Craftsman T1400 Lawn Tractor suddenly wont start

[rkode]

The equipment:
Craftsman T1400 Lawn Tractor
Model: 247.203732
Date of Purchase: 4-15-2015
Briggs & Stratton 17.5 HP gas engine (500 CC)
Model: 31R977
Type: 0041G1
Code: 141013ZA

The issue:
Won't start
It started fine yesterday morning.
I used it for about 2 hours. (Stopped and restarted it 4 times during that time.)
I didn't cut grass, I just used it to pick up and transport wood from a tree I cut down.
After moving the wood, I shut it down and had lunch.
Came back, checked the oil and topped off the tank.
It turns over with a lot of power. (I put a new battery in last month.)
The engine simply wont start.


What I have done:
Drained the gas and refilled with gas I know is good.
Replaced the plug. (The engine is getting gas cuz the plug is wet when I take it out.)
Replaced the gas filter (just because.)
Replaced the air filter.
I looked for all wire harnesses (That I could see) and then disconnected and reconnected them
Said a prayer
Swore like a drunken sailor.
Still nothin.

Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Rivets]

Two things you need to do and report back so we can tell you how to proceed.
1. Spray a little carb cleaner into the carb and try starting.
2. Remove a spark plug wire and plug and check to see if you have spark.
Report back with results.

 

[rkode]

Thanks Rivets for the reply.

I don't have any carb cleaner so THAT step will need to wait until my next trip to the tractor store.

I took the plug out, left the plug wire connected to the plug, touched the bottom of the plug to the engine and tried starting.
No spark.

Here is a bit more information.
I hope you can tell me what it means and what I need to do next.

I reinstalled the plug.
I removed the plastic engine cover. (4 screws)
There is a wire connected to what I think is called the "coil" via a nylon connector.
The other end of this wire snakes its way away from the engine and goes "who knows where".
If I unplug this nylon wire connector from the coil, the engine starts.
If I plug the nylon connector back into the coil, the engine refuses to start.
If the wire is not connected to the coil and the engine is running, I can stop the engine by turning the key to the off position.


What do you think any of this means ?
And what, do you think, I would need to do next ?

Thanks again for your time with this

 

[Rivets]

The wire you are disconnecting is the coil kill wire. Without that connected your engine is probably stopping due to the fuel solenoid operating properly, shutting off the fuel. This would have me looking for a short somewhere along the harness, grounding out the coil. This is what I call an electrician’s nightmare, as you must now find where that short is, somewhere between the coil and ignition switch. Sorry to say this but, have fun. Might find it in 20 minutes or if you’re not puking 3 hours.

 

[rkode]

OKay then. Thanks

 

[Rivets]

I should have included, check the ignition switch, making sure it is not grounding in the start/run position.

 

[Born2Mow]

If you have an Ohm meter or a VOM, then unplug the wire you were telling us about. That wire grounds out the ignition system to kill the engine, via the ignition switch. Take a resistance reading between the unplugged wire end and any bare spot on the engine housing. That meter reading should change as the ignition switch is turned ON and OFF.

If you have continuity (a connection) full time (ignition ON or OFF), then the ignition switch has probably failed. The switch is simply not breaking the connection to ground.

You can unplug that wire at either end and keep mowing, and no harm will come to the engine. The only problem will then be stopping the engine.

 

[rkode]

Hello again Rivets, Born2Mow and everyone else that took the time to consider my issue.

It's fixed.

THE solution was to replace the coil. (Methinks the formal names might be "Magneto" or "Armature".

I followed all the suggestions to the extent of my abilities.
Took all of the wire connections apart, cleaned em, reconnected and then measured to see if there was a reading on all of the safety switches.
I was pretty meticulous about performing the above but the result was the same.
About 2 hours time for me.
I also remove the existing coil, cleaned it up, reinstalled it, (and re-gapped it of course.) but the results were still the same.
I don't know why I chose to do that but with my limited knowledge, it was the only thing left that I could think of.

Then for the heck of it, I removed the coil from an older rider (I haven't started it in years) that had a Briggs engine on it and installed it on my Craftsman.
And sure enough my Craftsman started up immediately.

Who'd a thunk ?

So, I took a trip to my local power equipment store, picked up a new coil and now my Craftsmen T1400 is starting once again.

Thanks for your time.
Much obliged.

 

[Rivets]

Thank you for letting us know, 90% of the DIY guys fail to do that.

 

[jmffmedic]

Hi guys I am having the same issue with my Craftsman mower. My mower is the Craftsman Gold MRS 19.0 HP 540cc motor. The back problem started 2 wks ago I turned it on and it started to blow white smoke out of the motor. I mean a lot of smoke. Upon checking I noticed the oil looked like it had water in it. My mower is stored in a dry shed. So I changed the oil again ( do change it every year) it started up and ran fine. Last wk my father in law started mowing the lawn had no problem but he stopped and it would not start for him again. It tries to but it will not kick over. What I have done: changed the spark plug that didn't solve the problem. I took the carburetor off as much I can and sprayed carb cleaner in it, that didn't work. Now I have tried started fluid into the air intake and that got it started but died right away. Can anyone point me in a direction to go?? I know the carb is getting fuel from taking the line off it was running fine. Im stretching my head. What can I do??
Thank you guys
oh ya the mower is 6 yrs old if that makes a difference.