehs. I have worked on a few pull start models that had the coil and the "igniter", no alt, stator. or anything else, so I must assume that it is
just like the Briggs. So if that is the case, disconnect the igniter from everything but the coil, and everything else from the coil,
and if the coil and igniter and flywheel are fine, you will have a spark every time the flywheel makes a revolution, if not, then one of those components is bad.

But the bad thing that comes with all of this news, is that if somehow voltage reaches the coil/igniter, it will destroy them, which
makes me think that the original keyswitch may be the bad actor, and has destroyed the old and new ignition parts, or some
variation of that scenario....

On these systems, when you turn the key to "off", it "grounds" out the coil and shuts the engine down. So the bad news is, that you may have destroyed good, new ignition parts buy just buying and plugging stuff in. But to figure this out, you need to step back and take 1 step at a time. Your local JD Dealer should step up and help snce they have been taking a lot of your money and giving pist/poor advice....

 

[cummins600seriesdiesel]

I went to the dealer Friday after work and no coil yet. Down side to ordering it at the New Holland dealer beside me is they have to order it from their sister store. When they don't have it in stock they got to order it themselves, get it, and ship it to my store. I change my igniter, coil, and key ignition switch. Have you looked at your ignition switch? I know mine has a circuit board on it. I've done and replaced everything I could on mine and believe the stator is just charging related, which I've never had and issue with it not charging. I know I've read to check your wiring harness to make sure you don't have a spot worn through which may be grounding out at times. I know I've taken the grounding / kill wire off my coil and cranked to never really having any spark from the wrong coils. I too have looked for a solution to my problem, not to find any. It wasn't till I sat down and started matching part for part on the Deere web site to find the issues with the wrong coil. The coils given to me as well looked the same as the one I took off originally. There has to be something in the coils different. I don't know. When I get the coil I'll try it to see where I'm at I guess. I really don't want to take it to the shop for repair. I'll give you the heads up when I get it to try. I know I'm excited to get that 38" deck with bagger back on the front lawn instead of the 6' rear discharge deck on the New Holland.

 

[cummins600seriesdiesel]

Okay. The dealer called today and the coil has arrived. I had to do some running around after picking it up and it was killing me to know if this was the issue. When I picked the coil up I asked the parts counter if this is the issue, what am I to do with the first two coils that I bought that were wrong. He told me that electrical parts are non-returnable, but if that was the issue we would work something out. I told him that I didn't even care if it was a store credit just as long as I didn't have to eat the two coils for $200 total. I got up to the garage later this evening and opened the door to see my John Deere in pieces as it's been the last year and a half. I cranked it with the wrong coil to see what it was doing. With the kill wire off, I cranked it to see a weak pulse and two bright pulses after key release. With the kill wire attached there was nothing at all. I removed the coil and installed the new one setting the gap. I put the spark tester in line and cranked it over. The spark tester didn't even light up. I was in dismay and pretty jacked. I looked over and seen the kill wire off and put it on. I cranked it a couple revolutions and it fired up scaring the crap out of me to be honest because I wasn't expecting it to start at that point. It sat there and just purred all smooth and quiet. My 5 year old son was in the garage and said " wow dad, that stinks". Here it was burning out some of the old gas that was in the line since I flushed cleaned the carb and flushed the tank. I shut it down and reassembled the motor. I hit the key and it started immediately. I pulled it outside and let it run a bit. Turned it off and hit the key again with it firing right up. VICTORY IS MINE. I figured now before I put it back together with the hood and body I would get the steamer and wash it down. So yes my whole problem was replacing a series of parts that weren't needed because of a wrong coil received followed up by another wrong coil. Even though it's been a long road I am still happy. The tractor runs great since I've replaced nearly every electrical part, cleaned the carb, fuel tank, adjusted the valves, replaced the battery, pulled the flywheel cleaning it up, along with the stator. Also knowing I've replaced the whole hydro drive system due to pulleys, arms, and belt showing wear. I've got a mower that I'll hang onto for another 10 years opposed to buying a new one, because I got a new one. Thanks everybody for your help. The whole key for me was to sit down at the John Deere site matching part for part that I purchased to find the issue. If not for that the coils look nearly identical and someone wouldn't know the difference.

