1882 Ignition Module access
 

I'm pretty sure my 1882 with a Kohler M18 needs a new ignition module. It has been quitting when hot, starts ok cold. Now it just quit. Ohms read infinity between the two spark plug wires, so per Google AI, it's bad. I know, "artificial" means "not" intelligent, but it seems consistent with other sources. So the question is, how to gain access to the coil. Do I have to pull the engine? Can I just pull the battery shelf, then the fan shrouding? Or is that more work than pulling the engine? What about cutting an access hole in the shrouding? I suspect that would not give enough access to get to the bolts and to set the flywheel clearance gap on the new one. Any experience from someone who has changed a module?

Pull the engine. It is not that hard or time consuming. Plus you can clean everything.

Also, if you get a chinese part there is a chance you will get a good one.

Here is some good reading on getting a bad part. He named the tractor skippy. Can you guess why?

https://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/...ad.php?t=50889

+1 on pulling the engine out. This is how most of mine look when I did.

Attachment 118267

Yep, mine looked like that last friday, but it was wet with 2 quarts of oil because
the seal blew out.
What a mess, but it will never happen again, as I made a seal retainer.
That seal might wear out, but it is not coming out of the bore ever again:beerchug:

Another vote for pulling the engine. Sounds harder then it is. I know there
are some people that have figured out how to pull the shrouds without
pulling the engine but I can't see the point. Go for it, think of all the
cool stuff you will learn. And enjoy the project. After all it's why we own
all this old stuff. Attachment 118268

Ken

How did you make the seal retainer? When I changed the crank seal on the pto end a couple years ago, I just pushed on one side with a screwdriver and it popped right out. Pretty scary. I prick-punched the new one in four places, and also put some lock-tite on it. Now I've got to do the flywheel seal.

Ken, Actually, I own old stuff to mow the grass. I'd much rather operate a tractor than work on it. My hobby is fabricating stuff to make tractors better. Repairing them is just a necessity. But, you're right, we learn things in the process.
Thanks for the picture. Now that I know exactly where the coil is, I cut an access hole. Went VERY shallow with the angle grinder, then finished up with tin snips. I should be able to change it out no problem, except maybe fishing the spark plug boots up through the top. I have a new Chinese coil coming Wednesday. Then I can wait until next winter to replace the crank seal.
I cut a similar access hole for the starter decades ago. It kept hanging up in cold weather. I was using the 1882 for snow removal back then, and not starting was not an option.
I'm trying to post some pics.

pics of access hole
 

First try at attaching photos

After you get done with the repair, and the thing runs right again, are you planning to close up that hole you made in the sheet metal? I don't know that tractor nor motor specifically, but on a lot of them, the sheet metal helps to direct cooling air over the fins on the motor

I installed the new seal deeper, then I took the old seal and cut the inner lip out of it, and installed it inside out, as a spacer.
(You don't want 2 seals, as the outside one will burn up the lip without lube)

Then made a thin plate out of 16 Gauge with the outside diameter just inside the insulation of the stator winding coils, but large enough to pick up the 4 stator mounting
bolt circle.
Of course I put a hole in the center of the plate to allow the crankshaft through it.

Basically, it looks like a large flat washer about 4" in diameter with 4 holes in it for the stator retaining bolts to secure it.
I threaded the 4, 10-24 stator bolts to the bottom of their holes,using a bottom tap and used allen heads to secure the plate/stator instead of the shorter self
tapping screws.
( I'd post pics, but never learned how to take them off the cell phone and onto this forum) That happens when your an old fart.:biggrin2:
The PTO seal on the other end you referenced is retained by the Electric PTO clutch assembly