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Sears 7 HP ignition question

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seanb

Member
Hello all! I found this forum while searching Google in hopes of getting an old outboard running again. I bought a 7 HP Sears motor recently (Tecumseh, clutch shift, air cooled) that sat for several years and was seized. Brought it home and took it apart to see if I could free up the piston. Got that done last night, also cleaned the carb and put it all back together. Put a new spark plug (Autolite 86) in it and checked for spark and don't see any. I didn't bother mixing up fuel and filling the integral tank since I couldn't detect any spark. I did shoot some starting fluid into the spark plug hole and then installed the plug to see if it would start but no dice. I also cleaned up the solderless terminals attached to the ignition module.

I understand the ignition modules for this engine not only are not durable but are also expensive to replace if you can even find them. I'm not much of a mechanic but this old thing isn't wickedly complicated so I'm comfortable working on it if I can get some advice on how to proceed.

Got the thing for $50 and figured I couldn't go wrong. Now I'm thinking I might have gone wrong.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
 
Good morning new member,
I understand the ignition modules for this engine not only are not durable but are also expensive to replace
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Ah I tell yeah it an't so, don't listen to those black hearted lies,
That ignition module is my pet pev, we fix'um every day and its easy pizzy DIY if you can handle a soldering gun, I started a project 3 years ago to save the dependable Eska especially the solid State versions and I would say "mission accomplished" Follow the link in my signiture and learn how to repair your ignition.

you will have to copy and past the link and Join the Eska yahoo group
 
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kimcrwbr1, there's only one cyliner so nothing to compare. One of my friends has a compression tester so I'll borrow it and check. Just pulling the cord with the plug installed, it feels fairly tight.

MrCrabs, thanks for the link. I signed up for that group last night as well so I'll go see if I can get in. I'll check back here if I can't. Glad to hear they're repairable. I've been dabbling in electronics and using a soldering iron for the last 30 years so I should be covered.

Just to make sure we're talking about the same thing, the unit I have is a sealed box about an inch and a half square with one spade terminal sticking out of one side and the spark plug wire coming out of the other side.

Thanks again folks, really appreciate it.
 
MrCrabs, I looked around on the Yahoo group but I'm not sure where to find the information and procedure for doing the repair. I tried a search too but can't find it. Can direct me where to look?
 
Read through it and it all seems fairly straight forward. Only question I have is what diode to use. Didn't see any specs for that component.
 
yep IN4007, you can get everything you need at radio shack but you will have to use the 250v cap...thats all they seem to carry...heck the old 250v lasted along time
 
Yeah, I checked at an electronics place and they didn't have anything at 1mF and 630 volt. Should I still ask for 1mF at 250 V? And does it matter if it's AC or DC? I figured AC but wasn't sure.
 
yeah a AC non-polar type, minimum 250v 1 uf Polyester Film Capacitor, like I said Radio shack has them in 250v and in that size you can mount it to the top pf the depoted SSI, have you read out new file yet? "Classic repair" I can build you a 630v module for external mounting for 25$ you will need to depot and do the jumper
100_1649 (2).jpg the positive thing about this setup is the cap stays cool
 
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Got a capacitor from Radio Shack. 1.0 uF, Metalized Film Cap, 250WVDC. Guy said it didn't matter whether it was AC or DC. I should know this from all the courses I've taken but I don't do this stuff very often. I can go to another store and get a different one if need be. Also, what does the 'W' mean after the 250? Man at the store said watts but I've never seen watts and volts indicated like that.

I just looked at the new file and it looks much simpler than the first one. I'll give it a shot. Where abouts are you located in case I decide to ship it to you?

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your help on this!

Edit: Called a second Radio Shack and they don't have it in AC. Said he's gonna check to see if they can order it in.
 
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I'm not sure what that W means but if was polyester film type I'm almost sure you got the right thing...was it a Blue one? that tells me more about it...LOL than anything if it came from radio shack,
I'm sure there all made in China at the same plant, red blue green or yellow...you just don't want a electrolytic canister type like the ones in your computer power supplie.

I'm in Southern IL deep in the Shawnee forest about 12 miles from the Ohio river
 
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cap002.jpg
 
yeah thats the ticket...and you know what my understanding is that this cap could be anywhere from a 250v to a 400v just depending on what the order was for the day...its funny how black ink can change things like that
 
Thanks again, sir! I'm sure I'll be picking your brain again soon.

I'm near the bank of the Susquehanna river just north of Harrisburg, PA.
 
