Craftsman DYS4500 will not start 2nd time

[Someone]

Hello all. New to the forum with a repair question.

So, I recently received a donated riding mower from my father. It's a Craftsman DYS4500 with a 26 HP Kohler PS-SV735 engine. He used it for 9 years and once he started having an issue with it he got a replacement and gave me this one to play around. The motor runs fine but it has a starting issue. Mower will not start up after turning it off. Cranks a bit, and if you keep on cranking it wont event turn over after that. I have to wait for approximately 15 minutes before I can start it again. My father replaced the starter and starter relay but the problem persists. He did take it for service one time and was told that the issue is caused by excess of pressure build up in the engine after it is turned off. There is some sort of pressure bleed valve on the bottom of the motor that is not working right. The repair would cost $500 to replace the valve. My father wanted to upgrade the mower so this was a perfect excuse to purchase a new unit. At the moment my financial situation is where I can not afford a new mower since I am in school. I would like to get this one fixed. So my question is, does anybody know what this bleed valve is or was the tech confused? Any assistance is appreciated.

 

[mechanic mark]

post model number from under seat beginning with 917. remove spark plugs, how do they look?

google Sears Parts Direct then enter model # 917276905 for operators & parts manuals

http://resources.kohler.com/power/kohler/enginesUS/pdf/32_690_01_EN.pdf engine service manual see troubleshooting page 17.

adjust valveshttps://www.jackssmallengines.com/j...v735/sv735-0017-sears-husqvarna-26-hp-19-4-kw

 

[Someone]

post model number from under seat beginning with 917. remove spark plugs, how do they look?

It's a 917.276905.

Took out the spark plugs. They look fine. Here is why I don't think it has anything to do with the spark plugs. The second time starting after it is turned off, started has hardly any power to turn the engine over even once, and mostly its unable. Only after waiting for 10-15 minutes can I start the mower normally.

 

[Rivets]

Next time it stops check to see if you have spark. If there is no spark you may have a hot short or hot open in the coil, which will reset itself when it cools. If this is the case, no spark, time to replace the coil.

 

[Someone]

Next time it stops check to see if you have spark. If there is no spark you may have a hot short or hot open in the coil, which will reset itself when it cools. If this is the case, no spark, time to replace the coil.

All right I took out both spark plugs and turned to run. The engine cranks no problem without the spark plugs installed. I do not physically see any sparks on the spark plugs but when I touch the spark plugs I can feel them shocking me. With spark plugs installed will not turn over.

 

[Rivets]

Are you grounding the spark plugs to the engine when checking for spark? If you are and still see no spark, I would be replacing the coil. I am assuming you are doing this test when then engine is good and hot.

 

[Someone]

Are you grounding the spark plugs to the engine when checking for spark? If you are and still see no spark, I would be replacing the coil. I am assuming you are doing this test when then engine is good and hot.

I have tried your method by grounding the plugs to the engine (basically touching the plugs to the engine, metal part of the spark plug to the metal molding of the engine) and no spark. I did this when the engine is cool. Also, as of right now, I am unable to crank the engine once the spark plugs are installed. The starter does not have enough power to rotate the engine. This is with a fully charged battery which is weird because I was able to start it just fine when it was cold.

 

[Rivets]

I’m thinking it may be a hot short or open. The test to see if this is it must be done when the engine is hot. As said, you must see a spark, not just feel a tingle.

 

[Someone]

I believe I was able to resolve the issue. I have tested the tractor when it is hot and I am able to start it while it is hot. Three major factors contributed to this issue. It was kind of a chain reaction. Some are normal and the the last one was the leading cause. The first one: as the engine gets hot there is thermal expansion of the metal causing higher friction, which is normal and you can't really do much about it. The second, I've noticed was, when the engine is hot there is higher compression inside the engine. Slight but it's there. Combined with friction, I noticed it's about twice as hard to turn the engine by hand. The last issue... drum roll... is cheap *** Chinese knock off starter. This excuse of Chinese ingenuity was the leading cause of the issue. As I've stated before, I was able to start the tractor the first time but second time the starter had no power. Once I put in the new origional equipment manufacturer starter, it was like a breath of fresh air. The thing never started this good. With this said, I did find another issue, faulty ignition switch. Another Chinese peace of crap. I'll be replacing it next.

As one guy said "I am not rich enough to buy cheap stuff". If I origionally spent extra $60 and about OEM starter I would not have wasted so much time, labor and money to find this issue.

Hope this helps.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Before you get too excited, yes you are right the cheap Chinese starters bought off Amazon Ebay Craigs List only vendors are the junk ones Briggs, Kohler, Stens, Oregon , or Prime Line rejected.
Second, cranking fine plugs out and not being able to overcome compression plugs in is the first sign of a failing decompressor on the crankshaft.
This I feel is what the technician was trying to tell your father.
It is not a difficult repair to do .
$ 400 of the $ 500 quoted is labour.
Whatever you do , don't hold the starter on while it struggles to get over compression.
If it gets like that then turn the engine just over compression by hand then hit the starter so it has time to build up some momentum to help it over full compression.
Otherwise it will be a new cam and a new starter.