SHOOTING CHART FOR ELECTRIC START MODELS
TROUBLE
ngine will not
crank
LOOK FOR
Battery installed incor-
rectly
Blown fuse or circuit breaker
REMEDY
The battery must be installed with the negative terminal, identified at the terminal post by (Neg, N or
Replace fuse with 71/2amp. fuse V4 x 1V4" Ig. Circuit breaker will reset itself when it cools off. Fuses or circuit breakers seldom open or fail without a reason. The problem must be corrected. Check for loose connections in the fuse holder. Replace fuse holder if necessary. A dead short may be in the cranking or charging circuit where the insulation may have rubbed through and exposed the bare wire. Replace the wire or repair with electrician's tape if the wire strands have not been damaged.
Note: Look for a wire pinched between body panels, burned by the exhaust pipe or muffler or rubbed against a moving part.
Battery is dead or weak I Use a hydrometer to check the condition of the battery. The Specific Gravity (s.g.) should be 1.265 at 80°F. (1.215 s.g. minimum needed for cranking engine). The reason for the battery failing must be determined. (1) Defective battery. Battery will not accept or hold a full charge. (2) Short circuit. Check for grounded wire. (3) Charging system not working.
The charging system is an alternator located under the flywheel. It is unregulated and rated 3 amp. at 3600 r.p.m. A diode (rectifier) is located in the output lead just before the wire harness plug on the engine side.
The diode changes A.C. to D.C. to charge the battery. A bad diode can either fail to charge the bat- tery or discharge the battery if the alternator is shorted as well as the diode. To test: (1) Disconnect charger lead from the battery (small red wire). (2) Connect 12 V small test lamp between the 3 amp. D.C. charge lead and the positive terminal of the battery. (3) With the engine off, the lamp should not light. If it does, the diode and possibly the alternator should be replaced. (4) Start the engine. The lamp should light. If it does not, the alternator (stator) or lead wire is bad and should be replaced.
Mechanical | failure | The interlock system includes two | mechanical | activated switches | which | are wired in | series in | the | ||
(Wires and | switches) | circuit | used to | energize the starter | solenoid. | While testing the interlock | system, you | will make | the | |
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| mower temporarily unsafe by permitting the engine to be started with the blade and clutch engaged. | ||||||||
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| WARNING: While testing, disengage the clutch, shut off the blade control, set the parking brake and | ||||||||
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| place the gear shift lever in neutral. Attach a wire (minimum 18 gauge) to the positive terminal of the | ||||||||
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| battery and touch the other end to the small terminal on the solenoid. If the engine does not crank: (1) | ||||||||
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| There is a loose connection or poor ground. (2) The solenoid may be bad. The solenoid can be checked | ||||||||
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| by using a heavy wire (#8 gauge minimum) and jumping between the | two large terminals. | If the engine | ||||||
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| cranks, the solenoid is bad. (3) If the engine does not crank when you jump the solenoid, have the | ||||||||
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| starter motor tested by an authorized engine dealer. If the engine does crank, the problem is with | ||||||||
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| one of the safety switches, ignition switch or the wire between the fuse holder (or circuit breaker) and | ||||||||
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| the small terminal on the solenoid. Note: Look for a poor connection at the switches or a defective | ||||||||
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| switch. | Replace | if necessary. |
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Engine cranks
but will not start
Throttle or choke not in starting position
No spark to spark plug
Check owner's guide for correct position for throttle control and choke for starting.
Spark plug lead disconnected. Connect lead. Hold spark plug lead away from engine block about 1/8". Crank engine. There should be a spark. If not, have engine repaired at authorized engine ser- vice dealer.
Faulty spark plug. To test, remove spark plug. Attach spark plug lead to spark plug. Ground the spark plug body against the engine block. Crank the engine. The spark plug should fire at the electrode. Replace if it does not.
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