free old mower-need help

[ramblar]

Hi guys, I just picked up a FREE mtd yard tractor (yes, i know on a former thread I said they sucked, but hey, it was free!)
It has a 18hp briggs&stratton.


It is like a 2002, and it won't start. Every time I turn the key I hear a "click" from the battery. I know the battery is new because the previovs owner had just put one in, so it is not that.
Could the copper in the battery cables corrode?
Is my starter blown?

I have 2 other good mowers, but I thought if I could get this running, I would use it to mow a rough, bumpy space across the road.


thanks,
Ramblar

 

[greenaccord02]

Jump it directly from a car battery and if it still won't start you either have a bad starter or a seized engine. Of course, you can rule out a seizure by cranking it over by hand.

By directly, I mean jump it directly to the starter, bypassing all the wiring.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: ramblar
..Every time I turn the key I hear a "click" from the battery. I know the battery is new because the previovs owner had just put one in, so it is not that.


Well.. regardless of the battery being new or not, if it's not putting out ~12VDC, all you are going to get is a *click*. It's quite common for new lawn/garden batteries to need a charge. That would be troubleshoot #1, #2 would be the battery connections/cables like you mentioned. Congrats on the freeby!

Joel

 

[ramblar]

greenaccord2, I will try that, thanks.

JTK, I tried to jump the battery (the old fashioned way) with nothing. That isn't it.

thanks.

 

[ramblar]

yea, freeby's are nice arn't they!

 

[greenaccord02]

Now, it wouldn't be the first time or the thousandth time and certainly not the last time a starter went out on one of those models. If you can get the model and type off the engine, ebay has got you covered on a new starter.

 

[ramblar]

yea, but I would like to keep this "free"!

anyway maby I could rig it?


Otherwise, I might just use it for parts.

 

[mechjames]

starter solenoid. try jumping positive right to the starter, or jumping the two posts on the solenoid and see if it starts.

old fashioned way jumping should work fine. i've done it on my 20 year old sears.

 

[jshaw]

I had a starter solenoid out on the old rider that I used to use. Until I found a new one I took the little screen off the flywheel and wrapped a piece of rope around the little "cup" in the center and started it the really old fashioned way. It was only a 12.5hp briggs but I would have to use both hands to pull it. It would usually start in one or two pulls with the choke on.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: ramblar

JTK, I tried to jump the battery (the old fashioned way) with nothing. That isn't it.

thanks.


Again that's all fine, but do you have 12VDC at that battery measuring it with a hand-held multimeter? I've seen batteries not take a jump. I'm not trying to bust bawlz here, it's just that more times than not, what you are describing is just a weak or failed battery. These batteries are so low capacity they don't hold up well.

Joel

 

[wavinwayne]

I remember having to replace the starter on my mother's 1992 Murray mower. That was circa 1996, IIRC. I remember taking the old starter off, and seeing some plastic gears with teeth sheared off. So, it's not unheard of for a starter to be bad.

 

[ramblar]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: ramblar

JTK, I tried to jump the battery (the old fashioned way) with nothing. That isn't it.

thanks.


Again that's all fine, but do you have 12VDC at that battery measuring it with a hand-held multimeter? I've seen batteries not take a jump. I'm not trying to bust bawlz here, it's just that more times than not, what you are describing is just a weak or failed battery. These batteries are so low capacity they don't hold up well.

Joel


No, but I did not think of a voltage meter..........

 

[ramblar]

got it running.jumpped it directly, thanks.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Jump it directly from a car battery and if it still won't start you either have a bad starter or a seized engine. Of course, you can rule out a seizure by cranking it over by hand.

By directly, I mean jump it directly to the starter, bypassing all the wiring.


How do you jump batteries. Does it matter if the negative or positive clamps goes on first and on which battery. I've seen mechanics that always place one the jumpers on the starter.

 

[ramblar]

positive in starter. neg. on neg. battery cable.

hook the other ends to the other battery.

 

[Mamala Bay]

The last jumper placed between both batteries should be a negative jumper placed on the starter(dead battery). The starter takes a negative charge to start.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: ramblar
got it running.jumpped it directly, thanks.


If you had some electrical connection(problem) on the key switch to the solenoid(starter) even if you jumped it to the starter or to the battery itself it wouldn't have started if that was the problem.

If it started by jumping to the starter then the key switch current has no problem. It would have started also by placing the jumper on the battery itself. The only way to bypass this is connecting the positive and negative solenoid to start the starter. This would eliminate connection problems from the key switch to the solenoid of the starter.

 

[Mamala Bay]

For safety reasons how to jump start batteries.