320 wont hot start

[Gumby542]

So i was using my 320, real one not the x version, mowing the lawn tonight. I stopped it to grab something and it would not restart. The solenoid clicks and it sounds like e starter tries to engage but won't turn it over. Any thoughts?

 

[beenthere]

I'd first suspect a cable/battery connection corroded. If clean and replaced, and still no start, then I'd switch in a new battery if the old one is more than 4 yrs old.

After that....check back.

 

[moresnow]

I have a 320 too and had the same problem. It turned out to be the battery and some corroded connections. My battery was 6 years old.

 

[Gumby542]

So I put my booster pack on it, got nothing. It sounds/ feels like the starter is trying to fire and hitting the flywheel, or has something keeping it from engaging. But maybe it is just not having enough power to fire completely

 

[Eric Barney]

Check the heavy cable going to the starter. The small wire energizes the solenoid, the large cable supplies the power to spin the motor. Also make sure your grounds are good.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Gumby, can you hear the starter spinning or does it just Klunk?


.

 

[Gumby542]

Definitely just a clunk

 

[Eric Barney]

It sounds like the starter could be bad. The clunk is the solenoid throwing the gear out into the flywheel. The motor is not spinning.

Check that the large cable bolted to the starter is B+ live. It must be getting full battery power. (12V) Note that the 12V power may 'go away' when the starter is energized! (Bad connection) If that is OK, carefully try to 'jump' it to the other bolted wire (on the solenoid) that goes into the motor. This should cause the motor to spin without it engaging the flywheel. If the motor spins, then the starter is OK, but you may have a bad solenoid.

Hope this helps...

 

[Gumby542]

So I started the process of working my way back from the battery. The battery did not have much juice and another battery started it right up. However, the battery light stays on in the dash. So I'm now comfortable my battery is dead. However, I'm getting almost nothing for voltage back when running now. I'm now guessing my charging system has had the radish, battery was shot, and I pushed a heavy mower into the garage.

 

[Eric Barney]

Hmmm.....

A charging system issue. Check the fuses in the ign switch panel. I can't help if that is not the problem. Need tech info on your particular charging system, and would also need to know what is 'missing' to diagnose

Good luck