1811 M18 quit, cranks and doesn't start.
 

The wife was mowing the other day for about 45 minutes and the 1811 quit. I tried starting it, cranked fine but nothing. Loaded it up and brought it home. When home it started right up. Got it out yesterday started fine mowed for 20 minutes then turned it off. Went to restart it and get it in the garage. Cranked and no fire. Hit it with a little ether and not even a cough. So it must be a electrical issue. Open to ideas of most common issue.

Clay,
that is a text book description of a magneto coil going/gone bad.
If you take the white ground wire a apart at the connection near the coil and still no spark, you just about nailed the cause.
Typical problem is they will start cold, and you can mow/work.
Then stop for a personal 5 minute break, and it will crank, but no spark.
---Been my findings anyway:beerchug:

The engine comes out, to remove flywheel cover, while there, get the junk out of the fins and packed around the coil.
Also blow the chit out of the stator and of course look for anything else like the
crank seal condition.

What he said. My question is where to buy a coil? A couple folks in recent months here have gotten faulty new coils. Considering the labor involved, I'd go name brand if its possible. I'd even price Kohler if the machine is a keeper.

Yep that's what I was afraid of. Time to pull the motor. Good thing I have more than one Cub. :biggrin2:

Do check the white mag kill wire, they can abrade on the tin work, especially
if the grommet is missing where it and the plug wires, enter the housing. :bigthink:

While you have the engine out here is my list of suggested work.

Remove tins and degrease motor.
Remove flywheel and clean the stator with compressed air.
Remove heads and resurface, clean carbon off pistons.
New head gaskets and valve seals.

I suggest this work because the head likely leak a bit at this time and it will be far easier to do it now then to pull the engine again later. I have info for economical head gaskets and valve seals in the parts section.

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=50014

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=50013

And why would we pull the flywheel?

Holy Moly! How the hell this engine manage to run with that dirty magneto is out of my understanding. It looks like an elephant poop in there :bigeyes:

check the magnets on the flywheel to make sure they're not loose . very common problem . if loose be sure to keep them in order correctly or the charging system won't work correctly

To add to that, they not only have to be in proper orientation, of north/south but the spacing between them needs to be correct.
If loose, they can be re glued with epoxy.:beerchug: