Husqvarna 55 Rancher no spark, even after new coil

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johnsoninc86

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I had a Husky 55 Rancher given to me. Its not getting any spark currently. I've tested the kill switch, which tested good. I disconnected the kill switch wire coming from the coil, and still no spark, so that led me to believe that my coil is bad. I ordered a new coil, installed it, air gapped it with a business card, and I get the same result. I started testing continuity to different points on the coil with it mounted on the saw, and was getting what seemed to be wierd readings. With the kill switch wire disconnected from the coil, I was still getting continuity to ground on the kill switch tab coming off the coil, which essentially means the brand new coil was grounding out without the kill switch even hooked up. Is this the sign of a bad coil (even though its brand new)? If the ignition switch tests good, and I'm still not getting spark, the only other thing to go bad would be the coil, correct?

Thanks for all the help guys, and this site seems awesome, tons of really knowledgeable people on here!
 
Flywheel could be bad, spark plug could be bad, plug wire could be bad, plug wire end could be bad....

Welcome to the site!
 
Welcome to the site!

Sounds like you are having a ground problem.

More help on the subject will be arriving soon.
 
Flywheel could be bad, spark plug could be bad, plug wire could be bad, plug wire end could be bad....

Welcome to the site!

Its got a brand new NGK plug in it, so that shouldn't be the issue, the plug wire comes new attached to the coil, so that shouldn't be it either, and I'm getting continuity through the plug wire end. Flywheel might be a possibility I suppose.
 
I fought what I thought was a carb issue on an older motorcycle. Turned out to be one of the new spark plugs I put in was bad out of the box.
Can't count on new = good
 
I had a Husky 55 Rancher given to me. Its not getting any spark currently. I've tested the kill switch, which tested good. I disconnected the kill switch wire coming from the coil, and still no spark, so that led me to believe that my coil is bad. I ordered a new coil, installed it, air gapped it with a business card, and I get the same result. I started testing continuity to different points on the coil with it mounted on the saw, and was getting what seemed to be wierd readings. With the kill switch wire disconnected from the coil, I was still getting continuity to ground on the kill switch tab coming off the coil, which essentially means the brand new coil was grounding out without the kill switch even hooked up. Is this the sign of a bad coil (even though its brand new)? If the ignition switch tests good, and I'm still not getting spark, the only other thing to go bad would be the coil, correct?

Thanks for all the help guys, and this site seems awesome, tons of really knowledgeable people on here!

If your saw has points I would check there first. You said "coil," which goes with points, if it doesn't have points it has a module.
You also mentioned the coil showed continuity to ground, actually the primary side will show continuity to ground if it's hooked into the circuit, you have to use the lowest ohms scale to check the primary and disconnect everything but if this is a module (electronic ignition) it's not good to check with meter, replace module with known good one is the best way to go here. On the secondary side check from ground to end of plug wire using a higher scale, like ohms X10k. Should read around 30k or so.

I looked it up and seems your saw came out with electronic ignition. Just try cleaning around where the module mounts on the saw, re-check the air gap, if still no spark I would try a different module.
 
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If your saw has points I would check there first. You said "coil," which goes with points, if it doesn't have points it has a module.
You also mentioned the coil showed continuity to ground, actually the primary side will show continuity to ground if it's hooked into the circuit, you have to use the lowest ohms scale to check the primary and disconnect everything but if this is a module (electronic ignition) it's not good to check with meter, replace module with known good one is the best way to go here. On the secondary side check from ground to end of plug wire using a higher scale, like ohms X10k. Should read around 30k or so.

I looked it up and seems your saw came out with electronic ignition. Just try cleaning around where the module mounts on the saw, re-check the air gap, if still no spark I would try a different module.

Yea, its definitely a module then, no points. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm thinking I'm testing something wrong then. I've got two new coils sitting here now, and they both test the same with a multi-meter, even though I may not be testing them right. Surely I wouldn't get two new coils that are bad from the factory. It might be time to try another new plug and clean the flywheel.
 
Just plug the wire on the coil, hold the side of the plug against the metal of the block and pull the rope, do this inside so you can see the spark.

Also make sure there is no fuel present........
 
Yea, its definitely a module then, no points. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm thinking I'm testing something wrong then. I've got two new coils sitting here now, and they both test the same with a multi-meter, even though I may not be testing them right. Surely I wouldn't get two new coils that are bad from the factory. It might be time to try another new plug and clean the flywheel.

Put the gap between module and flywheel at around .010 and make sure the mounting surface is clean, that's your ground for the module unless it has another wire to ground it with. It's not a real good test on modules to check for resistance because it has more in the module than just two coils, it has a triggering circuit also and they don't put out too much info on how to test them other than replacement. If it's not the spark plug or the kill switch and the module's grounded then you must have two bad modules...
 
might be a dumb question but you are grounding the spark plug to metal when you are checking it right?

i to have suffered the bad plug out of the box, well it was actually shortly out of the box. i had 3 sparkplugs go bad at once on my tractor while it warmed up before plowing snow. it drove me nuts where i replaced the ignition system (could have used it anyway) cleaned the carb, shooting wires etc, until finally out of desperation i put the old plugs back in to replace the "new" clean looking plugs.

she fired right up a purred after that, my head about exploded clear off my shoulders when i realized i could have avoided working outside for 8 or so hrs in the 20's trying to fix the tractor when it was so simple.
 
might be a dumb question but you are grounding the spark plug to metal when you are checking it right?

i to have suffered the bad plug out of the box, well it was actually shortly out of the box. i had 3 sparkplugs go bad at once on my tractor while it warmed up before plowing snow. it drove me nuts where i replaced the ignition system (could have used it anyway) cleaned the carb, shooting wires etc, until finally out of desperation i put the old plugs back in to replace the "new" clean looking plugs.

she fired right up a purred after that, my head about exploded clear off my shoulders when i realized i could have avoided working outside for 8 or so hrs in the 20's trying to fix the tractor when it was so simple.

