Kohler command 16 coil test

[45chuck]

Originally Posted by cubs-n-bxrs

I had a coil go bad on my CH18. Try swapping the coils and see if the problem follows the coil. My problem followed the coil. I had really weak spark on the bad one also. I just went out and bought 2 new coils and wiped my hands of the situation. The way my luck runs I would replace the bad one and the other one would crap out at a later date down the road.

Did your CH18 have the SAM (spark advance module) on your model? Or did yours just have the regular coils? I think I need to buy a coil that fits on your CH18. I'll have to do some more checking on it though. Chuck

[cubs-n-bxrs]

Not really sure about the SAM. Where is it located? All I know is the problem followed the coil when I swapped it. Bought 2 new coils from NAPA and problem solved. Just looked up on the parts diagram and my ch18 has no SAM.

[Sam Mac]

Chuck

You'll have to do a little re-wiring. The SAM has power going to it and the old style only has the kill wire.

[Sam Mac]

Chuck

Pretty sure you'll end up with somehing like this when your done.

[45chuck]

The $65 coil (module) that i bought would not work because the S.A.M. (spark advance module) was bad. I went to the stealership, errr.....I mean,"dealership" and he had a coil "kit" that would eliminate the S.A.M. and replace the coil for $150+tax. I didn't have $150 on me at the time so i came home and bought a used coil off e-bay for $32 shipped to the house. The coil was actually for a 19hp courage kohler engine and it didn't use the S.A.M. system. It only had one terminal on it to kill it. I hooked up a kill wire switch but it seems i don't need it because when i turn the key "off", the electric valve on the carburetor shuts off the fuel and the engine dies. I think i need to hook up the white wire to the kill terminal for the safety switches to work but for now i'm getting caught up on some mowing. Every shop i talked to told me they didn't know if an ordinary coil with out the S.A.M. would work. WELLLLLL i'm here to tell ya it will!!!! The only thing about the particular coil i bought on e-bay is that the spark plug wire was not as long as the one that was on my machine. It works but if it was any shorter it would not have. So if anyone buys one off e-bay make sure the length is the same on the spark plug wire. I wish i had a part number to post on here to make it easier for others. I've spent some time googling kohler coils and it sent me to this thread. Thanks for all the help! I gotta mow, so i gotta go! Chuck