Kill Wire Got Me Baffled...

[floodrod]

On a 18 HP craftsman LT2000 ride on mower I found out I had no spark today.. So I popped off the shroud and unplugged the kill wire from the magneto coil and it started without problem.. I turned the key to OFF and the engine turned off with no kill wire attached..

I put the kill wire back on the spade and again- No Spark- No Start.. I removed the Kill wire again and it started up again.. And once again, they key successfully turned off the engine with no kill wire attached..

The engine sounded like it was revving Higher that usual with no kill wire. (Maybe my imagination)

But I am at a loss as to why and how the key is turning the engine off with no kill wire attached??

Thanks for the insight in advance

 

[Barry 1]

Fuel shut off solenoid on the carb ?

 

[floodrod]

Fuel shut off solenoid on the carb

Hmm.. Will this immediately turn off the engine as soon as the key is turned off? And can I use the machine like this- relying on the solenoid shutoff till I locate the kill wire problem?

 

[Walt 2002]

Usually it takes a couple of seconds but yes,the anti-after fire solenoid will shut the engine off in a second or two. Doing this will not harm the engine but you are taking your chances with fed. regs. operating it in this manner, by-passing all the safety devices.

Walt Conner

 

[ovrszd]

The anti after fire solenoid is to prevent backfire a couple seconds after engine shutoff. It will function as a kill device with no harm to the engine until you can track the problem with the kill circuit. Somewhere that circuit is shorted to ground. Either in the wiring or the key switch. Figure out which spade on the switch is the kill circuit. It should be open when key is on. Should be grounded when key is off. When kill wire is unplugged from switch is should be open at switch end. If it indicates ground, it's shorted to ground somewhere.