Good evening all,
I have a Troy Bilt Bronco probably about an ‘08 model with the 42” deck. Its been about a year and a half since it last ran. To start the mowing season I purchased a brand new battery & spark plug. Got it all swapped out, fresh gas, sat down, and turned the key and heard nothing but clicking. (Important part of the story, despite the clicking the headlights are on at full brightness). Ran to Lowes, bought a new ignition solenoid and got that installed. Turned the key and it sounds like we’re making progress. Won’t fire up but the motor is turning a bit before it gives up and needs another turn of the key. I pull the cover off just to make sure motors not locked up. She’s able to spin, and not locked up. A couple more attempts and then that progress is lost, only back to clicking and the headlights are extremely dim. I rummage through the garage and grab my Halo Bolt and hook up the clamps to the battery, put the Halo Bolt in jumpstart mode and turn the key. While in jumpstart mode the engine is cranking and sounding healthy. Won’t fire up but it sounds like we’re in the right direction. My Halo Bolt battery runs a bit low and I unhook the clamps and now after sitting down and turning the key there’s nothing. No click. Head lights barely on. Anyone experienced similar issues? Any help/guidance is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I suggest you start at that "new" battery. First if possible, make sure is topped off with the proper amount of electrolyte, then put it on a 6A or so charger for about 24 hours and get it totally charged up. Check all the battery connections, make sure they are clean and shiny. Check the ground side of the battery cable for continuity to ground (frame or whatever on your unit) it should be clean without rust and corrosion as well. If you have a voltmeter, check the no load voltage across the battery terminals, should be around 12 v. If all of this is correct, when you hit the key switch, engine should crank over properly (rapidly) not just "grinding over" slowly. Headlights should dim slightly during cranking but NOT go completely out. If they do then take the battery in for a load test.
Get thru all this and if it still is won't fire pull the plug, give it a shot of starting fluid, reinstall the plug and give it a go. If all of this still doesn't work, reply with more info.
From the first reply to the same thread that is double posted which explained how to diagnose the no start problem
Put your jump start pack directly on the engine block then touch the + to th + termianal on the starter motor.
If the motor spins a lot faster then time to check / clean / replace the battery cables and remember there are 2 of them the + & the -While the battery is being recharged remove the rocker cover and adjust the valve lash back to specs or if you are lazy like me 0.004" on both
do that and get back with the results .
Thanks to everyone who replied. I’m just about back to mowing but for anyone curious this is what I’ve discovered are my issues and where I’m at. The “new” battery was quite low on charge from all the trying to turn it over. Took it to O’Reilly’s to have it charged up. Took about a day and a half so that battery was not producing enough juice so that explains the dim lights and not cranking any more. Put in the charged battery and she was cranking well but not turning over. I had some gift card money on my Amazon so I ordered a new carburetor, got that installed. Since its been a bit since it ran it was running quite rough, not surging but wasn’t responding to adjusting the engine speed. Adjusted the carb and its about running smoothly. Gotta take the carb back off as one of the two long bolts the carbs mounted on its free floating so once I can get that in the spot its supposed to be then I can securely mount the filter bracket back on and then she should be rolling well! If I stumble across anymore hiccups I’ll be sure to make sure to come back! Thanks again!
