Kohler engine no spark till coasting.

[TobyU]

And just to throw in what might be considered useless info, most of the old guys I know call a magneto a magneto, a coil a coil and the newfangled thing you’re speaking of an ignition module. It is an item made up of different components all combined into a modular unit. And when mounted on an engine and coupled with the magnets of a flywheel those two components become a magneto. Same as an old push mower with points, condenser, flywheel with magnets and a coil. Those components combined also become a magneto.

Very true but that all becomes semantics at some point and that was about 20 years ago. Lol
Often when customers call me using terms I will say something along the line "coil, magneto, ignition module are all commonly used interchangeably"
It doesn't make it totally proper or accurate but when you're searching for parts especially on eBay and amazon, you will find them under all those headings and probably some more.

In this thread though, I didn't realize at first we were talking about an older k-series Kohler so I assumed we were talking about a magneto style ignition and not and automotive style tower like coil.

 

[TobyU]

Yeah I should have attached it differently. It cut off a bit of the picture in the thumbnail but if you click on it to open it, it should become a much better picture.

You will find there are two commonly available switches like that.
They are even available at advance Auto Parts in a O'reilly Auto Parts and they carry them either out on the floor hanging up or in the back with their other lawn mower parts. One has an extra terminal on the outside edge so all you have to do is count the terminals and it should work for yours if you match it up.

 

[ILENGINE]

In this thread though, I didn't realize at first we were talking about an older k-series Kohler so I assumed we were talking about a magneto style ignition and not and automotive style tower like coil.

What makes things worse is internal magneto, external magneto and battery auto style coil ignition were all used on those K series engines.

 

[VegetiveSteam]

What makes things worse is internal magneto, external magneto and battery auto style coil ignition were all used on those K series engines.

Yep, and not to mention solid state breakerless.

 

[mcostello]

Here is the switch that I have used since We have owned it.

 

[VegetiveSteam]

Clean your switch up a bit and see if any of the terminals are labeled. If they are labeled the same as the pic I attached the Oregon 33-389 or Kohler 48 099 01-S are two that would be the same. The Oregon one is available on Amazon for around 20 bucks. Rivets also posted the part number for the OEM Airens switch which would be the same as the Oregon or Kohler switch. Just don't get a switch that has any terminal marked with an M. That would be the most common switch these days but won't work for your application.

Just a thought here. Before you blame the switch, would the engine keep running if you removed the jumper? It may not be the switch. I could be an issue with the wire between the I terminal on the switch and the + side of the coil. Remove the jumper and turn the key to the on position and see if you have battery voltage on the wire connected to the + terminal of the coil. Or turn the key to on and jump across the starter solenoid and see if the engine starts. If it does you know the power wire to the coil is good. Then get a new switch.

 

[Rivets]

That tells me a lot and very little! First, you’ve done very little to identify which switch you have and because of that you have got this thread going in circles. I‘m wondering about your knowledge of how a basic electrical circuit works on a small engine? Have you read through the section in the manual which was posted, how a Kohler battery assisted ignition system works? Plus do you understand how it works? You’ve made a very common assumption that just because that is the switch in the time you’ve owned the unit. When dealing with electrical problems you “NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING AND DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING “. As stated clean that switch and identify each terminal. Waiting to hear what you find.

 

[StarTech]

Five pages and getting no where.

Only commenting....Not trying to help or interfere Rivets.
But personally would I try reading the Ariens service manual electrical section.

 

[Rivets]

Star, you and I could probably have solved this problem in an hour, but we know how to troubleshoot electrical problems. Too many cooks who don’t know how to boil water are confusing the thread and the OP has no idea how to troubleshoot. I’m probably going to leave this one unless the OP can show me he is at least one step above basic electrical circuit knowledge.

 

[ILENGINE]

Star, you and I could probably have solved this problem in an hour, but we know how to troubleshoot electrical problems. Too many cooks who don’t know how to boil water are confusing the thread and the OP has no idea how to troubleshoot. I’m probably going to leave this one unless the OP can show me he is at least one step above basic electrical circuit knowledge.

Probably not that long. and most of the time would be spent rounding up tools and then researching and getting the items needed to effect the repair. The direction of the issue was solved on page 1 but still not much closer to an actual cause of the problem, being a key switch issue or something with the wiring.