Starter Won't

[sandybeach]

7 year old JD "riding mower" with several hundred hours.

It ran fine for a couple of hours yesterday. Then I parked it for an hour or so. Then, when turning ignition key, there is one loud click. Period. Starter doesn't spin. I've done quite a bit of troubleshooting, but can't figure out what's wrong.

• Battery had 13 v, but acid level in battery was below top of plates - so I couldn't check specific gravity. 7 years old, very low acid level, so I replaced that even though it probably wasn't the problem. New battery made no difference (but it needed a new battery anyway).
• Turning key with headlights on, starter clicks, but lights dim very little.
  ** Battery is not the problem **
• Removed shroud (starter) to expose gear. When switch turned on, starter clicks once, but starter gear does not move (to engage flywheel).
• Attempted those with and without jumper from truck battery. no difference.
  ** All of those done while sitting in seat, so it's not the dead-man circuit. **
• Removed starter. Connected to 12v power, jumped across posts. With no resistance from engine, solenoid piston moves and starter spins. Starter shaft spins freely.
  ** That rules out solenoid **
• Hand-cranked engine using bolt on flywheel. With spark plug in, you can feel slight resistance on the compression stroke. With the plug removed there is compression.
  ** Those tests prove the engine isn't frozen. **
• Drained oil, strained through paper towel to look for metal in oil. Found no sparkly stuff in oil.
  ** Not likely that a piston ring is broken. **

I'm stumped. Ideas???

 

[skyhook]

Ignition switch needs to be cleaned and or replaced.

 

[rayclar]

Does that engine not have a external starter solenoid ( briggs engine)? When you jump start it hook directly to the + on the starter, if it starts odds are it the solenoid or key switch??

 

[Coyote machine]

Also check grounds of negative cable to chassis, and both cables to battery. Sometimes cables go bad internally, under the sheathing. You can test this by running your negative jumper cable to the battery negative post and good chassis ground.

 

[banjodunn]

7 year old JD "riding mower" with several hundred hours.

It ran fine for a couple of hours yesterday. Then I parked it for an hour or so. Then, when turning ignition key, there is one loud click. Period. Starter doesn't spin. I've done quite a bit of troubleshooting, but can't figure out what's wrong.

• Battery had 13 v, but acid level in battery was below top of plates - so I couldn't check specific gravity. 7 years old, very low acid level, so I replaced that even though it probably wasn't the problem. New battery made no difference (but it needed a new battery anyway).
• Turning key with headlights on, starter clicks, but lights dim very little.
  ** Battery is not the problem **
• Removed shroud (starter) to expose gear. When switch turned on, starter clicks once, but starter gear does not move (to engage flywheel).
• Attempted those with and without jumper from truck battery. no difference.
  ** All of those done while sitting in seat, so it's not the dead-man circuit. **
  Removed starter. Connected to 12v power, jumped across posts. With no resistance from engine, solenoid piston moves and starter spins. Starter shaft spins freely.
  ** That rules out solenoid **
• Hand-cranked engine using bolt on flywheel. With spark plug in, you can feel slight resistance on the compression stroke. With the plug removed there is compression.
  ** Those tests prove the engine isn't frozen. **
• Drained oil, strained through paper towel to look for metal in oil. Found no sparkly stuff in oil.
  ** Not likely that a piston ring is broken. **

I'm stumped. Ideas???

G'day when you say you jumped across the two posts do you mean the larger posts? If so then you have not ruled out the solenoid can you take a pic of your starter so we can see what style it is



Jon

 

[KubotainNH]

I'm thinking the solenoid should be external too. If there's only 1 thick wire going to the starter then no solenoid on the starter. Follow the wire back and you'll find the solenoid bolted to metal. These burn out often enough and Home Depot has generic ones.

 

[skyhook]

I googled his tractor, like the rest of you, I assumed there was a solenoid mounted
on the side somewhere, like mine also has",,
but his machine appears to have the solenoid mounted on the starter.

 

[sandybeach]

Correct. The solenoid is attached directly to the starter's housing.

 

[KubotainNH]

In that case and seeing the lights don't go out then I would check ground to the starter/motor.

 

[puckgrinder85]

What posts are you jumping across? I'm with banjo on the pics, it sounds like bad contacts in the solenoid, they erode away from jumping such a heavy current item. The lights don't dim because there is no contact in the solenoid.

 

[bigdeano]

Could be defective dead man switch. Sitting in the seat wouldn't correct that. I'd use a voltmeter and see where the power is going.