Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Last week my neighbor dropped off an Encore walk behind mower. A Pro-Line Pro 48, model: 48K200 s/n: 7427. With a Kawasaki engine, FC420V 14 h.p., code:FC420V-AS15. No spark, he got it for free. I'm thinking somewhere around 18 years old? I pulled the blower cover, pulled the plug, hooked up my B&S spark tester spun it around and no spark. I then disconnected the grounding wire from the magneto to isolate it , spun it up again and no spark. I bought a new mag (OEM), it fired right up. The next day I have no spark again, then I found it has a spark igniter, could it need this unit also or could this mag have crapped out?  I never worked on an engine with a spark igniter before and it has become a PITA. All the safety switches seem to function well. This has gone past the brain teaser for me. Either the igniter or am I missing something. When the engine did fire up it ran like a top and I ran it around my back yard, maybe I should have not shut her down?.......LOL     

Service manual for FC420V: http://www.scribd.com/doc/38570186/Kawasaki-Service-Manual

Check pages 36, 7, &8 for testing procedure for the ignition system.

Thank you Bill_H,  That service manual was one of the best i've seen, now I hope to use the info to straighten out the beast.......Happy New Year.....

Eureka!!......I have found it........With the new igniter I have spark again.......I like the all-in-one mag/coil/igniters better, one shot deal. Just when I thought the spark was good(with the new coil), the igniter must have been on the way. Now I have ridden the learning curve again (never new of igniters before). Thanks again Bill_H for the Service manual...........Happy New Year everybody!!!......

Congrats!

Glad we could help.