Oh yea, I'm definitely grounding the plug when testing it, but I appreciate the tip. I too hate electrical problems, I've chased them all over Jeeps and race quads over the years, I just figured this saw would be easier to figure out than this.
 
Oh yea, I'm definitely grounding the plug when testing it, but I appreciate the tip. I too hate electrical problems, I've chased them all over Jeeps and race quads over the years, I just figured this saw would be easier to figure out than this.

When you get a bad new part it screws up your troubleshooting procedure. It really screws it up when you get two bad new parts in a row, but it happens occasionally.
 
Yea, the flywheel key should still be good, there's no freeplay in it or anything, and it spins with the crank.

I'm getting spark now with the newest coil that I put in it. I have to turn the saw over pretty fast in order to get spark, but that might be normal. After getting spark, I checked for fuel, which it wasn't getting either, so I cleaned the carb. I am now getting spark, fuel, and air, but still no combustion whatsoever. I guess the only things left would be timing and compression. I can check the flywheel key tomorrow, but what sort of compression is one of these saws supposed to have? I took off the muffler and looked at the cylinder and piston. The backside of the cylinder looks good, but the piston has some pretty good scoring on the front side of it, towards the exhaust port. It feels like there is compression, but maybe not enough for combustion, not sure, I'll have to get the compression guage out tomorrow and test it.

I'm starting to see why I received this saw for free...
 
Yeah a freebie saw is usually blown. Pretty much any scoring on a Rancher 55 piston and you'll need to replace it. Those saws are a consumer grade saw
and they have no tolerance for any kind of damage to the piston. So it sounds like you're into it for a new piston and ring next. A chainsaw engine is a crude
example of a modern two-stroke and when they're blown, they can have the "feel" of having compression when they don't.
 
Yea, the flywheel key should still be good, there's no freeplay in it or anything, and it spins with the crank.

I'm getting spark now with the newest coil that I put in it. I have to turn the saw over pretty fast in order to get spark, but that might be normal. After getting spark, I checked for fuel, which it wasn't getting either, so I cleaned the carb. I am now getting spark, fuel, and air, but still no combustion whatsoever. I guess the only things left would be timing and compression. I can check the flywheel key tomorrow, but what sort of compression is one of these saws supposed to have? I took off the muffler and looked at the cylinder and piston. The backside of the cylinder looks good, but the piston has some pretty good scoring on the front side of it, towards the exhaust port. It feels like there is compression, but maybe not enough for combustion, not sure, I'll have to get the compression guage out tomorrow and test it.

I'm starting to see why I received this saw for free...

115-120 is about bottom as far as compression goes
 
Pull the plug, spray a shot of ether in there, put the plug back in a hurry before it evaporates, and pull it over...if there's any spark at all, it'll fart. Compression won't matter to the ether.

Sand off the inside of the flywheel. Rust never sleeps.
 
Yea, the flywheel key should still be good, there's no freeplay in it or anything, and it spins with the crank.

I'm getting spark now with the newest coil that I put in it. I have to turn the saw over pretty fast in order to get spark, but that might be normal. After getting spark, I checked for fuel, which it wasn't getting either, so I cleaned the carb. I am now getting spark, fuel, and air, but still no combustion whatsoever. I guess the only things left would be timing and compression. I can check the flywheel key tomorrow, but what sort of compression is one of these saws supposed to have? I took off the muffler and looked at the cylinder and piston. The backside of the cylinder looks good, but the piston has some pretty good scoring on the front side of it, towards the exhaust port. It feels like there is compression, but maybe not enough for combustion, not sure, I'll have to get the compression guage out tomorrow and test it.

I'm starting to see why I received this saw for free...

I don't think those saws came with a compression release but you can check anyway. If it has one it's on the right side of the cylinder, usually a blue button that you push in when you want to release compression. If your piston is scored pretty bad you may also have a stuck ring. If you do it won't have enough compression to fire. It's still a great bargain for free, pistons are easy to install in those.
 
I had a Husky 55 Rancher given to me. Its not getting any spark currently. I've tested the kill switch, which tested good. I disconnected the kill switch wire coming from the coil, and still no spark, so that led me to believe that my coil is bad. I ordered a new coil, installed it, air gapped it with a business card, and I get the same result. I started testing continuity to different points on the coil with it mounted on the saw, and was getting what seemed to be wierd readings. With the kill switch wire disconnected from the coil, I was still getting continuity to ground on the kill switch tab coming off the coil, which essentially means the brand new coil was grounding out without the kill switch even hooked up. Is this the sign of a bad coil (even though its brand new)? If the ignition switch tests good, and I'm still not getting spark, the only other thing to go bad would be the coil, correct?

Thanks for all the help guys, and this site seems awesome, tons of really knowledgeable people on here!


I too have this exact same issue. I am assembling my husky 55. No spark....
I picked this saw up used. The coil/module that was on it had a real bad cut in the plug wire. So I bought a new oem unit. The coil is properly gapped, plug is good( I tried 4) and I unhooked the kill wire. No spark.
Any help guys will be appreciated.
The magnets in the fly wheel seen real strong. And yes, I was properly grounding the plug ro the cylinder.
I really don't want to order another coil at 80$.
 

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