Kohler Courage problems!!! Please help!

[c.coulby]

I inherited a Cub Cadet RZT 50 with the Kohler Courage SV720 (PS-SV720-0012) when my father passed away in October of 2014. When I got the mower it was slow to crank (turning over slowly), but once it started it ran great. Over the course of the past year it had slowly gotten worse. I replaced the battery (the one in it had some age) and it seemed to remedy the problem, at least temporarily. The other day I went to crank it and it was significantly slower. I tried jumping it off, as I have done plenty of times, to no avail. So I did a little research. I adjusted the valves and still no go. While the spark plugs were removed I tried turning the engine over by hand and it turned over quite easy. I also turned it over with the starter and as expected turned over quite fast.

So here I am wondering if it is the starter, maybe the starter solenoid, or even the compression release mechanism on the camshaft (as I understand).

I had never seen my dad use this mower so I don't know if this was typical behavior while he had it or not. He was not one to complain about much, just thankful for what he had.

Can someone please point me in the right direction? Suggestions and/or advice will be greatly appreciated!

 

[cpurvis]

I would charge the battery. Then check the voltage of the battery in the mower without the engine running. Should be around 12.7 volts. Then start the engine and again check the voltage across the battery terminals. It should be something greater than 12.7 volts.

When you said the new battery "temporarily" fixed the cranking problem, that sounds to me like it isn't getting recharged.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Starters have carbon brushes that do wear out and also bearings that also wear out ( rust up usually ).
Crud can build up in the bottom of the starter shorting the brushes.

The teeth on the starter gear also wear out as dose the bendex ( spiral ) which raises the starter gear and some times it raises up far enough to foul on the under side of the fly wheel gears. Both are regular service replacement items but now that starters no longer cost $ 400 we usually just swap them out.

Too much clearance on the inlet valve lash can defeat the decompression.