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I am so done with winter this year . 
If everything is right in the circuit you should seldom need to clean the points . I would question the coil not being of resister type or the condenser not doing its job or both . As for the carb , what is giving greaf with it ?Toolslinger wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:43 pm Well, it finished up around 7". New battery, and new starter cranked away happily. Wouldn't fire. I am so sick of this 444 not starting when needed... Popped open the points, and cleaned them, and I got it to fire off.
Performance was excellent. It's just the constant headache of getting it started between the points and the carb. I mean I've gotten pretty good at doing both, but when it's 6 degrees out, I don't want to do either.
It's got a Stens 460-048 coil, which should be internal resistor, and correct for the engine as far as I know. Is it any good? Who knows.. They're all made in the same place now, and quality is always a crap shoot... Who knows if it's even an actual Stens, or a fake.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 6:52 pm If everything is right in the circuit you should seldom need to clean the points . I would question the coil not being of resister type or the condenser not doing its job or both . As for the carb , what is giving greaf with it ?
Toolslinger wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:01 amIt's got a Stens 460-048 coil, which should be internal resistor, and correct for the engine as far as I know. Is it any good? Who knows.. They're all made in the same place now, and quality is always a crap shoot... Who knows if it's even an actual Stens, or a fake.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 6:52 pm If everything is right in the circuit you should seldom need to clean the points . I would question the coil not being of resister type or the condenser not doing its job or both . As for the carb , what is giving greaf with it ?
Points and condensor were Kohler branded, and put in in 2023, so a year and a half old. The points aren't pitted, but they seem to keep getting a film, or coating of something. It never comes up at a time I want to get magnification out to see what's really going on...
Sorta the same issue with the carb. When it's a problem, I just give it the quick clean (drop the bowl, pull the needles, spray it out with carb cleaner, back together) and it will fire right off. Fuel tank is clean, lines are all new, there's an in line filter right before the carb, electric pump's flow is good.
It's frustrating because I know that engine can live in the same condidtions, and be bomb proof. The Kohler in the JD 140 that my father had never, and I mean never gave us any grief. The 444 happens so frequently that I have a set of tools to do the cleaning sitting right where I park so it's easy. I imagine the reality is I should be tearing it all down, and doing a complete rebuild on it since it is 40+ years old... Probably never going to happen due to the shear number of more pressing issues, and lack of heated space in the winter.
! You mean the 
won't let you rebuild an engine on the kitchen table . I mean thats just rude . 
If I didn't have heat in my work shop, I would be stuck inside all winter . That would not end well . So I feel for anyone out in the cold .Dave, your advice pretty well covers it. Possibly the breaker point push rod is worn (the early ones were aluminum rather than steel) allowing oil vapors into the point box, or the engine is not maintaining a vacuum in the crankcase which controls oil loss where there is no seal. Perhaps the seal where the wire enters the points cover is gone? Oops, just saw that you already mentioned a worn pushrod....DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 7:15 amToolslinger wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:01 amIt's got a Stens 460-048 coil, which should be internal resistor, and correct for the engine as far as I know. Is it any good? Who knows.. They're all made in the same place now, and quality is always a crap shoot... Who knows if it's even an actual Stens, or a fake.DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 6:52 pm If everything is right in the circuit you should seldom need to clean the points . I would question the coil not being of resister type or the condenser not doing its job or both . As for the carb , what is giving greaf with it ?
Points and condensor were Kohler branded, and put in in 2023, so a year and a half old. The points aren't pitted, but they seem to keep getting a film, or coating of something. It never comes up at a time I want to get magnification out to see what's really going on...
Sorta the same issue with the carb. When it's a problem, I just give it the quick clean (drop the bowl, pull the needles, spray it out with carb cleaner, back together) and it will fire right off. Fuel tank is clean, lines are all new, there's an in line filter right before the carb, electric pump's flow is good.
It's frustrating because I know that engine can live in the same condidtions, and be bomb proof. The Kohler in the JD 140 that my father had never, and I mean never gave us any grief. The 444 happens so frequently that I have a set of tools to do the cleaning sitting right where I park so it's easy. I imagine the reality is I should be tearing it all down, and doing a complete rebuild on it since it is 40+ years old... Probably never going to happen due to the shear number of more pressing issues, and lack of heated space in the winter.
Forgive me if I tell you things you all ready know , this is a reminder for others as well.
Test the coil (wires off ) Should be between 3.5 and 5 ohms primary side for internal resisted . I had one boxed/ labled wrong . They all look the same .
The points film can be from what / how you are cleaning them . Some fine sand paper can leave a film . Oil from your fingers on a points file can also leave film . Oil vapour from crankcase as well , gasket on point cover/ plunger worn ,type of oil being used . Always use clean white paper to clean contacts after cleaning and use finest available abrasives to leave the smoothest polished surface on contacts .
The carbs problem maybe the electric fuel pump / inline filter combination. I have had fuel filters not fused together inside and let stuff past. I have also seen electric pumps force stuff past fuel filters meant for gravity applications . Do you have filter before or after pump and what kind . The inner wall of the hose could be deteriorating due age,alcohol in fuel (ethenal or methalhidrate ), or poor quality .
What no heated space to work
I hope this helps you find something .
you may keep the change