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Battery good, but only starts with jump

#1

T

taxguru

Craftsman 4500. 24 hp Vtwin. 42" deck. 7 years old. About 380 hours. I change oil, filters, spark plugs, etc every year. Last year had Sears come change deck belt and 1 bad spindle. Buy new battery every spring.
Bought new battery end of March. Mower started off battery. Did not mow in April because no rain meant no grass. Finally went to mow 2 weeks ago and would not start off battery. Started off jumper and ran fine for an hour. Turned off. Attached spreader. Would not turn on off battery. Started off jumper. Spread. Back into shed.
Last week I hooked the battery up to charger so it would be ready for weekend. Weekend comes, time to mow again. Voltage meter said 12.9 volts. Put battery in mower, will not start off battery. Remove battery and go to store where I bought it. They say battery holds charge fine. Go home. Top off battery with charger for an hour. Back into tractor. No good off battery. Starts fine off jumper.
So do I need a new starter motor? Check for bad wiring? Check for winter debris under the engine housing?
Or maybe just bite the bullet and buy another battery and keep this one charged between uses?
Much thanks for any suggestions.


#2

M

mechanic mark

Post tractor model number from under seat, engine manufacturer and all numbers, model xxxxxx, type xxxx, code xx. Check all wiring and connections for corrosion, rust, sheathing missing from wire {bare wire}, wires chafing and all connections are tight, especially ground cables and wires from engine to frame and chassis, also wire harness plugs to ignition switch etc.


#3

Carscw

Carscw

Have you checked the valves?
Will the engine turn at all with just the battery?


#4

T

tomsteve

battery holds charge fine, but was a load test done?


#5

M

motoman

Load test yes, or use hydrometer on cells. Trickle charge the batteries year round and they will last 3 years.


#6

Fish

Fish

Adjust the valves first.


#7

T

taxguru

Model = 917.287260. Today would not start even with a jump. Solenoid clicks but starter does not turn. Heavy cables from battery to starter solenoid and from solenoid to starter motor seem fine (under red plastic housing, not dirty). Multi-connector to ignition switch was dirty. Cleaned posts and connector. Still no go.

Guess I will have to get out my voltage meter and see how far power is getting through the circuit.

Then maybe go get another battery that never got down to zero charge (I do not know how to do load test). Trickle charging the battery is a pain (mower lives in shed in yard with no electric, so have to remove battery and bring to garage every time). But this is worse.

Thanks for any other suggestions.


#8

exotion

exotion

Man electrical problems suck. User rivets has a fantastic electrical trouble shooting guide pm him


#9

T

taxguru

So it did not start when jumped with the "plug in the wall" starter / charger, but it did start when jumped with the portable jumper / light / tire inflator. So at least I got my lawn mowed.

I guess maybe the problem is that the battery charger is too weak. Any suggestions for who makes a nice wall charger / starter before I head off the Harbor Freight for the cheapo option?


#10

exotion

exotion

I personally have had good luck with the harbor freight cheapo :)


#11

B

bouttree

I had the same problem....I thought I had a battery malfunction sometimes the engine would spin for a while if I jumped the battery.Then click click click..... This was a false result of jumping the engine, actually the engine valves would move enough sometimes to let off built up pressure so the engine would spin then the valves would get "stuck again and the flywheel would not spin....click click....I finally figured it out when I removed the spark plug then turned the start key. The flywheel would spin without a problem. My valves were way out of adjustment!!!!!! Please let me know if your engine is now running and what fixed it or notify me when you have found your problem. I also inspected the starter brushes and was amazed they were still in good shape as is the solenoid. I have burned out a new battery.
Dennis






taxguru said:
Craftsman 4500. 24 hp Vtwin. 42" deck. 7 years old. About 380 hours. I change oil, filters, spark plugs, etc every year. Last year had Sears come change deck belt and 1 bad spindle. Buy new battery every spring.
Bought new battery end of March. Mower started off battery. Did not mow in April because no rain meant no grass. Finally went to mow 2 weeks ago and would not start off battery. Started off jumper and ran fine for an hour. Turned off. Attached spreader. Would not turn on off battery. Started off jumper. Spread. Back into shed.
Last week I hooked the battery up to charger so it would be ready for weekend. Weekend comes, time to mow again. Voltage meter said 12.9 volts. Put battery in mower, will not start off battery. Remove battery and go to store where I bought it. They say battery holds charge fine. Go home. Top off battery with charger for an hour. Back into tractor. No good off battery. Starts fine off jumper.
So do I need a new starter motor? Check for bad wiring? Check for winter debris under the engine housing?
Or maybe just bite the bullet and buy another battery and keep this one charged between uses?
Much thanks for any suggestions.
Click to expand...


#12

B

bouttree

Defiantly try adjusting the valves


Carscw said:
Have you checked the valves?
Will the engine turn at all with just the battery?
Click to expand...


#13

M

mechanic mark

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/Cra...actor-Parts/Model-917287260/0247/1509200.html check out wiring schematic

Remove battery & take to local auto parts store & ask them to load test battery, you should not have to pay for this test, they have machine to test battery. Sounds like alternator failure. Also adjust valves engine cold per engine manual specs. as mentioned in above posts.


http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/support/manuals/results?NTT=445677-0725* engine manual & parts check out page 8 in engine illustrated parts list, alternator is located under flywheel, be sure to get correct numbers from old alternator before purchasing a new part. Always use OEM B&S parts.

http://www.amazon.com/Briggs-Stratton-273521-REP-MAN-INTK/dp/B002WNZY6S in case your interested, repair manual your engine


#14

B

bertsmobile1

To test the stating circuit, remove spark plugs and try the starter.
If the motor spins up fine then the whole starting electronics system is fine & dandy and the problem is either in the engine or the starter motor itself.

Try turning the engine over by hand without and with the plugs in
If you can not turn it over reasonably easily by hand then as every one else has said, adjust the valves you will find the gap has gotten a lot bigger than it should be.

I you can turn the engine over by hand with plugs in easily then have a look at the starter motor, they can get an accumulation of crud down the bottom that can damage the brushes or prevent them from working properly.

Just a word of warning, take the starter off the mower and after cleaning it, do the disassembly inside a carton as those springs can pop off and go for miles


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