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I have a 24 hsp Craftsman Professional ELS Twin. Model 917.288700 and it will not start. I had to put the charger on it twice in the last 9 months but this time it won't even try to turn. No noise at all. The battery reads 14 volts. I through it on a slow charge anyway and still dead it will not turn over. Normally the flywheel will turn a little but it does not even try to turn over I am somewhat technical and know how to use a multimeter.

larbec7 said:

I have a 24 hsp Craftsman Professional ELS Twin. Model 917.288700 and it will not start. I had to put the charger on it twice in the last 9 months but this time it won't even try to turn. No noise at all. The battery reads 14 volts. I through it on a slow charge anyway and still dead it will not turn over. Normally the flywheel will turn a little but it does not even try to turn over I am somewhat technical and know how to use a multimeter.

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A fully charged battery should read 12.6-12.7 volts. If you take your reading immediately after charging is complete you may get a higher number, but a 14 volt level shouldn't be held for more than a couple minutes. Is your meter accurate?

Have you tried connecting your battery directly to the starter? This will eliminate wiring, solenoid, and ignition switch as possible problems. Using jumper cables connect the positive battery terminal to the power lug on the starter, then connect one end of the other jumper cable to the mower chassis or engine. Connect the other end to the negative terminal of the battery. The starter should engage and the motor should turn over. If it doesn't, either the starter or the battery is no good. Try again with another battery, if it still doesn't engage you have a bad starter.

If the starter does engage with the original battery you could have a bad ignition switch, bad solenoid, or a safety interlock problem. There are possible safety interlocks on the clutch, seat, PTO, and gear selector on different mowers that will either kill the ignition or disable the starter.

Thank you so MUCH!! I will try this tomorrow or one day this week.

Can you tell me if this is the started? I see the black wire with the red line running from the battering to the round black cylinder which I will assume is the starter? If so, do I disconnect the lead wire from the bolt or hook up the jumper cables with it connected?

If it is not too much trouble, can you tell me what the battery terminal connects to after the positive side of the battery? I see the cable goes to the top of a black box and then connects to the starter. I am trying to learn what these are and what they do

Once again, thanks

larbec7 said:

Can you tell me if this is the started? I see the black wire with the red line running from the battering to the round black cylinder which I will assume is the starter? If so, do I disconnect the lead wire from the bolt or hook up the jumper cables with it connected?

If it is not too much trouble, can you tell me what the battery terminal connects to after the positive side of the battery? I see the cable goes to the top of a black box and then connects to the starter. I am trying to learn what these are and what they do

Once again, thanks

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Tha starter is in the middle of the photo, it looks like a can of beans painted black. As far as the the black box, I can't say conclusively but it could be a relay and it could be your problem. I would not replace it until you have tested it and you are sure it's faulty. I'm not even sure what it is, it hurts my neck looking at it:biggrin:.
Just about any 12vdc battery will start that thing. You could jump it off of your car if you know what your doing. It would be safer to remove the battery from the car first but i'm not sure that's a good idea in this case
If you can get it started with another battery that would make this battery suspect.
Any bad connection will cause the problem you outline.
Sooo I guess I'm recomending that you take all of the connections loose between the starter and the positive terminal and throughly clean them. Then hook a good battery to the system and give er a crank. If the problem persists do the same thing with the ground wire cause either one can can be culpable.
This is no big deal, you could have much bigger problem so stay with it and we will get you through it.:thumbsup:

larbec7 said:

Can you tell me if this is the started? I see the black wire with the red line running from the battering to the round black cylinder which I will assume is the starter? If so, do I disconnect the lead wire from the bolt or hook up the jumper cables with it connected?

If it is not too much trouble, can you tell me what the battery terminal connects to after the positive side of the battery? I see the cable goes to the top of a black box and then connects to the starter. I am trying to learn what these are and what they do

Once again, thanks

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The large red wire connects to the solenoid. There is another connection to the + terminal of the ignition switch. The solenoid is an electric relay that transmits high-current battery power to the starter. The transmission is controlled by a low-current connection to the ignition switch.

When you turn the ignition switch to "start", power is applied to the solenoid control terminals, the solenoid engages, and high-current power is applied to the starter. The starter then engages and the motor spins. If the ignition switch could handle the high current needed to spin the starter a solenoid wouldn't be needed. The solenoid enables a low current switch to control a high current starter. The current levels through the starter would incinerate the ignition switch.


