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My John Deere 111 is older than I am and I've had to do a lot of work on it but I'm far from an expert. The last time I used the mower it stopped running and I thought it was the battery so I charged it. Now when I go to start the thing, I hear a single click and that's it. I took off the starter cover and the plastic gear is fine. What should I try next?

Thanks for your help!

Matt

MattRichWarren said:

My John Deere 111 is older than I am and I've had to do a lot of work on it but I'm far from an expert. The last time I used the mower it stopped running and I thought it was the battery so I charged it. Now when I go to start the thing, I hear a single click and that's it. I took off the starter cover and the plastic gear is fine. What should I try next?

Thanks for your help!

Matt

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Start from the beginning. Battery, battery cables, connections. You charged the battery but did it hold the charge? Always start small and work up to the bigger things.

Start from the beginning. Battery, battery cables, connections. You charged the battery but did it hold the charge? Always start small and work up to the bigger things.

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The connections and cables all look fine. I think the battery is holding a charge and I even tried to turn over the engine using a jump start. It's always just the single click.

I should note that I installed a trickle charger last summer when the battery wouldn't recharge while I was mowing. Right now I'm using a Die Hard battery charger to fulyl charge the battery.

I have had the same problem on mowers and most of the time it is a bad ground.

Make sure the starter solenoid has a good ground. And the battery to frame ground is good and clean.

Could this connection under the battery be the problem?

MattRichWarren said:

Could this connection under the battery be the problem? <img src="http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/attachments/small-engine-mower-repair/22490-john-deere-111-starting-problem-20140731_163107-jpg"/>

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I would clean it up and scrape where it bolts to the frame.

Carscw said:

I would clean it up and scrape where it bolts to the frame.

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I cleaned it up where it bolts to the frame and in the process found that the diode was cracked so I ordered a new one and put it on today. Still the same problem. I turn the key, I get a single click as the starter moves but apparently doesn't have a strong enough jolt to actually start the thing. Any more suggestions?

You said you charged the battery, did it hold a charge? What is the voyage at the starter when you try to start it? You will need to test some things here. You can buy a cheap meter to test your voltage for less then 5 dollars.

reynoldston said:

You said you charged the battery, did it hold a charge? What is the voyage at the starter when you try to start it? You will need to test some things here. You can buy a cheap meter to test your voltage for less then 5 dollars.

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The battery is holding the charge.

I used my voltage tester to check the starter connection on the solenoid, as well. When I turned the ignition, I got a charge there, as well.

In my basic understanding of this, that means a few things:
- Not the battery.
- Not the connections to the solenoid.
- Not the solenoid.

If that's all correct, what do I do next?

Matt, Use o hm meter on the disconnected cable-should be no resistance. Looks like corrosion at the crimp. Hope you are not guessing about the "full charge." Use a bat hydrometer if you can access the electrolyte (screw caps). No caps? Seeing 12 volts is sometimes not definitive as sulfated bats hold a surf charge. Poor mans load test: hook up multimeter for voltage accross bat terminals. Watch voltage reading while cranking engine for a FEW cycles. Voltage should continue to read around 12 v. Do not crank over 8-10 revos. Do not start engine.

Push the mower over to the car and run jumper cables from the car battery to the mower battery.

If it cranks then battery is BAD ( NO GOOD )

If it does not crank then take the red end of the jumper cable and touch it to the starter post.

Carscw said:

Push the mower over to the car and run jumper cables from the car battery to the mower battery.

If it cranks then battery is BAD ( NO GOOD )

If it does not crank then take the red end of the jumper cable and touch it to the starter post.

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Still getting just the single click.

Time to go back to the beginning, you have followed some good advice, but let's go through it in an orderly fashion. Here is a procedure which I use.





Electrical* problems can be very easy or very difficult, depending on four things.
1. * How well you understand basic electricity.
2. *What tools you have and know how to use.
3. *How well you follow directions.
4. *You don't overlook or assume anything and verify everything.

Remember we cannot see what you are doing. *You are our eyes, ears and fingers in solving this problem. *You must be as accurate as you can when you report back. *The two basic tools we will ask you to use are a test light and a multi-meter. *If you have an assistant when going through these tests it would be very helpful. *These steps work the best when done in order, so please don't jump around. *Now let's solve this problem.

First, check the fuse(s), check battery connections for corrosion (clean if necessary) and *voltage - above 12.5 volts should be good.*

Second, check for power from the battery to one of the large terminals on the solenoid. *One of the wires is connected directly to the battery and has power all the time so one of the large terminals should light a test light or show 12 volts on a meter at all times.*

Third, *check for power at the small terminal of the solenoid while depressing the clutch/brake pedal and holding the key in the start position (you may need an assistant to sit in the seat to override the safety switch). If your solenoid is a four wire solenoid, check both small wire terminals as one is ground and the other is power from the ignition switch. *If your solenoid is a three wire solenoid, make sure the solenoid body is not corroded where it bolts to the chassis of the mower as this is your ground path back to the battery. *If in doubt, remove the solenoid and clean the mounting area down to bare metal. *If there is no power to the small terminal then your problem is most likely a safety switch, ignition switch or in the wiring.*

Fourth, check for power on the other large terminal of the solenoid while holding the key in the start position (you may need an assistant to sit in the seat to override the safety switch).*

Fifth, check for power at the starter while holding the key in the start position (assistant again).*

Sixth, check your ground circuit back to the battery.

After you have gone through each of the above steps, let us know what happened when you did each step. *At that point we will have great info to tell you how to proceed. *Remember you are our eyes, ears, and fingers, so please be as accurate as possible.

Be as specific as possible with voltage readings as this will help diagnose your problem quicker. *If you do not know how to perform the above checks, just ask and I will try to guide you through it. *Youtube also has some videos and as you know a picture is worth a thousand words.

Is the flywheel supposed to move by hand? That thing is locked in place. I moved the starter gear down and the flywheel won't budge. Could that be the problem?

Yes, you should be able to turn the flywheel by hand. Remove the plug and if you are unable to turn the flywheel by hand, you have other problems.