Sign of a bad coil?
 

Our 1210 Hydro working great - can't believe how much better it cuts than our previous JDs - until today. Mowed for an hour & suddenly engine stopped. Put in a new battery about 2 months ago, along with a new voltage regulator. Had a motorcycle situation a couple of years ago - bad coil. Would be riding & engine would cut out. Waited a while while the coil(s) cooled down, then could restart the bike. Noticed the same thing w/ the 1210 - let it sit a while & then it starts up again. Sound like a bad coil? Thank you in advance!

Get a spark tester and run the tractor again till it dies and then put the spark tester on to confirm a bad coil. Sounds like a bad coil but that's alot of work to go through and not be 100% sure.

Does it have an external coil and points?
Then you can test the coil, most times when the key is left on they get cooked and go bad, it gets a rounded bottom on the coil.

Good point Lew, i forgot the early ones didn't have a magnum like mine.

Tim & Lew,

Thank you for your reply. Our engine is the Kohler Magnum 12, which I understand has solid state ignition (no points?). Does that make any difference? Thank you!

On the magnum the coil is under the blower housing so the engine will need to come out to replace it, that's why I suggested getting a spark tester and running the tractor till it dies to confirm you're loosing spark.

Tim,

WOW - engine has to come out?? (and I just learned where the engine oil plug is). This is something waaay beyond my pay grade! Frankly, if it weren't for you guys I would never have heard of a spark tester. And thanks to google & youtube, now know what one looks like & how to use it! Thanks again!

Where in PA are you located?

Tim,

In West Chester. And got to try out my new spark tester when tractor died while mowing. NO spark. Does that mean a bad coil - or is there something else I can test? Thank you!

It's bad. Removing the engine is pretty easy, unhook the wires and cables attached to the engine and then remove two nuts from the driveshaft coupler and the 4 bolts holding the engine to the mount and it will lift right out. It can be done in under 15 minutes by experienced hands.

Tim,

From inexperienced hands *G* - Tim, thank you for confirming it's the coil. Currently not a job I can take on (torn R rotator cuff). Will look into local repair shops/dealers.

BTW - you're in nice country. I used to come through there from Export to Brookville & DuBois - very scenic!

The part number for the ignition module is KH-47-584-01 but it is no longer available. From the research I've done that part number has been replaced by KH-47-584-03-S which is available from multiple sources.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331973124544