engine hard to spin without plug

[suprfngy]

I have a riding mower with a 15 hp Tecumseh engine that is hard to turn over without the spark plug in it . Is it time to rebuild?

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Could also be a weak starter. Check battery voltage at the battery, and voltage at the starter lug.
Check and clean your ground cable to

 

[suprfngy]

I was turning it over with my makita 1/2 " drill whichis awesome

 

[suprfngy]

it even puts a strain on it though

 

[suprfngy]

new battery clean connections but hard to turn with spark plug out

 

[suprfngy]

could there be anything else slowing it down

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I was turning it over with my makita 1/2 " drill whichis awesome

So you haven't used the starter to turn it over?

 

[tom3]

Belts tight? Pull the belts off the bottom pulleys and see what that does. I crank my Lawn Boy with a Sears drill, teaches that mower a lesson too. Was your motor running ok to start with?