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Riding Mower – No Start
1999 Craftsman 42” -- Model – 917.256524
Briggs and Stratton Turbo Cool - 15.5 HP Model: 28N707


When I parked the mower it was running great. 2 weeks later I went to start it...and nothing. I left the key on for 2 weeks. Battery was dead. Battery was over 2 years old. Had it checked, and bought a new one. Tried to start it...nothing.


I then went to jump the solenoid. Engine turned over like it should. I really let it turn over...nothing. I pulled the plug to check for spark. No spark. Jumped the solenoid again and...nothing. I noticed that there was no smell of gasoline, as in flooded. I checked the fuse.

I bought a new solenoid...No start. It seems like the mower deck is ingaged, and will not start, click or?

I called a mower repair shop to come and pick it up for repair. They have had it for 2 weeks and told me they were going to get a new ignition. They still have my mower.

The question is: Is something being overlooked, that I should look into???

Is there a description or picture of the switches in the wiring?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks to one and all.

sb/RM

As a side note I completely rebuilt the mower deck last winter. Thought I was good to go.

Thank You. I still don't know what to look for. I have just about zero electrical know how with AC or DC.
I think replacing the ignition is the next move? The battery (and my stupidity) probably cooked the switch.

sb

Hook yer key to a wire, & to the mower. Then ALWAYS remove it, after use, etc..

I hang my key on a hook away from my mower, it's a good habit. & I always remove it prior to going underneath to scrape the deck or whatever..

Does it have an electronic clutch? You mentioned the deck appears to be engaged... if it has a PTO switch then check it is not engage.

GetTechnicalWithJd said:

Does it have an electronic clutch? You mentioned the deck appears to be engaged... if it has a PTO switch then check it is not engage.

Click to expand...

Please learn to read electrical schematics especially when they are provided. It is fairly easy once you put your mind to it.

I didn't see where he typed the deck was trying to move. my fault for multitasking yesterday. Typing on the computer and talking with a customer on the phone and with the my kids. Sometimes I have reread posts. Even now I eating breakfast, getting my normal day started and just now it is in the teens. No way I am working plastics this morning, maybe this afternoon.

Provided the correct model was given, No he doesn't have an electric PTO clutch. But if the deck engagement lever is in the engaged position it will prevent the starter from operating via the ignition key. It also will prevent spark plug from sparking if the op is off the seat (or seat connector disconnected, it has a shorting strip).

The engine will only start via the ignition switch if the clutch/brake is depressed and the PTO is off.

About the things that can be damage leaving the key and not running is the battery (most times) and carburetor fuel solenoid (sometimes).

StarTech said:

Please learn to read electrical schematics especially when they are provided. It is fairly easy once you put your mind to it.

I didn't see where he typed the deck was trying to move. my fault for multitasking yesterday. Typing on the computer and talking with a customer on the phone and with the my kids. Sometimes I have reread posts. Even now I eating breakfast, getting my normal day started and just now it is in the teens. No way I am working plastics this morning, maybe this afternoon.

Provided the correct model was given, No he doesn't have an electric PTO clutch. But if the deck engagement lever is in the engaged position it will prevent the starter from operating via the ignition key. It also will prevent spark plug from sparking if the op is on the seat (or seat connector disconnected, it has a shorting strip).

The engine will only start via the ignition switch if the clutch/brake is depressed and the PTO is off.

About the things that can be damage leaving the key and not running is the battery (most times) and carburetor fuel solenoid (sometimes).

Click to expand...

That's why I asked and didn't assume. No need to be a clever dick.

GetTechnicalWithJd said:

That's why I asked and didn't assume. No need to be a clever dick.

Click to expand...

Okay, I won't be looking any your further posts.

When you jumped the solenoid what exactly did you jump and did you have the key turned to on? If not, that wouldn't explain why it won't turn over using the key but it could be why you don't smell fuel or have spark when you jumped the solenoid.

7394 said:

Hook yer key to a wire, & to the mower. Then ALWAYS remove it, after use, etc..

I hang my key on a hook away from my mower, it;'s a good habit. & I always remove it prior to going under the scrape the deck or whatever..

Click to expand...

This is the first time I ever left the key in the ignition. Getting old...Senior moment...

Thanks

GetTechnicalWithJd said:

That's why I asked and didn't assume. No need to be a clever dick.

Click to expand...

StarTech said:

Okay, I won't be looking any your further posts.

Click to expand...

That is great CD (thanks Star Tech)... May the fleas of a 1000 rabid dogs make your crouch their home!

VegetiveSteam said:

When you jumped the solenoid what exactly did you jump and did you have the key turned to on? If not, that wouldn't explain why it won't turn over using the key but it could be why you don't smell fuel or have spark when you jumped the solenoid.

Click to expand...

Hello,
I jumped across the 2 large bolts sticking out of the top of the solenoid. I tried the key on the on position, and even turned the key to start while jumping the terminals. I believe an interlock is bad or the carb. solenoid is bad, as stated above by Clever Dick.

I do not have the mower at this time. It's in a repair shop. I can't work on it anyway. It's really cold here.

Thanks
sb

sillyboy said:

This is the first time I ever left the key in the ignition. Getting old...Senior moment...

Thanks

Click to expand...

