I ahve an exmark mower. I used it and it worked fine. I cleaned it off after I was finished cutting and let it cool off. When I tried to start it nothing happened. I tested the starter and the batery and both are fine. I noticed that when I have the blade PTO disengaged (off) nothing happens at all. When I engage the blade PTO, there is a single click that seems to come from the blade electric clutch. This seem backwards as I believe there is not supposed to be any action when the blade is engaged and you try to start the enging. If anyone can help me with this it would be greatly appreciated.
Exmark mower will not start
- Thread starter GoPIEdog
- Start date
How did you test the battery and starter?
I had this issue before, try pushing the PTO switch in and out 2 see what happens. You can also take the PTO switch off and make sure the contacts are clean.
Did you clean the mower off with water, meaning, did you hose the Mower off?
I unplugged and plugged the PTO switch a couple times but will look at replacing it. I blow the mower off and hose it when it has cooled down (have done this to this mower for 20 years with no issues). Battery and starter were removed and taken to a repair shop and tested. i Unplug the Clutch wire plug a then reconnected it. It seems weird that the mower will only make any noise while the PTO is engaged and does nothing when not engaged and this just started with the non starting problem. I think this is opposite what is supposed to happen
I jumped the solenoid when I had my issue to start and tested all safety issues when running example like lifting my weight off seat to see if fails and so on. I came to the conclusion it had to be pto and was correct.
...and for 20 years you have been very lucky. One should never subject OPE to water, neither from a pressure washer, a garden hose, or the rain. They were not designed for it, and they don't need to be clean to do their job.
Folks out here in little redneck Dickson, TN leave their mowers outside.
I don’t get it.
In my years in the OPE business I saw water cause more problems than anything else but bad gas. OPE is simply not designed to be flooded with water.
Case in point, I had a customer bring me a mower that was very low on compression and would not run. The head needed to be removed to find out what was going on, and in the process of doing so, the cooling shroud needed to be removed. I found all of the cooling fins packed with dry mud causing the engine to overheat and spit-out a valve seat. The guy religiously washed the mower down after each use and little by little the dirt that blew in from use turned to mud, dried solid, and gradually built-up.
The fuel systems are not sealed, they are vented to the atmosphere and water can enter. Also, the control cables are not sealed and can rust internally from water intrusion. Additionally, the switches and wiring harnesses that the manufacturers use are not water tight (like a car).
On a typical zero-turn, there are interlock switches on the seat, parking brake, drive levers, and PTO switch. Any of these can prevent the starter from engaging. The wiring is often complicated by having a box of relays also involved, and a schematic for the particular machine will be needed.
Sometimes the solenoid itself is bad. If the starter solenoid has one small wire, disconnect that wire then jump the terminal to battery + to check the solenoid itself. Or put a meter or test light on the small solenoid wire to ground to look for voltage to ground while trying to start.
You're hearing the PTO clutch drop out when trying to start with the PTO button out. This is likely a side effect of how the system is wired and really doesn't mean anything other than that the battery is somewhat live.
Sometimes the solenoid itself is bad. If the starter solenoid has one small wire, disconnect that wire then jump the terminal to battery + to check the solenoid itself. Or put a meter or test light on the small solenoid wire to ground to look for voltage to ground while trying to start.
You're hearing the PTO clutch drop out when trying to start with the PTO button out. This is likely a side effect of how the system is wired and really doesn't mean anything other than that the battery is somewhat live.
The seat safety switch can fail without warning and cause this issue you described.
To me it sounds like something involving the starter solenoid.
That click with the PTO switch is normal, and that tells me your safety switches are operating properly.
Was The problem ever resolved?
My old Craftsman w/BS has a weak solenoid. Hold it in start, give the solenoid a tap and it engages. Erratic also, only acts up cold. Since it's close to the motor after some run time it works just fine. Safety switches test fine.
