Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Dad's Gt265 with the 17hp Kohler just up and died in the yard. No spark. Is there a test to check the ignition coil on them to verify it's bad? What else could be wrong?
 
Which Kohler engine? Horizontal or vertical crankshaft? Does it use an auto type coil?

Check for spark using a known good sparkplug.

FV540 would be a Kawasaki engine.

If Kawasaki engine, there is a square box on opposite side of engine of carb. That is your electronic points. Disconnect ground wire from coil for testing. It is either safety switch, coil or the "trigger".
 
GT series tractors came with Kawasaki Engines from Deere. If yours is a Kohler, its not original, and we"ll need to know which model Kohler it is. GT262 and GT275 has a FV540V and the GT242 had a FC420V

IF its the original Kawasaki FV540V, then there is a silver box about the size of a postage stamp on the side of engine block. That is the electronic trigger module for the igntion. They do fail, often with no real warning, and the only test is to replace it with a known good one.

You can disconnect the wire that goes to your keyswitch and safety switches to eliminate the possibility of one of those having failed before spending the money on a ignitor module. The coil itself rarely fails, but it can happen.
 
My mistake. It is the FC540V Kawasaki motor. This tractor had an update on the starting system. The trigger box was removed by the dealer and a relay installed in it's place.Sopposedly for better starting. We tried a different relay that my brother had for his. Still no spark. A new coil from Deere is $95.00. Dad has had trouble with this engine dying for a couple of years. Let it sit overnite and it would restart.
 
This is a little metal silver box, has nothing to do with the starter. White wires lead up under shroud to the igniton coil, and a black wire should go into tractor harness and to the key switch. Its sometimes hidden behind oil and crud, and is held by one little tiny screw.

The item you talk about is a starter relay kit, which is available for a lot of JD"s garden tractors and riding mowers. (and easily adapted for other makes) By the time the power to activate the starter and solenoid went through all the safety interlock switches, there wasn"t always enough left for the starter and relay to work properly, so the extra relay was added. Basically, its a relay that activates a relay, to activate the starter.
 
It is possible its the coil that is failing if it works when engine is cold, and stops when its hot. Usually the little ignitor, once it fails, it fails for good. Doesn't work again ever.

Coils however, will stop working when hot, and work again when they cool off. and will do this many times, until they eventually fail all together.

There are some resistance tests you can do with an ohmeter. Basically, you don't want any continuity to ground, or continuity between the primary and secondary coil windings. The actual resistance measurements vary with meter type and temperature of the coil, but the key is, no continuity, no buzzer, no light, whichever type tester you use.

The checks have to be done with all wires unhooked.

If your dealer is a nice guy, he can copy the pages with the igntion system tests from there service manual, or print them from the CD/DVD, whichever type they have. Most will hoping you come back to them to buy the parts you need. There is usually no returns on electrical items such as coils, ignitors, etc.
 

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