What you could do is remove the small connector from the coil. If still no spark, it is either your spark plug or coil. I suppose you could R&R the coil and scrape the block and coil to ensure a good ground. Gap w/ a business card is fine. If it has spark until the wire is re-attached, it is a switch, funky wire or your interlock control module. The little round piece is the interlock control module. Your engine originally had electronic ignition. Thanks for the pics. Made it easy!

Sorry to sound like such an ediot...I caught part of that.
I tried a couple plugs, including a new one, so ruled that out. When you say remove the small connector from the coil, do you mean that yellow wire?

I saw another post talk about gapping w/a business card, but honestly, wasn't sure what it meant. Are you talking about the gap between the bottom of the coil and that magnet on the flywheel? Those were fixed i.e. didn't see anyway to adjust. Thanks for you help!

REGARDING : the gap between the bottom of the coil and that magnet on the flywheel? Those were fixed i.e. didn't see anyway to adjust.

The gap between the flywheel and coil are not generally fixed. in fact - upon closer inspection you will see that when your coil bolts are loose (making sure the flywheel magnet is NOT facing near the coil) the coil can kinda sorta flop around a bit. (this is where your coil/flywheel gapping is done). Oh - I always remove those coil bolts and use never seize compound on them - they can be fussy on a well rusted/corroded engine.

i myself use a matchbook cover as the gap tool for this. Basically loosen up the coils bolts/nuts, insert matchbook cover between flywheel and coil, turn flyweel until flywheel magnet and coil pinches matchbooks cover, tighten screws, and remove the matchbook cover by reverse rotation of fly wheel.

Im not sure what what meant by the connector on the coil... but minimally clean all the connectors on your coil, etc.

when you opened up the cover - did you happen to notice any mice nests in there ? if so - inspect your coil wire (and other wires ) for being chewed on ...

With an electronic ignition (no points)... Im thinking a switch or ground has gone bad, possible animal attacks to your wiring, disconnected or cracked wiring, or bad coil.

Oh yeah - dont forget to change your oil once you get it running.

good luck.

"When you say remove the small connector from the coil, do you mean that yellow wire?"

There's a chance it's Yellow, but could also be White??

The wire in question is a kill wire to shut off the engine by grounding the wire. It could go to the carb linkage, or elsewhere, depending on the application. On lawn tractors etc., it would typically go to the ignition switch.

The MAIN THING is to make sure it's going to the coil and NOT the alternator!!!!

Depending on application, color can vary.
Yellow is often used from the alternator to the rectifier/voltage regulator. Since both are used with the flywheel, you want to make sure. I guess if it was a charge wire for lights and/or battery, you would be OK disconnecting it as long as it DOESN'T get grounded.

You guys are good! I have spark now. It was a white wire (had JD yellow paint on it). Looks like my coil is good and I need to change the interlock control module. I assume I can just bypass that module with a switch. Thanks all!

Maybe just an adjustment???

JD schematics are hard to come by for free, so I don't know if your "module" is simply a switch??

The module is used on models that have an interlock lever. It is possible some other switch in the system is funky or a wire grounded. An ohmmeter is all one needs to verify the rest are working. If the rest is ok, replace the module.

I'm not that technical so not sure how to check with an ohmmeter. Do I even need that interlock module? It runs like a champ when I bypass it. I just can't shut it off :) I was thinking of putting a switch between the module and coil wire so I can shut the motor off easily. What value does that module add?

The little module is a way to control the multiple switches. With the interlock lever held to run, it allows the auger switch (and possibly a traction switch) to go to a shut off mode w/o killing the engine. IE When you engage the auger, it has a switch that wants to shut off the engine unless the interlock lever is held. So with this safety system. once the interlock handle is released, the auger switch would kill the engine. What you want to do with it is your concern- if you are the sole operator. You may want to look up the thrower per model and serial on Deere's website to see if the parts are even available yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deere parts

I have a toro 524 snow blower that died.I have tried every thing so here goes .It does not have a spark so i took every thing apart .Removed the flywheel change the points condenser and coil with new ones.NO Spark .I reset the timing still no spark .Diconected the main kill wire from the points and that does not work either .If i used my meter to measure the spark between the high tention wire and the plug there is a small reading but not enough to be seen