One more Ch18 install with a problem

jubilee · #1 06-25-2020, 11:06 PM

Over the past couple of months I have been slowly replacing the Kohler 14 Hp engine that was in my 782. I pulled a CH18 out of a 2185 that I was able to hear run briefly ( a few seconds on a dose of gas in the carb) before removal. I combined the front half of the 2000 series driveshaft with the 782 driveshaft and re-drilled the 782 engine plate. The ignition switch is a new 2185 model and right now the safety switches are not hooked up. New voltmeter and oil pressure gauges are now in place. The muffler is from my 641 Ford tractor, a 1957 model which was parked from 1972 until 2019 and only has 1096 hours on the operating proofmeter. I cut the ends off the muffler and capped them. I then used 1 1/4 inch tubing for connecting to the engine and outlet to the grille. It has a very healthy sound. Now that most of the bugs have been worked out, I can start the engine very easily, but I have to choke it to kill the engine. I checked the wiring from the engine wiring connector back to the switch with the switch turned off and it is grounded. Going from the white wire on engine side of the connector to the connector down on the left side of the engine I get an open. I assume this means the diodes are bad? Could someone tell me just where to look for the diodes? Are they right there at that connector or hidden somewhere else? I have removed the tins around the sides and back and the wires look like they go behind the flywheel. Any help here will be greatly appreciated.

jubilee · #2 06-26-2020, 12:27 AM

Sometimes it helps to just walk away from something for a few minutes and suddenly things look a lot different. In my case I had been looking at the white wires that go between the stator and alternator rather than those that go to the Mags. Duh! I will have to check for grounds between mags and engine connector tomorrow.

R Bedell · #3 06-26-2020, 07:23 AM

Here is the "kill circuit" for the Kohler Command.

Sam Mac · #4 06-26-2020, 08:48 AM

White wire at the engine plug is the kill wire.

aagitch · #5 06-26-2020, 10:40 PM

grab yourself a similar gauge wire and use sam's pic. Stick it in where that white wire is and ground it. If it starts to kill the motor then you know it's something with the wiring on the tractor. If it doesn't do anything, then you have a problem with the motor wiring. That's how I determined why my CH18 wasn't being "killed" with the ignition switch being shut off. Kill wire was left unhooked from coil when they put it back together etc...

jubilee · #6 06-27-2020, 05:51 PM

Thanks guys for your suggestions. My internet went away yesterday and I couldn't respond to your posts. I just got it back on. I found the other (correct) set of white wires to the Mags night before last after I made my initial post and confirmed yesterday there was nothing wrong with the wiring or diodes. The connectors between the tractor harness and the engine harness were not shoved together completely and the kill wire contacts did not connect. Oher functions did work. It is nice to have guys like you so willing to offer suggestions when we have our "issues". Thanks!