I have an Lt1000 that is hard to start. It is several years old and has alot of hours on the engine. The engine is a 17.5 hp Briggs. It doesn't leak or burn any oil and I change it about 4 times a year because I am cutting my yard (3 acres) and mama's yard (5 acres) and picking up leaves every year so this thing gets a good workout. Once you get it cranked it runs perfect just getting it cranked is the hard part. I have to put a charger on it and run the volts up to around 15.5 just to try and get it to turn over past the compression stroke. I have checked all the cables, swapped starters and checked all I know to check. It acts like it doesn't have the power to turn the engine over once it hits the compression stroke. I adjusted the valves about 3 yrs. ago but haven't really had any problems till last year. The battery has a full charge and I still have to hook the charger to it. Even when it is hot it acts like this. I'm wondering if the valves are to tight and it has too much compression. If someone can point me in the right direction it sure would be appreciated. Sorry this is long but trying to cover everything.
OK. From what is left of the numbers on the decal it looks like the serial number might be 030619zd00460. I can't make out the model number but I do know that the engine series is a 31C700 and it is a 17.5 HP with OHV's.
Thanks Rivets, but those manuals are for a 2 cylinder engine. I apologize I forgot to mention that the 17.5 HP OHV engine is a single cylinder. Sorry about that.
Alright fellows, got the valves adjusted. Seems to be a little better. I checked the voltage coming out of the solenoid with the key turn to crank and have full voltage. I did have a little corrosion on the positive side of the battery cable so I cut it off and put new terminal on it. I took the ground loose (mower side) it didn't look to bad but cleaned it anyway. Everything else looks good or checks good. The only thing I haven't checked is to do a load test on the battery. That's for tomorrow.
Thanks for the help Rivets, I will let you know how the battery check comes out.
Well I load tested the battery and it said it was bad. Went and got a 420 CCA battery and that thing fired right up. Yea I know that is supposed to be the first thing you check. Thanks to everyone that replied!
You're welcome. I've done this before with the battery being the last thing I checked. Maybe next time I will remember to check the battery first. And I call myself pretty well mechanically inclined, most of the time. That old battery was 3 yrs. old. Just because it has a full charge doesn't mean it is good, and I know that. It's the amps that you need to turn that thing over. Ya'll have a good afternoon.
And you bought a 420 amp battery where? Recently I've had problems finding a battery of 300 cold cranking amps that would fit in a lawn tractor but 280 were fairly common. IIR the factory battery in my JD was 230 cca.
I bought it at Tractor Supply. It was $49.99. Yea I didn't know they made one that big for a mower. I had planned on getting a 360 CCA till I seen the 420CCA.
And you bought a 420 amp battery where? Recently I've had problems finding a battery of 300 cold cranking amps that would fit in a lawn tractor but 280 were fairly common. IIR the factory battery in my JD was 230 cca.
