Need Help To wire a Kill Switch on Briggs and Stratton

Demerest

Active Member
#1
I have a 1976 5 HP Briggs and Stratton on a mini bike that came off a generator. There was no kill switch when I got it and I would like to know how to wire one in.
 
#6
If your 5Hp still has points and condenser you will need to wire it up like Minimichael and Mr. Pink have indicated. If the coil has been switched over to electronic ignition (Briggs "Magnetron") you will do it like Richard has shown you.
(Sidebar comment: On every Briggs engine I have ever owned I always switch/upgrade them to the Magnetron coil- no points to clean, adjust or replace -EVER AGAIN)
Michael
 
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Mr. Pink

Well-Known Member
#7
(Sidebar comment: On every Briggs engine I have ever owned I always switch/upgrade them to the Magnetron coil- no points to clean, adjust or replace -EVER AGAIN)
Michael
I want to keep my engine original, old school.
Myself having an aircraft mechanic background and magnetos with points still being the prevailing ignition source for modern reciprocating aircraft engines, if it’s reliable enough for the FAA, it’s good enough for me!
Only running the engine 20 hours a year, the points will last a good long time.
 
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#11
Mine actually has the original kill tab but for safety reasons on a mini bike I want to have a switch handy in the event of a stuck throttle or any other need to stop the engine from the riders platform. Plus the Trail Horse already has a place to mount a toggle switch.
 

Mr. Pink

Well-Known Member
#13
The quick and dirty way is to slip the stripped end of a wire under the plug wire end clip when it is placed on the plug. hook the other end to a switch with the opposite terminal of the switch wired to ground.
I wonder how long the switch would last with this method?
I'm sure there would be arcing of the switch contacts being wired to the high voltage side of the coil.
A capacitor wired parallel to the the switch should increase the longevity of the switch.
 

River Rat Ron

Well-Known Member
#15
I wonder how long the switch would last with this method?
I'm sure there would be arcing of the switch contacts being wired to the high voltage side of the coil.
A capacitor wired parallel to the the switch should increase the longevity of the switch.
I thought about that as well. My guess is the distance between the internal switch poles are too far apart for the spark to jump. And if in fact it was able to jump the motor wouldn’t start.
 
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#18
The quick and dirty way is to slip the stripped end of a wire under the plug wire end clip when it is placed on the plug. hook the other end to a switch with the opposite terminal of the switch wired to ground.
I saw the quick and dirty method on youtube. I figured as long as I have the motor apart to paint it anyway I would do something more permanent and just run a wire to the coil.
 
#19
So I have mine hooked up like in post #10. It’s a simple one wire switch with a botton and mounts to bars. Is the mount where screw tightens supposed to be the ground? Because it’s not working. But it also feels like the button doesn’t press down that well. I did buy another to see if that’s the problem.
 
#20
So I have mine hooked up like in post #10. It’s a simple one wire switch with a botton and mounts to bars. Is the mount where screw tightens supposed to be the ground? Because it’s not working. But it also feels like the button doesn’t press down that well. I did buy another to see if that’s the problem.
Yes, the screw pointed out in post 10 is grounded to the block. You need a coil with a tab to the primary winding like post 4 or if you have points Post 5 is a workable solution.
 
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