QuestionHello! I have a question concerning a Craftsman 17 horsepower 42" cut riding lawn mower with a Briggs and Stratton engine. The mower is about seven years old, has been well maintained, and ran fine up until Saturday.
The mower will not start. The starter turned, and it did engage the engine, but it would stop after a few weak spins.
I suspected the battery, which was several years old. So I replaced the battery with a new Craftsman battery.
The mower started, at once, and the engine ran perfectly for a few minutes. I then cut it off, and proceeded to change the oil, the blades, and the air filter.
But when I tried to restart it afterward, I got a few weak spins from the starter and that was it.
Since then, I have done the following:
* Replaced the starter with a new starter.
* Drained the fuel and replaced it with fresh.
* Replaced the positive battery terminal, which showed some minor corrosion.
All for naught. I still get a few weak, slow spins on the new starter, and that's it.
I bypassed the solenoid and ran cable straight from the battery to the starter. I still get weak spins! I suspected the solenoid by then, and was hoping it would start when I bypassed the solenoid. But nothing changed.
I pulled the spark plug, did my bypass, and then the engine spins furiously -- but I never saw a spark from the plug.
So today I will replace the spark plug and the solenoid, since there is an odd 'bulge' on one side of it, as if the plastic case expanded from heat.
Why did the engine turn like normal with the spark plug out? Is that normal?
And do you have any suggestions for other actions I could take, in case the new plug, the new solenoid, and a new fuel filter don't help?
Thanks!
Frank
AnswerWhen you turn the engine over without the plug there is no compression...this is normal.
Many cases like yours are due to dirty battery terminals/cable ends. Disconnect the battery cables and clean with a wire brush; clean the terminal ends and battery.
Do you have a volt meter?
Let me know.
Eric
