Replace Your Kawasaki Lawn Mower Ignition Coil to Keep Up With Landscaping
Though walk-behind lawn mowers vary from brand to brand, they all generally operate on the same principle. Each one contains an engine that relies on a spark plug that causes ignition in the fuel chamber, which causes the piston to power the crankshaft that turns the blade. Whenever your equipment fails to start or has problems with the engine inconsistently running, then its time to check the ignition coil.
What Is an Ignition Coil?
- Induction Coil: It is a type of induction device that generates electricity when subjected to particular amounts of electromagnetism.
- Transformer: It transforms a batterys lower voltage into the higher volts needed to create a spark through the spark plug. In car engine applications, the 12-volt battery is responsible for supplying low voltage, which the coil transforms. On your engine, this low power is supplied by the flywheel that contains two strong magnets that cause the coil to generate the power that goes to the spark plug, which then causes ignition that lights the fuel.
How Do I Check for Ignition Module Failure on My Kawasaki Lawn Mower?
- Remove Kill Wire: This part is responsible for grounding the coil to keep it from generating electricity. The wire is typically engaged when the brake handle is released so that both the physical brakes are engaged as well as the ignition coil.
- Spark Tester: Hook up the spark tester to the spark plug boot. This device is used to mimic the spark-creating function of the spark plug and will generally tell you whether it is the spark plug or the coil thats the problematic part. When you turn the flywheel with the spark tester hooked up, you should see a spark created in the window of the tester. This means that the spark plug is bad and not the coil.
- Spark Plug: Another way to test without a spark tester is by cutting the ground lead on a spare spark plug about halfway. When hooked up to the boot and with the flywheel turned, a good coil should produce a sufficient spark through the modified spark plug.
How Do I Swap Out My Kawasaki Lawn Mower Ignition Coil?
- Remove Cover: Detach the cover by undoing the various fasteners or bolts around the mowers cover. The equipment needed is a socket set and a pair of pliers.
- Unplug Kill Wire: Take off the kill wires by unplugging the harness and setting it aside.
- Replace Coil: Unfasten the coil and compare it with the part you have. Once you are sure that they are identical, fasten it to the bolt holes and plug in the kill wire.
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