I would have to see it to know if you made the trace cut in the right spot but just a simple walk thru, main cap is disconnected by cutting the trace near the PT connector, new cap solders at the connector lug and then the other leg of the cap solders to the SCR which looks like a 3 point connection.

you didn't by any chance cut the trace to far back near the D6 diode did you? thers also a chance of over heating the SCR if you have limited to no solder experiance. there is also the chance that the SCR has failed, this usally is due to cranking with a ungrounded spark plug

I would be happy to let you send it to me for trouble shooting...Personal Message me and I will get back to you with a mailing address...no charge just return shipping
 
I studied the files several times before performing the work. I have tons of soldering and circuit board experience so I'm somewhat confident that I got it right. I might have cranked it without the spark plug grounded so the SCR being fried is a possibility.

One thing I didn't mention is that when I put gas in the tank and tried to start it after assembling everything, I was a bit concerned with all the gas being passed through the motor and coming out the exhaust. At this point, I may just try to sell it with the understanding that it has no spark and hope I can get the $50 I paid for it. I certainly appreciate your offer to troubleshoot it but I've got the better part of three days messing with this thing and don't want to sink too much more time into it. I should probably consider spending 5 or 6 bills and getting a good merc or johnson that's running and reliable.
 
I should probably consider spending 5 or 6 bills and getting a good merc or johnson that's running and reliable.
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Now Thats a he!! of a thing say just becuase your frustrated...J/E...merc, I got plenty of thats stuff too hanging around here too, and them you don't repair you replace$$$ if you can't handle the easy stuff I would hate to hear you cry when you go to buy CDI electronics for those....I bet I have bought more J/E power packs that the avarage bear...LOL

please don't discourage the next guy because you failed...just tell it like it is your a quiter.....

regards,
D
 
Is this the part where I get my second wind and inspiration from your stern pep talk? Okay, I'll play along, what's my next move? Shipping the assembly to you? I can do that and I certainly have no problem paying for it. Like I said though, I was concerned about all the junk coming out the exhaust. I'm a bit of an environmentalist (and a right wing nut job at the same time, imagine that!) and it concerns me to think what I'd be putting in the waterways every time I used it. Valid concern? Easy fix? Gasket? No problem here with using a two stroke but this seemed to be excessive.

Full disclosure; I'm heading to the shore in a few weeks and was hoping to have a running motor for crabbing. Spending most of my time on the Susquehanna, I plan on eventually having a jet for my jon boat as I need to be able to run very skinny water.... so a small prop job will only get used a few times a year tops.
 
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Is this the part where I get my second wind and inspiration from your stern pep talk?
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yes sir you caught me at it, Hey I by no means want to hold up progress especially when summer is winding down.
Let just say about the Eska of the vintage you have...well tuned and decarbed at home in a test barrel there very clean running compared to say a 7.5 merc whichc has 2 cylinders dumping gas overboard,
I run Eskas mostly the twins now and just recently found a as new barn find 15hp and it couldn't have been used 4 times before Ace Bodger decided to pull the flywheel and screw with the timing which left a wake of shattered parts and near to 40 years of storage....the engine is a 1973 an Tecumseh spec. was 32:1 mix....OK the inside of this engine having been run a estimated 4 times was loaded with carbon, the cure 1 can of Johnson engine tuner one tank of heavy seafoam mix and proper timing setup, synth mixed at 50:1 and shes cleaner than any crossflow merc and for sure cleaner and more nvironmentallyly friendly than my 70hp Johnson.

So I say all of that to say the Eska is as clean a 2 cycle loopcharged engine as you will find outside of a E-tec...that is if its well tuned and your running a full synthetic 2 cycle oil at 50:1

I'm a environmental right wing nut job myself....welcome home brother, and my offer is still good, who knows I migh be able to fix it and you can sell it for 150.00

Peace out bro,
DougS
 
Alright then, how much do I send to you? It looks like the ignition system is held on by 4 straight slotted screws. I haven't had that off yet. Should I remove them and send that much of the assembley, along with the PT and spark plug? I did not bother enclosing the electronics module with adhesive yet since I wanted to get it running first so the board is still exposed with the new cap soldered on.

Please advise and I'll get your address.
 
take off the 2 screw that hold down the stop bracket, back out the set screw in the side of the stator and it will lift off , You can send the PT along for testing if you want...thats just a simple continuity test,
I don't want to give out my address here but if you yell at me at the yahoo group you can find my e-mail address, or PM here...I'm gone to be out and about today so it may be a while before you here from me unless we get it done early this AM

for fun here is my youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/ohiorivercats?feature=mhee
 
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