QuestionHi Michael,
I have a Craftsman 46" deck lawn tractor (about 15 years old). When I try to start it, it sometimes sounds like the engine is having difficulty turning over initially. I hear a click, then nothing happens for a couple of seconds, then it usually will turn over and start. I replaced the battery last year, but even when the battery was new there was a slight hesitation before the engine would turn over. This past weekend it wouldn't turn over, so I charged the battery. The engine did turn over after that and start, but again only after the hesitition.
Do you have any idea what could be wrong? Any help that you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark
AnswerHi Mark,
I suspect a faulty solenoid or weak starter.
I would check the starter first. Jump the positive battery terminal to the starter and it should crank over. If so, skip to step 2.
If not, jump from a battery that you know is good, from a car. If still nothing, the starter is bad. If good, then the mower battery is weak.
Step 2.
If the starter and battery are good, you will need to trace the entire circuit from the starter to the battery. The solenoid, switches the battery power to the starter, when power from the key switch is sent to the small terminal on the solenoid. To test the solenoid, first make sure that you have power at its large terminal which comes from the battery. Then jump power from that terminal or the battery positive post, to its small terminal. You should hear a click and the other large terminal that feeds the starter should be energized. If not, then the solenoid is bad. If good, then continue tracing the power through the key switch to the battery until you find the break in the power path. All testing can be done with a 12 volt light or a voltmeter. Most equipment has safety switches in the seat and on the blade engagement lever. Check them by temporarily bypassing with a small jumper wire.
Let me know how you make out.
Michael
