garden tractor starter snafu
michael...@gmail.com
new solenoid. I turn the key, get a click. Sequentially, where do I
start the diagnosis process? Do I have a broken wire that won't
deliver enough juice to the solenoid? Do I jump from battery to
terminal with another wire? Do I splice in another wire from the
starter switch and attach that to the small in terminal in the
solenoid that carries a smaller voltage from said switch?
Must be a simple way to piece this together, suggestions very
welcome. Gotta be simple. thanks all, Mike
.
If you get one click every time you turn to key to START, that
probably indicates you have worn out brushes in the starter, which
requires
engine removal and flywheel removal before you can get to the starter.
If the starter solenoid clicks rapidly several times, that indicates a
weak battery.
The best way to find out whether the solenoid contacts aren't making
good connection is to jumper from one big terminal to the other. If
the starter cranks, it's the solenoid.
You can also jumper from the battery directly to the terminal on the
starter, if it's accessible. If the starter cranks, the problem is
somewhere in the cables, perhaps just a bad connection at the battery,
solenoid, or starter.
One problem which isn't obvious to most mechanics occurs when the
engine block corrodes and the starter can't make a good ground to the
engine.
And, if there is a ground jumper from the engine to the chassis, make
sure that's making good contact.
Who Me?
<michael...@gmail.com> wrote
> I turn the key, get a click.
Before you get too carried away with the other stuff, listen for a whine
after the click, which would indicate a failed engagement mechanism OR a
stripped gear on the starter. Also WATCH the flywheel. If it tries to
move just a little bit and stops, that could be a sign of a seized engine.
Ted Mittelstaedt
"Who Me?" <hitch...@dont.panic> wrote in message
news:bnJ_k.1741$jZ1...@flpi144.ffdc.sbc.com...
You also could try tying a rope to the tractor, the other end to your
car, and have someone pull the tractor along at a couple MPH and
drop the clutch to push-start it and see if the engine at least fires.
Ted
The Older Gentleman
If the solenoid is clicking, you're getting juice to the solenoid. I'd
check the connection from the solenoid to the starter motor itself next.
Easy check is to run a length of starter cable from the battery to the
starter motor itself. If it spins, the problem isn't the starter motor,
but the wiring between it and the switch or, most likely, it and the
solenoid.
--
BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XTZ660 Tenere Honda CB400F CB250N SH50
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
"What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time
and hassle for no tangible benefit."
Who Me?
"Ted Mittelstaedt" <te...@toybox.placo.com> wrote
> You also could try tying a rope to the tractor, the other end to your
> car, and have someone pull the tractor along at a couple MPH and
> drop the clutch to push-start it and see if the engine at least fires.
>
On most recent lawnmowers, there is no "clutch".
Will that work with a modern hydro-static transmission ?? I doubt it.
Like modern automatic car transmissions void of a "rear pump" that won't
push start, I'd think the same would be true of a lawn mower hydro
drive......but I don't really know.
Both of mine seem to have a distinct braking function when the pedal is
neutral.
Jack Hunt
>Sequentially, where do I
>start the diagnosis process?
Turn the engine by hand to make sure it isn't seized or has a hydrostatic lock.
Find out what the battery voltage is at the posts, not on the cable ends. That's
where you start. You need a voltmeter. There is no other way to determine if a
battery is good or not. If it burns a headlight or blows a horn, that's great
but operating a 5 amp accessory doesn't tell you squat about whether or not it
will operate a 150 amp starter.
Get a voltmeter and see what the resting battery voltage is. If it's 12.5 or
greater, go to the next step. If it's less than 12.5, you charge the battery or
replace it.
Test the cranking voltage. If cranking voltage is below 9, charge or replace
the battery.
If it's greater than 9 but nothing is moving, clean both battery connections,
check the solenoid connections, and clean all ground connections. Make sure all
ground connections are in place.
> Do I have a broken wire that won't
>deliver enough juice to the solenoid?
No. The solenoid either works or it doesn't. If it clicks, that's all it can
do.
> Do I jump from battery to terminal with another wire?
No, not unless you want to start a fire and screw up some terminals.
> Do I splice in another wire from the starter switch and attach that to the small
>in terminal in the solenoid that carries a smaller voltage from said switch?
You can do that, but nothing will change. If you're getting a click from the
solenoid, that's all that small wire can do. It's working correctly.
If everything checks out OK, measure the voltage supplied to the connection
terminal on the starter itself while cranking. If that doesn't equal battery
voltage while cranking, minus a few tenths for connection loss, you have a bad
connection somewhere.
If that checks out, put the positive voltmeter lead on the case of the starter
and the negative voltmeter lead on the negative post of the battery and crank
it. If you get ANY voltage, you have a bad connection somewhere on the ground
side of the battery.
If everything works out correctly with the above tests, suspect the starter
itself.
--
Jack
.
> Before you get too carried away with the other stuff, �listen for a whine
> after the click, which would indicate a failed engagement mechanism OR a
> stripped gear on the starter. � Also WATCH the flywheel. �If it tries to
> move just a little bit and stops, that could be a sign of a seized engine.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/Honda/HondaHT3813Starter.jpg
The solenoid is right there at the starter, it shouldn't be much of a
problem to
jumper from the solenoid to the starter.
The starter has a bendix drive and what looks like a one-way sprag
clutch on the reduction gear.
Claude Hopper
I bought a a nice 20hp tractor with a snowblower, wheel weights, chains
and mower deck for a real cheap price from a guy who had the same
problem and gave up on it. Turns out he dropped something on the engine
cowling bending it into the bug screen preventing the flywheel from
turning. Or else bent it while it was off and put it on that way. I
straighted it out and it runs like a clock. I like deals like that.