How to Check a Briggs Condenser

Briggs condensers, more commonly referred to as Briggs and Stratton condenser coils, store a high-voltage electric charge that is delivered to a spark plug. They are used on small engines, such as those for lawnmowers, tillers, snowblowers or any internal combustion engine built by Briggs and Stratton. If the condenser is bad, the engine does not run. Check the Briggs condenser in a few minutes by grounding the spark plug and visually inspecting it for a live spark.

Spark-plug wrench
Replacement spark plug (optional)
Replacement condenser (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Pull the cap off the spark-plug wire. Remove the spark plug from the engine with a spark-plug wrench.
- 2
  Place the end of the spark plug wire back onto the spark plug.
- 3
  Grasp the spark-plug wire’s end with your fingers. Hold the spark-plug’s end where the electrode is located to within one-thirty seconds inch of the frame where the engine is mounted.
- 4
  Pull the starter rope as you watch the electrode on the spark plug. If you see a spark jump between the electrode and the spark-plug body, the Briggs condenser coil is working. If you see nothing after pulling the rope three times, replace the spark plug and repeat pulling the rope. If you see a spark after replacing the spark plug with a new one, the Briggs condenser is fine.

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