As a service tech I do it quite frequently and just leaving the key on does no damage to the mower .
In extreme cases it can burn out the carb solenoid because it does not get either fuel flowing across it or air blowing around it .
However because it draws around 0.05A all it usually does is flatten the battery so deeply iit is near impossible to recharge the battery again .
My problem is on a lot of mowers the key on will cause the hour meter to run so muck up the operating hours reading .
Back to your mower
If you look at the wiring diagram and read the connection table at the bottom of the page you will see that in the ON position the B ( ballery ) terminal on the key switch is connected to the L ( lights on some mowers ) terminal
Now put your finger on the L in the diagram and follow it
You will see that the only thing connected is the afterfire solenoid
Thus leaving the key on can only damage the solenoid & the battery

Now look at the START table & you will see that connects the battery to the S ( Start ) terminal so power runs from ther THROUGH the BRAKE switch then THROUGH the PTO switch then to the solenoid trigger wire
Now if it would not crank via the key switch then one of those switches is not allowing the electricity to pass through

Now you also had no spark so you need to look at the magneto ( ignition module in the diagram )
It is connected to nothing other than the M terminal on the key switch
Checking the connection table you see that in the off position the M is connected to the G ( ground ) terminal and in the run position nothing is connected to the ignition module via the key switch
So the wire on the Ignition Module goes to ground to stop it sparking
Back to the diagram and you see there is a parallel circuit that goes from the M terminal to ground that can also turn the sparks off
This also goes through the Brake Switch, and the PTO switch
SO you had a no crank & a no spark situation thus it must be something that is in both the cranking & the ignition circuits
SO what is there, the Brake switch & the PTO switch .
Last piece of the puzzle
"the blades are trying to turn"
SO that points to the PTO switch not being in the correct position because the PTO lever is not in the fully off position which is usually because of debris build up under the mower

So all you needed to do was CLEAN behind the dash & under the floor

IT will be interesting to see what the shop comes up with

sillyboy said:

That is great CD (thanks Star Tech)... May the fleas of a 1000 rabid dogs make your crouch their home!

Click to expand...

Lucky for you that you posted this while I was typing my reply because I have a firm rule that when people get nasty I stop helping them
We are the ones with the solution
You are the one with the problem

NO ONE HERE HAS POSTED A SINGLE BAD THING ABOUT YOU
So why the insults ?

As you are worthy of the electons needed to illuminate the text I typed, I hope the shop replaces all of the switches and charges you at least 3 hours of labour for what should have ben a 10 minute cleaning job
doubt that you will learn anything from this a your "senior" age you are probably set in your own bad ways
And of course I will not help you ever again either

I too am curious what the dealer finds. And something that just hit me. It was already at the dealer so it wouldn't have really mattered, but out of all of our responses none of us mentioned checking the fuse unless someone did and I missed it. Not sure why it would be blown but unless it gets checked, you can't say for sure that it's not. Can't get power to the key switch with a blown fuse and without power to the key switch there is no way to turn on the fuel solenoid or excite the starter solenoid. Duh. Sorry. I typically try to start simple but didn't this time.

VegetiveSteam said:

I too am curious what the dealer finds. And something that just hit me. It was already at the dealer so it wouldn't have really mattered, but out of all of our responses none of us mentioned checking the fuse unless someone did and I missed it. Not sure why it would be blown but unless it gets checked, you can't say for sure that it's not. Can't get power to the key switch with a blown fuse and without power to the key switch there is no way to turn on the fuel solenoid or excite the starter solenoid. Duh. Sorry. I typically try to start simple but didn't this time.

Click to expand...

Well & good
But a blown fuse would not cause the lack of spark or the deck to partially engage
He did not ask for a diagnosing proceedure so he did not get one
I like to pull plugs & jump them to make the correct connections
Too many times I have come across a good fuse in a bad fuse holder .

Let me say something here. My comment was not directed at the OP but the other fellow which I now have on my ignore list. Hopefully I didn't any insults myself just that would be ignoring the offender.

I figure SillyBoy could use and be able to read the electrical diagram. It clearly shows how a partially engage deck switch could shut down the spark. But maybe I assumed too much.

And Bert I also been a lot bad non weather proof fuse holders lately bad too. Most of them are Pack-Con III and I finally got a source for the holder and the terminals in them. I got in the holders but ordered Pack-Con I terminals by mistake so I got to reorder the correct terminals.

bertsmobile1 said:

Lucky for you that you posted this while I was typing my reply because I have a firm rule that when people get nasty I stop helping them
We are the ones with the solution
You are the one with the problem

NO ONE HERE HAS POSTED A SINGLE BAD THING ABOUT YOU
So why the insults ?

As you are worthy of the electons needed to illuminate the text I typed, I hope the shop replaces all of the switches and charges you at least 3 hours of labour for what should have ben a 10 minute cleaning job
doubt that you will learn anything from this a your "senior" age you are probably set in your own bad ways
And of course I will not help you ever again either

Click to expand...

Thank You... That will be great!!! And thanks for making a old Veteran feel sooooo good.
I might not be able to read a wiring diagram, but I sure can weld. For many years I held a 6G pipe welding cert., and taught welding.

I'm outta here. Thanks to those who tried to help! I did check the fuse.
sb

6g cert, nice. Personally a grinder and paint makes me the welder i ain't.