Custom Hot Rod Themed Craftsman

We got this little tractor for my son to tinker on.  He is 13 and wanted a project.   The plan so far is to lower it, give it a old school hot rod paint job and do a custom body for it.  We have some 1950 chevy truck front fenders that will probably end up being the from sheet metal, and we plan on widening the rear fenders and frenching in some caddy or buick taillights.

I'll post pics as we make progress, but first I need to figure out why its not charging.  We put a new battery in it today, but the battery discharge light is still on.  I checked the fire and its good.   Any other suggestions are appreciated!

Maybe a mouse chewed through your stator wire?  Jumped too many times and burned it up due to bad ground?  I'm guessing a Briggs? Need a little more info.  Could be a bad diode?

I am pretty sire its a 12hp Briggs, but not 100% positive.

I do know that it was running good 7 years ago, and it got a flat, so they parked it. Now Im getting it going after it sat out side for 7 years...

That other info do you need?

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Yeah that’s a Briggs with a voltage regulator. Even better. Could be a fuse. I found this good diag video. May check that.

Thanks for posting that video!   I am getting almost battery voltage at the red wire when its unplugged from the regulator, and the key is on. with the wire plugged in, the voltage is the same and doesn't go up when the motor is running.  I think the regulator is bad.  

Strangly I was only getting 14.5 volts AC from the 2 wires coming from the engine.  It was difficult to get an exact reading with the probes I was using though.

Can someone point me to an inexpensive regulator that will work with this 12hp engine? The ones I see on Amazon say they are for an 18-24hp...

Got a model number for the engine? I’d be happy to look it up.

Thanks!

Ill see if I can find that number in the morning.

Here are the numbers on the engine...

Looks like the Model is 281707
Type is 0181-01
Code is 88041631

I think this regulator will work, but If someone can verify, that would be very helpful...

Voltage Regulator 10-16 Amp

I think so. Could I get a picture of the regulator to verify? It looks like the 10 amp but I'd like to confirm. Part number if that's the right one is 394-890 if you decide to go with genuine.

Here is the regulator. Thanks for your help!!

Yeah thats the 10-13 amp so that's the right one that you found on amazon. Happy to help!

Great! Thanks!!

Well I finally had a chance to swap the new regulator in today, and it still doesn't show that its charging.  But now a new problem as shown its head...  It wont turn off.   I had to disconnect the negative battery cable to get the tractor to turn off.  

I will put a new ignition switch on it, but am having a hard time finding the exact one.  Its a 5 pin.  Part number 3497644.  The ones I find online have the M and S terminals swapped.  Maybe thats ok?

Any ideas?

Strangely, all the switches I can find with that part number are 6 terminal. The old one is only 5...

If the one you have has the M and S it should be OK.

Thanks!  It will be here tomorrow...