non boaty - mower not starting

[simonfraser]

new battery, showing 12.75 at rest
turn the key, flywheel does a small turn, stops
can do this several times, see above

wait 5 hrs, turn the key and it turns over and starts / charges / etc

fornight later, same as above, this cycle has been going on for some time

what to replace ??

 

[jamie N]

The mower? (sorry)

 

[VicS]

If mine won't go I just push harder.

 

[KevinV]

new battery, showing 12.75 at rest
turn the key, flywheel does a small turn, stops
can do this several times, see above

wait 5 hrs, turn the key and it turns over and starts / charges / etc

fornight later, same as above, this cycle has been going on for some time

what to replace ??

"mower" covers a lot of ground (haha!) - what make/engine?

Pending that info, what happens if you jump the starter direct? That way you can rule the motor in/out.

 

[Norman_E]

Regardless of what make & type, when it does a small turn and stops remove the spark plug(s) so that there is no compression. If it then spins freely on the starter motor, then either the battery is dead or the starter motor needs attention (i.e. new brushes or a good clean).

 

[KevinV]

Regardless of what make & type, when it does a small turn and stops remove the spark plug(s) so that there is no compression. If it then spins freely on the starter motor, then either the battery is dead or the starter motor needs attention (i.e. new brushes or a good clean).

Without wishing to be pedantic, but doing so anyway, that isn't going to help on a diesel mower , so make and type do matter

 

[gordmac]

Check and clean the electrical connections?

 

[billyfish]

Clean the under the deck

 

[Refueler]

Could be poor connection to starter ... worth removing the leads from starter .... cleaning up and refixing.

One of my Jonsered LT2114's has similar problem ... but its a combo of the safety switch under the cutter lever and a bad battery. Its possible that starter itself needs service.

The cutter lever needs to depress the safety switch for starter to work ,.... often it needs to be held down to fully depress switch. The battery ? That has a trickle charger connected when not in use. When it just gives a 'kick' when trying to start - I hand turn the fan unit on end of crankshaft till it just passes through TDC .... then starter can get it spinning up.

 

[simonfraser]

petrol, ride on
cutter deck is clean, not connected when being started

remove the spark plug - that's a great idea
if that solves the rotation issue we'll look at the starter / wires - grand

 

[Refueler]

My 'poor battery' will spin the motor nicely without plug in - there's no compression to overcome ... but put plug back in and that's different ball game.

Removing plug only means a bad setup can spin the motor .... whether poor battery .... poor connections etc.

 

[Boater Sam]

Carb flooding petrol into the cylinder/s causing an hydraulic lock up.

 

[Juan Twothree]

My mower has a recoil starter.
I feel very inadequate.

 

[Refueler]

My mower has a recoil starter.
I feel very inadequate.

You need one of these ...

 

[Aeolus]

If you can jump start with a car and it starts easily, then the mower battery is almost certainly the problem and will need to be replaced. Voltage at rest is a limited indicator of battery health. If the car battery yields the same result, you'll need a level of expertise higher than mine (which is pretty limited TBH).