You don't have to disconnect anything. Simply connect the red jumper cable between the positive battery terminal and the starter lug (the connection where the big red wire connects to the starter). Then connect the black jumper cable to the tractor chassis or engine block. Then connect the other end of the black jumper to the negative battery terminal. When you make the last connect there will be some arcing. The starter should spin.

If you're not comfortable doing this you may want to consider taking the mower to a repair shop. Not everybody is a mechanic.

I jumped it out and the engine turned over strong. I am attaching a pic of something that it must be but I am uncertain what the part is called. The part number is Trombetta 862-1241-211-12. 12v I went to their web site and you would think that had some place to do a search but no luck. It almost looks like the solenoid you were speaking about. Do they ever stick and perhaps can be lubricated?

larbec7 said:

I jumped it out and the engine turned over strong. I am attaching a pic of something that it must be but I am uncertain what the part is called. The part number is Trombetta 862-1241-211-12. 12v I went to their web site and you would think that had some place to do a search but no luck. It almost looks like the solenoid you were speaking about. Do they ever stick and perhaps can be lubricated?

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Yeah, that's the solenoid. Either there is no power being applied to the solenoid by the ignition switch, or the solenoid is bad. Put your meter probes across the input connections (small wires), then turn the ignition switch to start. Do you have 12V+ across the input terminals? If yes, you have a bad solenoid. If no, you have either a bad ignition switch, or, more likely, a problem with a safety interlock.

I would think the ignition switch is good because when I turn the switch the lights come on. So ,,,, that means its the solenoid???

larbec7 said:

I would think the ignition switch is good because when I turn the switch the lights come on. So ,,,, that means its the solenoid???

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No. Just because the lights come on doesn't mean the switch is good; it means that the switch is providing power to the lights. The switch also has a contact to provide power to the solenoid; does that have power? You have to measure the power at the solenoid input (the two smaller wires on the solenoid) with the switch in the start position. You should see +12V on the solenoid terminal that connects to the battery all the time. If you see 12V at the solenoid input, and have 12V at the terminal connected to the battery, and don't have 12V at the solenoid terminal that's connected to the starter, then you have a bad solenoid.

If you don't get 12V at the solenoid input connections with the switch in the start position it's likely that a safety interlock is the problem. These interlocks are probably the most common source of problems with the starter not engaging. Try holding the ignition switch is the start position while seating in the seat and moving the various controls: PTO, clutch, brake, gear selector, electric clutch. Your mower may not have all these controls, but check those you have. Different mowers use different combinations of switches: some kill the ignition if the PTO is engaged and reverse gear is selected, some kill the starter if the brake isn't engaged or the PTO is engaged. Your owner's manual should tell you what is required to start the engine.

A quick look at the wiring diagram for your mower shows the brake/clutch pedal and the PTO switch being monitored for the starter circuit.
http://www.norma-t.ru/catalog/files/craft/917.288700.pdf

Question: When I put the red jumper on the positive battery and then touch the starter nut - it arcs then. Is that safe? Why would you need the black jumper cable. The starter is already grounded. Do I need to turn the key at the same time?

thanx
TIm

jhwentworth said:

The large red wire connects to the solenoid. There is another connection to the + terminal of the ignition switch. The solenoid is an electric relay that transmits high-current battery power to the starter. The transmission is controlled by a low-current connection to the ignition switch.

When you turn the ignition switch to "start", power is applied to the solenoid control terminals, the solenoid engages, and high-current power is applied to the starter. The starter then engages and the motor spins. If the ignition switch could handle the high current needed to spin the starter a solenoid wouldn't be needed. The solenoid enables a low current switch to control a high current starter. The current levels through the starter would incinerate the ignition switch.


You don't have to disconnect anything. Simply connect the red jumper cable between the positive battery terminal and the starter lug (the connection where the big red wire connects to the starter). Then connect the black jumper cable to the tractor chassis or engine block. Then connect the other end of the black jumper to the negative battery terminal. When you make the last connect there will be some arcing. The starter should spin.

If you're not comfortable doing this you may want to consider taking the mower to a repair shop. Not everybody is a mechanic.

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this thread is ancient !......start a new thread :thumbsup: