Not so I have seen starters not work just click and not turm the engine over. What people don't realize is the manufactures use the smallest wire they can get by with. Over time they can build up a resistance and not work any more. As well the contacts in the solenoid can oxidize and cause the same porblem. I have use solenoids for a inertia drive starter wired in and make it work this way. Just did my first one with the relay and it works as well.
Battery is weak. You said it was marginal. I think the new battery fixed it!
I looking at/working on the Ariens, I was a bit surprised to see unsealed Molex connectors, thin wire, bad head bolt distribution (the cause of the head gasket failures) and then, there's the headlights being fed AC Voltage because the alternator can't deliver enough to power them with DC. That just tells me the MBAs were in control and engineering had to deliver these at the lowest possible cost, which is made worse by competition from foreign competitors (China). The headlights didn't work, so I disconnected the wires at the hinge for the shroud, tested them and found that the contacts were corroded, so I cleaned them. After disconnecting the plugs enough times, they began to work.
I can't imagine designing something like these and using unsealed wire terminals/Molex plugs, knowing that they're used outdoors, often in bad weather and left outdoors, even if in a garage. They could have put dielectric grease on the terminals, a plastic cover on the plugs or used silicone rubber seals to keep moisture out. It's not that much more expensive! They probably paid more in warranty claims than these upgrades would have cost.
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Well I can tell you that the so-called sealed Molex MX150 connectors are not as water proof as they claim. I have replaced several of the Toro electric brake.control modules and the connectors with new terminals because water got in and corroded things.
Most mower connectors and terminal don't usually corrode. Now there are times they get loose and then things happen afterwards.
Most mower connectors and terminal don't usually corrode. Now there are times they get loose and then things happen afterwards.
I was thinking of the Packard/Weatherpack connectors used by GM- you can spray water directly onto them from any angle but the terminals were definitely not making good contact. The wires are still flexible, so I doubt the strands have broken and the lights still work. The main Molex is completely exposed, at the bottom of the engine, with nothing to protect it. I'm not a fan of spraying water, soapy or not, on engines. I know, they have gaskets and should survive it, I just don't like it.
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Even those are not as waterproof as they advertise. I have water damage even in them.
But most lawn equipment connectors are not weather proof types.
I currently working on a mower with Delphi (Aptiv) terminals and connector housings which is definitely not of the sealed type. I have more problems with the F56 style female terminals with the spring hinges breaking over time creating loose connections which the problem with this mower. Fairly easy to get and replace when you have the right tools. The Gravely dealer told the customer he had to replace the complete wiring harness as the terminal weren't available which is BS.
But having the right tools is important with any terminal replacement. Just can't use just any old tool to do this work.
But most lawn equipment connectors are not weather proof types.
I currently working on a mower with Delphi (Aptiv) terminals and connector housings which is definitely not of the sealed type. I have more problems with the F56 style female terminals with the spring hinges breaking over time creating loose connections which the problem with this mower. Fairly easy to get and replace when you have the right tools. The Gravely dealer told the customer he had to replace the complete wiring harness as the terminal weren't available which is BS.
But having the right tools is important with any terminal replacement. Just can't use just any old tool to do this work.
Wendol: Experienced a start problem on my 329BB Grasshopper years ago when new. They replaced the battery, new starter but still didn’t want to easily start every time. The dealers son took a look at it and found a bad connection at the starter or solenoid. He stated he had seen this several times over the years.
My suggestion: check, clean and tighten “all” electrical connections including those at the switch. A lot of time is the most simple thing!!!
Thanks, I'll double check the connections.
Solenoid/Starter is in the shop right now, the gentleman gave it a quick check and said he believes it's a solenoid issue, but will also check into the starter as well.
The dealer obviously wants NOBODY to go back to them, since they're lying to customers. EVERYTHING is available, if someone knows where to look. For almost any terminals, Del City is one distributor that sells them- I found out about them when I went to MasterCraft boat service training- someone asked the instructor where to buy the terminals for GM fuel injected engines and he mentioned this company. The trick is in using the correct crimper, as you mentioned, with the correct pressure- some companies crimp with far more pressure than hands can provide but for a small number of terminals, soldering each one makes reliability better.
One thing I hate- being lied to. If that person thought it was true, they need to learn that everything is available and that the manufacturers don't make their own small parts in most cases. The reason GM owned parts manufacturers is because they were so huge and it was cheaper to buy small parts companies than to buy from outside.
This stuff isn't weatherproof and that makes no sense to me but the application that makes even less sense is in boats- many brands still use regular butt splices, etc on harnesses and to me, using sealed should be a no-brainer.