Lawn mower issues . . . any small engine mechanics here?

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GeneW

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Riding mower? If so, there is a safety switch on the seat, there must be sufficient weight sitting in the seat, to allow it to crank and/or start.
 

Rez Exelon

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So first things first, make sure that the parking brake is set, the PTO is disengaged, and any other typical safety mechanisms are satisfied. As has been said already in the thread, it's worthwhile at this stage to attempt to spin the engine by hand by turning the debris guard over the flywheel to make sure the engine isn't locked up. From there, there's only a few items to check in that circuit:
1. Ignition switch
2. Battery
3. Solenoid
4. Starter

I list the switch because although it doesn't fail much, it is a possible point of failure. I don't have the 1050 wiring memorized or handy but there are ways to test that ---- I'd just do it last since in my experience it's not a common failure point.

Moving on, testing the battery with a meter is good, but if it drops instantly when you turn the key, then its possibly needing to be replaced. On the other hand, you can hook some jumper cables to it from a donor vehicle or a jump start box to kind of compensate for this. If that works, then I'd replace the battery first. If that's no help I'd move on.

Testing the solenoid is pretty easy --- turn the key on and bridge the terminals with a (preferably but optionally) insulated screwdriver. Be warned this will spark and make you want to jump. If that causes the engine to turn over, then replace it --- about $15 on most models.

The starter is also possible to test --- it's easier if it's off the mower IMHO, but I don't know how much of a PITA that is for the 1050. If you get it out on the ground run some jumper cables to it from a donor battery (or even the one directly on the mower). Black goes to a grounded metal part of the case, and red goes to the small post where the wire from the solenoid would attach. Black first, then red. If that causes the starter up then maybe the ignition switch is faulty.
 

FreeSpiritBalloon

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We have an LT1050 and we are on our third starter. The one on it now will not retract the gear sometimes and I have to put a socket and breaker bar on the pto bolt at the mower belt pulley (output of the crank shaft) and turn it until the starter gear releases. The starter motor shaft keeps getting in a bind and bending it a bit. The flywheel gear may be worn but I really don’t want to replace it yet. We are almost to 500 hours on ours and still love it even though I have to get it ready most of the time when my wife wants to drive laps around the yard.


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BobbyV

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The charger has a volt meter on it??
Did you try to crank it with the charger hooked up?
Or is it a new style charger that will go bad if you do that.

I still say get a dedicated volt meter and test it and test voltage while trying to crank it over.
If voltage does not drop when trying to crank it then you either do not have voltage going to the starter or solenoid or one or the other is bad or wiring again.

It's a relatively new battery charger that has a few different charging settings. One of which is a "start" setting that I haven't tried on this mower yet.
 

BobbyV

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We have an LT1050 and we are on our third starter. The one on it now will not retract the gear sometimes and I have to put a socket and breaker bar on the pto bolt at the mower belt pulley (output of the crank shaft) and turn it until the starter gear releases. The starter motor shaft keeps getting in a bind and bending it a bit. The flywheel gear may be worn but I really don’t want to replace it yet. We are almost to 500 hours on ours and still love it even though I have to get it ready most of the time when my wife wants to drive laps around the yard.


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Up to now I've only had to replace belts . . . and I think we're on our 4th battery. We're at like 225 hours or so.

Does yours randomly throw belts due to the tension spring on the deck coming loose? That seems to almost happen every time my wife gets on it. :)
 

FreeSpiritBalloon

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Up to now I've only had to replace belts . . . and I think we're on our 4th battery. We're at like 225 hours or so.

Does yours randomly throw belts due to the tension spring on the deck coming loose? That seems to almost happen every time my wife gets on it. :)

Haha, yes ours throws the deck belt and mostly when the wife is starting it up. I have tried a few brands of belt and they either don’t last long or come off. The one we have on it now wouldn’t stay on a minute until I put extra tension on the tensioner until it broke in and it has been great since.


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