3240 start gremlins

Robert Swartz · Mar 22, 2009

Hello all,

Just found this forum and found a bunch of interesting information.

I have just discovered a problem and am trying to determine if I'm right or not. I suspected my 3240 had a bad battery, had tried to start it back in January, when we had a warm spell and it was dead. I put the battery charger on it, let it run, tried the key after a bit, lights came on, you could hear the relay kick in, the soleinoid click, no start. I kicked on the boost, it started (eventually) but ran real rough, like it was straining to make any power. Figured it just had a bad battery, oh well, I'll get it up and running later.

Later is here. Bought a new battery, plugs, oil and filter yesterday and was prepared to get ready to knock the grass down. After installing the new battery, from my Cub dealer, that hurt! I still can't get it to start. Went through the same scenario as above, same symptoms.

After calling a couple buddies, none of us are small engine mechanics. One suggested it may just be, I've gotten a battery that has a dead cell. The other commented that, it may go deeper and be in the starter or alternator, drawing too much current. The books I got for the tractor, when I purchased it new, don't really help, I downloaded a wiring diagram off the net. This gives me some avenues to search. Just trying to see if someone can give me a clue, find out if I've got a glitch or a real problem. Electrical gremlins have never been something I've been good at tracking down.

Any help is appreciated,

thanks,

Robert Swartz

bwmarine · Mar 22, 2009

Can be many issues...

If it wont turn over...
check all connections for good contact
Have battery checked for full charge
Could have wiring problems - key switch - solenoid or a safety switch
Also could be starter
A test light helps a lot in troubleshooting

If it turns over and wont start...
Check compression and spark
If good there make sure you are getting fuel (spray with starting fluid)

If lacking fuel...
Check tank for water
Check fuel filter
Finally clean carb

If this is over your head find someone that knows engines

Robert Swartz · Mar 22, 2009

bwmarine said:
Can be many issues...

If it wont turn over...
check all connections for good contact
Have battery checked for full charge
Could have wiring problems - key switch - solenoid or a safety switch
Also could be starter
A test light helps a lot in troubleshooting

If it turns over and wont start...
Check compression and spark
If good there make sure you are getting fuel (spray with starting fluid)

If lacking fuel...
Check tank for water
Check fuel filter
Finally clean carb

If this is over your head find someone that knows engines

Oh, good one, LOL! You are correct, my small engine experience pretty much lacks. If I can't solve it, I will end up taking it to someone.

Like I said, if you throw a charger to it, it'll try to work. Can hear the relay, solenoid, all click, try to activate. If you throw the boost to it, it'll turn over and attempt to start. Actually, I've had it running after boosting it, WITH the old battery. Just ran crappy, sounds like it was straining to make power. Soon as you shut it down, it's dead again. I've got all the covers off the thing, am actively checking.

I'm taking the battery back to the Cub dealer tommorow and have them check it. IF it is just a dead battery, I want to eliminate that as the potential culprit first. If it were a switch, a connection or something of that nature, why would the battery charger try to make the thing come to life?

I can force power through the system. It just won't or can't sustain it. I do know that if a connection is bad, you can't force it to work, unless you bypass or wire around it, at least that's always been my experience.

If it's not the battery, I've already thought about the starter, as well as the alternator.

I appreciate any help,

Robert Swartz

bwmarine · Mar 22, 2009

Sounds like its not turning over due to lack of juice...

#1 Check battery

#2 Check connections... yes if you have a bad connections it can start on boost because you have much more amps to bridge the gap

#3 Have starter checked

Low power to engine can cause runability issues due to lack of voltage to ignition. Alternator should not be an issue except maybe charging the battery.

Gator6x4 · Mar 22, 2009

Check and make sure the engine is full of oil. Remove the spark plug from the engine and see if you can rotate the engine without to much drag or difficulty. If the engine rotates easily, remove the starter, leave the wires connected and see if when you attempt to start the starter turns freely. The symptoms sounds like a engine that was operated low on oil, got hot and suffered internal damage.

gordyy · Mar 22, 2009

take both cables off the battery charge for 15 minutes and see if it holds anycharge at all the battery could be shorted inside and killing all the juice your trying to give it.
just charge for 15 minutes and see if you can ge the lights to burn brightly if not change the battery and try again

Mike5252 · Mar 22, 2009

Have you ruled out having old gasoline? If its been sitting for the winter, that would be an easy fix.

Robert Swartz · Mar 22, 2009

Gator6x4 said:
Check and make sure the engine is full of oil. Remove the spark plug from the engine and see if you can rotate the engine without to much drag or difficulty. If the engine rotates easily, remove the starter, leave the wires connected and see if when you attempt to start the starter turns freely. The symptoms sounds like a engine that was operated low on oil, got hot and suffered internal damage.

Scared me with this one. Checked the oil and it's "decent", and at the full mark on the dipstick, was changed last summer. Don't believe this is it. Engine ran fine when it was last used about late November

gordyy said:
take both cables off the battery charge for 15 minutes and see if it holds anycharge at all the battery could be shorted inside and killing all the juice your trying to give it.
just charge for 15 minutes and see if you can ge the lights to burn brightly if not change the battery and try again

Did this, going to have the battery checked at the dealership after I get off work tommorow. Luckily the dealer is just down the street from the plant. Like I've said, with the charger on it, the lights work, the relay and solenoid, both try to engage. Charged it twice, once when I got home for about 15-20 minutes before I installed it. Then charged it for about an hour or so that afternoon, still wouldn't start on it's own. A friend of mine suggested the dead cell also, that's on my list of possible culprits.

My wife suggested the gas idea as well. If it were gas, the engine would turn over fine. That could explain the rough running when I did get it to start.

Thanks for the ideas. Gives me more places to look, just hope it's something simple. It's about mowing time here in the midwest.

Robert Swartz

Bob_Bainbridge · Mar 22, 2009

I've seen these kind of problems caused by a bad battery cable. The cable does not carry enough amps from the battery to start but when you clamp the battery charger on the cables somehow you get a better connection and it starts.

Bob B.

Robert Swartz · Mar 23, 2009

Well, seems I found my problem. It's really quite funny, now.

Took the battery back to the Cub dealer this afternoon. Parts man plugged a battery tester on it. It was stone dead! He went back to search for another one, then came back with a sheepish look on his face. He asked, "did the parts man you purchased this from fill it with acid and charge it?" My reply, "no"?

Seems I've become too accustomed to maintenance free batteries. I never gave this a thought. I've had to do this with motorcycle batteries in the past. Had I known, it's no big deal to fill and charge one.

Threw the battery back on the mower. Started right up. Now all I've got to do is change the oil and filter, spark plugs, hit the blades with a stone. Be ready to knock the grass down.

Appreciate the help to all that replied. Glad I found this site. Some useful information here.

Robert Swartz