Hard To Start My Mower

[crokett]

Lawn tractor - Troy-bilt Pony. It was hard to get it to turn over last year so I bought a new battery, old one was 4 yrs old. That didn't seem to help. I am thinking either alternator isn't charging the battery properly or maybe starter motor is going? I can jump it from a car and it runs ok once it is started but it is like the battery isn't putting out enough power to get it to turn over.

Anyway, what to check and how?

[Uncle Cracker]

Check your battery voltages before you jump start from your car. Some mowers run on 6 volts, and your car battery would damage the mower. If your mower is 12 volts, though, then you could jump it from your car.

[master53yoda]

i don't know if that is a Tecumseh motor or not but they had a problem of cracking the field magnets. they would still turn but not very well. It happened twice on one of mine that i used for snow removal. I think it had to todo with the size of the magnet and a quick temperature change when cranking.

if the battery voltage stays above 10.5 during cranking it isn't the battery. if the voltage delivered to the start is within .75 volts of the battery the wiring and solenoids are OK. If the voltage drop at the starter is more then 1 Volt the first place would be the solenoid.

If everything else checks out pull the starter apart and check the fields

[JimD]

If the alternator is working, the voltage at the battery will increase when the engine is running. A simple check with a DC voltmeter will tell you. The voltage regulator on mine seems to be nonexistant or awfully basic, I think I measure something like 16V. Certainly it should be over 13V.

I haven't used my riding mower in a couple years. I should sell it. I guess I think I might get bad enough off some say I will need to use it. But I have been very unimpressed with the batteries. They do not seem to hold up well at all. My minimal use and not keeping the battery charged consistently undoubtedly represents abuse but it still seems like I cannot get more than 2 years on a battery. So I always suspect the battery, espeically when jumping it works.

Jim

[dewi1219]

i don't know if that is a Tecumseh motor or not but they had a problem of cracking the field magnets. they would still turn but not very well. It happened twice on one of mine that i used for snow removal. I think it had to todo with the size of the magnet and a quick temperature change when cranking.

if the battery voltage stays above 10.5 during cranking it isn't the battery. if the voltage delivered to the start is within .75 volts of the battery the wiring and solenoids are OK. If the voltage drop at the starter is more then 1 Volt the first place would be the solenoid.

If everything else checks out pull the starter apart and check the fields

+1 on Yoda's comments. I had the same thing happen to me.

[Ed62]

You might also have something dragging the battery down when it is not being used. If you disconnect the cable when you're through using it, reconnect it, and it starts right up the next time you want to use it, that could be the problem.

Ed

[phi1l]

I have no sympathy for guys that have to mow their lawn in February

[sweensdv]

I have no sympathy for guys that have to mow their lawn in February

Yup, just doesn't seem right talking about mowers in Feb.

[cgallery]

Yup, just doesn't seem right talking about mowers in Feb.

+2.

Actually, I thought he was just trying to be prepared for the mowing season. If he is mowing now, then I en envious.

[tseavoy]

Sometimes the connection between the starter switch and starter solenoid is tenuous what with going through all the safety switches -- seat switch, blade switch, reverse switch. Try jumping directly from the mower battery to the starter.
Of course you should check the battery voltage also, with and without the starter switch engaged.

I live north of almost all you guys (48-04 North) and I've mowed my lawn twice so far.

Tom on Marrowstone

[Uncle Cracker]

+2.

Actually, I thought he was just trying to be prepared for the mowing season. If he is mowing now, then I en envious.

I mowed this past weekend... The grass is still crusty, because we had several days of freeze, but the new green is coming out now, and the weeds are growing like crazy...

By the way, that first post-mow beer of the season went down mighty good!

[billwmeyer]

I have had two different problems from similar symptoms. One was the starter, and the other was the valves had come out of adjustment, so that the exhaust valves were not opening enough, so it was building compression. I would take the starter off and see if your local automotive parts shop can test it. A local NAPA store tested mine both times on my problems. The first time they said starter and that fixed it. The next time starter was fine, so I moved on and finally discovered the valve problem.

Bill

[Bill Stock]

A collective You Suck for the guys mowing their lawn; I'm still shovelling mine. :-)

[crokett]

I'm not mowing yet. I am trying to get it fixed now so my FIL can mow it and do other stuff.

As for the voltage if I did damage the battery by jumping it, it already happened. While we are on the subject, with a 6V battery is that what I should see at the starter when I am cranking it? Yoda mentioned 10V at the starter, I am assuming that is for a 12V system?

[Uncle Cracker]

As for the voltage if I did damage the battery by jumping it, it already happened. While we are on the subject, with a 6V battery is that what I should see at the starter when I am cranking it? Yoda mentioned 10V at the starter, I am assuming that is for a 12V system?

Not just the battery at risk... There may also be diodes, voltage regulators, bulbs and other stuff in there that may not react too well to too much voltage. As for the 10V thing, that's what you'd expect on a 12V system with the starter motor cranking... It brings down the voltage because of the current it's pulling.