lawn mower wont start, need help asap

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rob moore 2

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OK, i have a Scotts riding mower that is about 10 yrs old and will not start and this is the 1st major issue i have had. i am by no means mechanically inclined, but i have found the issue, just dont know how to fix it. when i go to start it doesnt turn over, you just hear something spinning. here is a pic of what is spinning. im assuming it is supposed to go up and "connect with teeth" question is what is this, is it supposed to go up on its own or is something broke



[Broken External Image]:
 
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Thats the starter bendix....



Lubricate it.... It should Jump up to connect to the flywheel when you hit the key...



It just sounds stuck..



Spray it with wd40... IF you don't have any, Use some cooking spray...



OR lightly tap it with a hammer..



I know I have held it up with screwdrivers or wood and got it to start, But that is DANGEROUS and if done wrong can seriously hurt you and the mower...



Todd Z
 
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thanks, todd....sprayed it down real good with wd-40, but still wont jump up. i can take a screw driver and pry it with little or no effort.



another thing i noticed, the red wire at the top left......it goes into a connector on the lower left and right where it connect, it VERY hot to the touch.
 
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If it just clicks, there is a relay (like a starter seloniod) under the control panel somewhere. Follow + wire off the starter to it. Replace that and you should be good to go.



I just had the samething happen to my dads tractor. The part is under $20.
 
If the wire is hot to the touch there is a good chance the armature is grounded out. I'd try tapping on the starter itself with a hammer handle while turning key.
 
Since it spins, there really isn't anything worng with the starter itself. How fast is it spinning? It probably needs more juice. (weak battery maybe) That starter works with centrifical force to get the starting gear up to the ring. If the starter gear is free moving up and down, then the starter isn't spinning fast enough to get it where it needs to go. Try hooking the battery up to a charger and starting it while the charger is running. I have also hooked the lawn mower battery up with jumper cables to my car battery (car not running) to give it enough juice.;)



One question before you try that, is the gear spinning also? The reason I ask is because I've seen it where the starter has stripped the teeth on the inside of the gear also.;)
 
It looks like it is a motion moved bendix.... There is no solenoid like an auto starter....



I bet the 1 way clutch is shot...



IF you look at the pic, the spring pushes it back down and the white plastic under the spring has a grove it it... Thats where the balls of the 1 way clutch run....



you need a new starter bendix or starter....



Try holding it up and hit the key.... Hopefully it will hit the flywheel and stay there long enough to crank and start the mower...



Todd Z
 
If the wire is hot to the touch there is a good chance the armature is grounded out. I'd try tapping on the starter itself with a hammer handle while turning key.
Click to expand...



DO NOT TAP on the starter. The fields are solid magnets and you will break them, then you will have to replace the entire starter.



If the starter spins, the drive engages and the starter continues to spin but the drive does not, the drive is bad. If the starter spins, the drive engages and the engine will not rotate, be sure the engine is not seized.
 
the whole thing spins. i have tried taking the end of wrench and prying it up to the teeth and then turning the key but cant hold it in place to catch the gear
 
the whole thing spins. i have tried taking the end of wrench and prying it up to the teeth and then turning the key but cant hold it in place to catch the gear
Click to expand...



Rob, it sounds like the drive is bad and will need to be replaced.
 
I'm not sure this could be done without sparks and other bad things happening (since the electrical on thses is pretty simple not sure), but if the battery was taken of the mower for winter and the polarity was reversed......technically the starter would spin backwards and wouldn't push the bendix up.....maybe?!?!?
 
I had the same exact problem....please save yourself the trouble and buy a cheap new battery...My battery worked but not well enough to spin the starter fast enough....threw a new battery on and boom....Good luck
 

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