Tracplus 16hp mower cant start???

BugBlaster

Bought a tracplus ride-on mower 5 years ago, maintained by myself ( looks like a similar Craftman etc). Supplier in cork has since retired. The issue i have now is that the mower will not start. I have tried turning over the engine but this rapidly kills the battery. I used the spare car battery i have fully charged, and still this happens. The engine will only turn over nicely when i have the spark plug removed. The spark is oK and can be seen as the engine turns while removed and casing grounded. I suspect the starter motor. Its a briggs and stratton engine 16hp IC OHV and the engine marking cant be read. The starter motor has a code on the flange (14teeth Unit BTW) 041215 C1 but lookin on the web doesnt list it. on the top cowl over the engine there are a few other markings.... 5BSXS.5012VP 276016.

Any advice welcome, cept burn it which i have considered!

Help?


Bug

DeniseandGeoff

When you say it does not start, do you mean when the plug is in the engine will not turn over, or turns over fine but will not fire ?

If it is not turning over, I would suspect a faulty relay, you could test this if you take care, by taking a jump lead off a spare battery, earth the earth to the engine, and trace the thick red wire from the positive of the mower on board battery and I would follow the lead direct to the starter, touch the positive lead on the starter were the red wire bolts on, if it then turns over it's probably the starter solenoid, you could try cleaning all the terminals on this if it's covered in corrosion.

Hope this helps

BugBlaster

the engine tries to turn over, but it will quickly kill the battery, Compression seems high. Removing the plug, and inserting it back in the lead and then turning over the engine, the engine does turn, and i can see the spark of the plug( with the frame grounding the threads of the plug) I thought i had a weak starter motor but it turns over fine with no plug inserted. Could there be a valve problem with the exhaust valve not opening. I can hear the gases being sucked in at the carb but cant hear anything at the muffler.

\\Any thoughts?

DeniseandGeoff

It's still sounds like a starter problem to me, it will turn over without the plug in because there will be no compression, I would take the battery off, follow the positive lead and make sure all the connections are clean and tight, do the same with the negative, especially where it will be grounded to the chassis.

How long has it been standing, and when was the last time it was running ok ?

BugBlaster

end of season last year, had to cut the acre with a self propelled follow on lawnmower, took 4 hours

I checked the voltage input to the starter motor with a voltmeter and it was about the same as the battery terminals. Relay seems to be cleanly switching. From what i remember of the last time it started there was a whif of burn for a few seconds, but that having happened about 6 months ago now had cleared from what ever had a problem and i cant find it now.

If one of the windings in the starter failed, that would reduce the push?

The fact that it runs at all has me stumped

DeniseandGeoff

If you have any local auto electricians they may offer a rewinf service if it is the starter, or they may know some other to do it?

I would still try my trick to put the voltage straight onto the starter terminal,if that works you know for sure it's the starter relay.

We had the same problem with one of our race bikes, that turned out to be the starter solenoid faulty.

Good look with it, if i was closer I would have taken a look, can't think it will take to much to fix

oflynno

i have a years old murray ride on lawnmower which does the same

the problem with mine was condensation(water) in the fuel bowl.

unscrew yours and empty it out and try it all again

code187.2010

Just a thought check the oil level if the petrol was left on it may have found it's way into the sump and so cause a partial hydraulic lock so making the engine hard to start.

BugBlaster

on wednesday night i drained all the fuel, the bowl below the carb and tried to run it, added fresh fuel, and still no luck.

Recharged battery again!

Friday afternoon,
read up on the manual again for the !!!th time. took off rocker valve cover (its an OHV engine) and checked the settings, the exhaust valve was hardly open, set this to 0.008 and the intake to 0.006 (info found on the sears parts for this engine site) and it STARTED!!

two hours later, garden is back all lovely and trimmed, in less than half the time of last week.

HAPPY BUGGY

DeniseandGeoff

Congrats on fixing it.