So about that garden tractor. I didn't use it this winter to move snow because the winch that lifts the blower is broken. But I did start it every few weeks. The last time I tried (probably some time in Feb or March) it went "Click" and that was it. I thought maybe the battery was low so I put it on the charger. Took the charger off the next day. Don't recall if I tried to start it.
A couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to mow. "Click", then nothing. Checked the battery, fine. Tried a bunch of different stuff including messing with the seat switch. I took it out and reinstalled it several times, I checked for power on the wires the module connects to. But even the headlights would not go on, no lights on the switch went on. So I figured the electronic switch module had gone bad and ordered a new one. It will arrive Saturday.
But yesterday I figured there must be some way to bypass the switch. I found some YouTube videos but the one that was closest had spade connectors on the back, mine has 2 plugs each with about 8 wires going into it so nothing matched. I tried connecting the red power wire to the one marked coil. And a few other pins as well. Nothing. I thought maybe there were other connections that had to be made through the switch module so I put it back in. Sat on the seat and et voila, the blue light came on. It didn't do that when I was messing with it before I ordered the replacement. So I tried the start sequence - "Click". OK, so maybe it is the solenoid. I tried jumping past it, nothing.
I found a video with a number of common things to test. Since jumping the solenoid didn't start it I got to the starter. Maybe it was bad. The video said sometimes the starter gets stuck and turning the engine counterclockwise could free it. I was able to do that. "Click". So I looked at the starter, there were 2 small head bolts underneath headed up, figured they must hold the starter in. Indeed they were LONG bolts (those of you who know about these things can now say "NO!!!!!" or
or just cover your eyes). I pried a bit on the case and a round plate dropped out. Then the part of the starter that has the 4 brushes. And of course the brushes all came out of their slide spots on the springs. No way I could manage to put that back on from underneath. It took a fair bit of time just to get them all into their spots and held there with a 3/4" copper pipe connector. Can't see a thing from underneath the tractor.
At this point I'm thinking I'm well on my way to a Zinger™ award when I would have to call someone to put my machine back together. So what the heck, might as well keep digging!! I took off some plastic shrouds and found the actual bolts that hold the starter onto the engine. Hex key and unlike EVERY other bolt I had taken out these were metric ?!? Got it off, got the brushes back on and the plate put back on all held together with the long bolts "phew". I managed to get enough wires connected to the battery to give the starter some juice, it kicked hard. Figured at this point there was no way I could hold it and see what it was doing so I put it back on the engine. Reconnected the wire to the solenoid, sat on the seat, did the start sequence and it STARTED!
I have NO idea what I did that fixed it but I took advantage of the fact that it would run and put the deck on, mowed the lawn after dinner (boy did it need it!) before the tractor changed its mind. About the only thing I did right was to grease the deck and sharpen the blades then put them back on after I took the deck off last fall. It was ready to go.
If anyone who understands this sort of thing can tell me how I fixed it and what I should look for or do the next time, I'm all eyes.
..and I was gonna ask if ya checked the brushes when ya had them out....
....when I was reading, I had the thought it'd end with it being a blown fuse....
....but, it was probably a loose or bad connection that ya found during your "adventure".....sounds like ya won't have to worry bout those issues for awhile.....
