Hello from PA, happy to join the forum. Seems like a very helpful place. I am hoping someone with more experience than I can help with my problems. My situation is:
I recently bought a 448 with an Onan p218g. It ran great the day of purchase and I was very happy with the tractor. It came with a deck and snowplow. I loved the power and the utility of the tractor. Well, after I drove the thing back (5 hours), the tractor ran a few times and then wouldnt start. The engine would turn over, but there was no spark from the plug wires. I checked the battery, which 230 CCA, and it had a good charge. I did a resistance check on the coil and the primary winding came in at 3.6 which is within range. I was not able to do the secondary windings with my cheap mulitmeter. I have gotten the tractor started intermittently and at times it runs well, but always seems to hunt at idle. At full throttle, there was a slight miss. Also, the exhaust is very rich and there is usually a very strong smell of unburnt fuel. I checked the plug wires, and the resistance seemed within range. I changed the plugs and it started right up....but now it is only running on one cylinder. When the motor is turning over, I have checked the wires to see if they are firing. Only one side is producing anything at all, and that is not even a "spark", I actually felt it and it was barely a pulse. I am hoping this is an electronic issue and not a major motor issue. If so, I am inclined to repower the tractor. I am not the handiest guy and not sure I can do the motor rebuild myself and a new motor seems cheaper than an Onan rebuild-if I could find someone to do the rebuild.
Please give me some input or advice on this, I am stuck and feeling sick for buying a lemon
I recently bought a 448 with an Onan p218g. It ran great the day of purchase and I was very happy with the tractor. It came with a deck and snowplow. I loved the power and the utility of the tractor. Well, after I drove the thing back (5 hours), the tractor ran a few times and then wouldnt start. The engine would turn over, but there was no spark from the plug wires. I checked the battery, which 230 CCA, and it had a good charge. I did a resistance check on the coil and the primary winding came in at 3.6 which is within range. I was not able to do the secondary windings with my cheap mulitmeter. I have gotten the tractor started intermittently and at times it runs well, but always seems to hunt at idle. At full throttle, there was a slight miss. Also, the exhaust is very rich and there is usually a very strong smell of unburnt fuel. I checked the plug wires, and the resistance seemed within range. I changed the plugs and it started right up....but now it is only running on one cylinder. When the motor is turning over, I have checked the wires to see if they are firing. Only one side is producing anything at all, and that is not even a "spark", I actually felt it and it was barely a pulse. I am hoping this is an electronic issue and not a major motor issue. If so, I am inclined to repower the tractor. I am not the handiest guy and not sure I can do the motor rebuild myself and a new motor seems cheaper than an Onan rebuild-if I could find someone to do the rebuild.
Please give me some input or advice on this, I am stuck and feeling sick for buying a lemon