Briggs & Stratton 16 HP engine-points actuating rod not moving enough ?

[trippingtoo8track]

Without having to take apart this engine- can someone please refresh my memory, as to what cam or eccentric actuates the points rod on a Briggs

16 HP engine, vertical cylinder ?

It's in a ' 72 Mont. Ward lawn tractor- it had intermittent then no spark- and the points are not opening/closing enough to run the engine. I've had a 9HP apart before, but that was a LONG time ago-

whatever makes the points actuating rod move in/out appears to be worn to the point the rod barely moves back and forth

also, do they make an electronic conversion to do away with points on this engine ?

thanks

[ds549]

i think there is a lobe on the camshaft that opens the points, its possible the points rod is worn off, id try that first. you can put electronic ignition coil on that engine,but your briggs dealer will have to send your flywheel in to get the magnets repolarized .been there ,done that. lucas

[UNIVERSAL MIND]

well I got it running- turned out the locking nut on the points adjustment screw, needs to be snug against the block while adjusting- or it won't set the gap properly- once I snugged up the nut a bit, then

set gap, it got spark back, started, and ran

other problems surfaced- the cylinder head was leaking compression from

one bolt head- I removed the head, cleaned the surfaces, and reinstalled with sealer on the old gasket- fixed that.

now intermittently, the spark just goes away and the engine stalls- I believe this is a prime candidate for an electronic conversion- by what

I'm hearning now, it requires the flywheel to be sent to Briggs and repolarized ? They do that for free, but shipping cost and time involved.

for how much I use this machine, maybe new points/condenser would do the trick