The sure way to know it is a coil (the most likely candidate) is to unhook the small green wire at the coil. Any thing that wants to shut off the mower will supply a ground up that wire. No spark w/ the wire disconnected- needs a coil.

okay,I'll try that. Would connecting the two wires that run to the magnetic safety switch effectively bypass it? Or just removing ground wire to safety switch? Thanks.

It depends on if it's a 'normally open'
or 'normally closed' switch. Do what
Tomplum recommends and you won't have
to worry about the switch, unless the
mower starts with the grounding wire
disconnected from the coil.

Classic Tecumseh dead coil. Probably why the Tecumseh company is now dead.

I tried disconnecting the wires and still no spark. Just about ordered a new coil and I decided to clean coil and flywheel and readjust gap. It worked. I had not cut he grass in nine weeks due to drought conditions here.had I must have given it enough time to rust up. I have had several Lawn Boys with spark issues, especilly the commercial grade 6.5 Silver Series mowers. I never recall having trouble with BRIGGS COILS. THANKS FOR THE HELP.

Todd, For my information, what's the correct coil/flywheel gap? Thanks, Andy

They say a standard business card between the magnet and the pickup is about right.