 

[JD185]

Okay. The dealer called today and the coil has arrived. I had to do some running around after picking it up and it was killing me to know if this was the issue. When I picked the coil up I asked the parts counter if this is the issue, what am I to do with the first two coils that I bought that were wrong. He told me that electrical parts are non-returnable, but if that was the issue we would work something out. I told him that I didn't even care if it was a store credit just as long as I didn't have to eat the two coils for $200 total. I got up to the garage later this evening and opened the door to see my John Deere in pieces as it's been the last year and a half. I cranked it with the wrong coil to see what it was doing. With the kill wire off, I cranked it to see a weak pulse and two bright pulses after key release. With the kill wire attached there was nothing at all. I removed the coil and installed the new one setting the gap. I put the spark tester in line and cranked it over. The spark tester didn't even light up. I was in dismay and pretty jacked. I looked over and seen the kill wire off and put it on. I cranked it a couple revolutions and it fired up scaring the crap out of me to be honest because I wasn't expecting it to start at that point. It sat there and just purred all smooth and quiet. My 5 year old son was in the garage and said " wow dad, that stinks". Here it was burning out some of the old gas that was in the line since I flushed cleaned the carb and flushed the tank. I shut it down and reassembled the motor. I hit the key and it started immediately. I pulled it outside and let it run a bit. Turned it off and hit the key again with it firing right up. VICTORY IS MINE. I figured now before I put it back together with the hood and body I would get the steamer and wash it down. So yes my whole problem was replacing a series of parts that weren't needed because of a wrong coil received followed up by another wrong coil. Even though it's been a long road I am still happy. The tractor runs great since I've replaced nearly every electrical part, cleaned the carb, fuel tank, adjusted the valves, replaced the battery, pulled the flywheel cleaning it up, along with the stator. Also knowing I've replaced the whole hydro drive system due to pulleys, arms, and belt showing wear. I've got a mower that I'll hang onto for another 10 years opposed to buying a new one, because I got a new one. Thanks everybody for your help. The whole key for me was to sit down at the John Deere site matching part for part that I purchased to find the issue. If not for that the coils look nearly identical and someone wouldn't know the difference.

Awesome, great news!

 

[dennis morris]

Unplug the coil from the ignition, then see if it starts. It could be the ignition switch.

 

[JD185]

Unplug the coil from the ignition, then see if it starts. It could be the ignition switch.

I tried yesterday after it cut out. cranked the same and didn't fire. Also tried unplugging the voltage regulator, it fired up, ran for 10 minutes, then quit again. Tapping the ignitor and or/moving the wires while cranking seemed to get it started for the rest of the mowing time yesterday. So Im going to go and try to get a new ignitor from the dealer. I will post results when I can.

 

[downhillpat]

My 175 with the FC420 is did the same thing...Do yourself a favor...See the flywheel magnet? Pull the one or two phillips head screws off the magnet and remove it's metal cover and look at the magnet itself...see a crack in it? Even a hairline crack? It could have all the magnetism in the world but if it's cracked, instead of having a North and South Pole you now have 2 North and 2 South Poles, which can act a number of ways, erratic spark, no spark...no spark when hot...

 

[JD185]

That is a good idea too. Thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out. However, I am 99% sure now that my issue is in fact the Ignitor. Though I have still yet to buy one, I have finally figured out that if or once the engine cuts out, if I tap the ignitor with a screwdriver or something, while cranking, the engine starts right up. I called the dealer, and they would have to order it, and it is in the @upper $80's. I found a brand new one on ebay for $60. So, I want to mow another time or 2, and simply tap it to get it re started if need be, then I will feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I am sure this is the issue before spending the money in just a guess. It all makes sense though, and is the first time I have been this sure I am right about the issue.

 

[wrenchrider]

hi folks, just joined the site today and the first thing i ran across was your ignition nightmares on the
fc420. Did the same hair pulling, buying overpriced, wrong, no refund parts from the dealer. My problem turned out to be the igniter, which i'm told controls the timing.
It seems finding spec info on JD, Kubota, and a few others is like finding chicken teeth. I'm beginning to understand why shop manuals are priced like they are.
Glad you got 'er goin'. ED :thumbsup:

 

[jgb]

My mower is JD LX 176, code-FC420V-AS10, E/N FC420 VB13498. Have had the mower since 1997. No engine problems until lately. Always started good before. Recently started OK, then quit when warm. Did this about 2 times, then failed to start at all. No spark. This was clearly an indication of a coil problem, to me, based on my old knowledge of point condenser small engines. However, electronics have apparently complicated a correct diagnosis. Ordered thru JD online Green Parts Store coil AM 109209 and replaced but still no spark. I believe I have the correct new coil. Removed and cleaned the ignition switch contact areas as best I could. Reinstalled. No spark. I am inclined to order an ignitor next. Assuming my problem is either the ignitor or the ignition switch, which of these two is it most likely to be? Secondly, do you have any suggestions regarding other things I might check before ordering either of these two parts or any more new parts?