Hello Im new here and have a question about a Old Cast Iron 16 HP Briggs Engine Model: 326434 Type: 0219-01 Code: 7611161 It had the old points/condinsor ignition i put the eletronic chip on it and got it running good ( this was a few years ago ) I then let the engine sit up for a year or so and went to go use it again and all it wanted to do was kick back like the flywheel key was sheered i check and it was so i replaced it and it keeps doing the same thing it will kick back and then sheer the key. It even blew the head gasket once. I am very good when it comes to briggs motors but this just has me stumped. Any Insight as to what might be the cause ?

What kind of electronic ignition did you install?

Make sure you are torquing the flywheel retaining nut tight enough, a loose flywheel will constantly shear keys.

If it's an aftermarket electronic conversion kit, it may be advancing the spark timing, some times you can reverse the conections (switch the neg and pos connections) on the module and retard the timing slightly and this may take care of the problem.

Good Luck...

Well I first tried using the little modual that slides up into the coil pack and the coil pack was dead. So I installed a new ARMATURE-MAGNETO from Briggs & Stratton it ran then but rough, (prolly to carb being slightly out of adjustment. Well about a year later is when the kick back issue started. I have tightend the flywheel nut down to 150FT lbs

I installed a new ARMATURE-MAGNETO from Briggs & Stratton it ran then but rough

The running rough is due to the ignition timing being off. That's what is causing the flywheel key to shear as 30yT mentioned.

If my memory servers me right the first production of these engines had a non-adjustable coil mounting bracket, These engines couldn't be changed over to electronic ignition with the use of a Magnatron modual nor the newer style armature-magnetos due to throwing ignition timing off.

Later production engines came with an adjustable coil mount bracket in which then they could be changed over to electronic by adjusting timing with moving the coil mount bracket.

I have heard a couple times that the little aftermarket modual (bug) that 30yT mentioned did work properly on these early production engines but have not had the opportunity to see this for myself.

If your engine has this latter production adjustable coil bracket it can be adjusted as below;

Also, Adjust coil air-gap to .010"-.014"


http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/Briggs/Briggs326400CoilTiming.jpg


Good Luck

Thank you very much Restrorob I looked at the coil pack mount and it is just a little off from dead center. I will be getting a new coil pack for it sometime this week
( cause i donated the new one i had for it to the fire dept cause they needed one for the pump engine on the brush truck. )