OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions on Other Engines Early Pope conversion to electronic ignition?

Hi Speedy,

I can't understand why it will not work. The only thing that comes to mind is the Wico coil is perhaps too weak for the EI to detect it? But then again I have had some very weak Briggs coils and the EI have worked perfectly on those.

One thing I have noticed is that not all EI modules are the same. Some work on some types of engines, others won't. I have had most success with 2 and 4 strokes with the slightly more expensive STENS one. This one is suggested for use with Kawasaki engines. I have bought some of the lower priced EI and found they will not work on some engines. Why, I do not know.

I could never get an EI to work on Kirby Lausen engines, but then I read where other people have had great success on those engines with EI. So I am a bit baffled.

One suggestion made in email to me just now is this: Replace old coil with a new or used one that tests much stronger and fits the bolt holes. EI modules sometimes fail to detect the very low Ohms on those old coils. You can use a coil from a different engine, so long as it fits and is of similar distance from the flywheel magnets. A modern one will be stronger and so the module will detect it. Also, when many people wire these modules in they make the mistake of not earthing the coil wire. Instead they splice the twin wires together and run this to the module. This will not work as you are killing the ignition. The coil bare wire must be earthed near to the coil. The other covered wire goes to the positive terminal on the module and you can splice in a kill switch from that wire. I have seen dozens of cases where people have spliced the earth wire with the positive wire and wondered why their module would not work. Good luck!