Lawn mower question

[weekendwelder]

So my mower doesn't start anymore, I turn the key nothing, no clicks nothing, I have a good battery, and I replaced the solenoid, still nothing, so I assumed it was the starter. So I unmounted the starter, then I hooked it up to my battery using jumper cables, nothing. It just sparks when I touch the cable to the terminal on the starter. But it doesn't try to turn at all. So I opened up the starter, I didn't see any broken wires or anything, so I got out an ohm meter and it said that it was NOT o.l. there WAS a complete circuit, so what do do you guy think.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

does the starter turn without a load? or nothing?

 

[weekendwelder]

I can turn it with my hand if thats you mean, but without it attatched to the motor, just sitting on the bench, it does not turn by the power of the battery.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

have you checked the brushes? one might have cracked. its best to just replace them though.

good news that it turns over by hand though.

try cleaning it out completely and clean off the part at the back that contacts the brushes.

 

[sideways]

Test your solenoid. Even new parts don't work sometimes.

Do you know how a starter motor is meant to be wired? Most people get it wrong and blame the starter.

If there's no click or anything then the solenoid is either not working or you aren't getting power to it.

Thanks

Hayden

 

[Blazkowiez]

Most riding mowers have several different kill switches on the mower itself, perhaps one got grounded. Check your switch, seat, clutch etc.

 

[anderkart]

just sitting on the bench, it does not turn by the power of the battery.

Sounds like a defective starter, but connect your voltmeter (both + and -) up directly at the starter while bench testing. If your voltage readings remain above 9 or 10 volts under a load, you can only then be certain your starter is defective.

But If your voltage readings fall below 9 or 10 volts under a load, you might just be fighting a weak/defective battery or high resistance/poor connection in your battery cables.

(these +/- battery cables would always need to be 10-gauge or larger in size...)

If your not getting any solenoid click while testing on the mower, Its possible you might be fighting 2 separate problems here. You can use use a voltmeter to follow the starting circuit along its path and diagnose any problems it may have.

For a 4-terminal starter solenoid to engage, it would require:

Power/+ to 1 (either) of the of the small terminals,
Ground/- to the other small terminal,
Which would then finally engage the solenoid and make the connection between the 2 large posts and send power along it way to your starter.

Some solenoids also require a good ground source to they're mounting bracket.

A 3-terminal starter solenoid would function just the same, but just not have the additional small terminal requiring a ground source. But its mounting bracket would definitely need to be grounded for the solenoid to function.