Recent content by pat_from_indy

A charged up 12V nominal battery will normally measure about 14VDC. If your battery is only measuring 12V while connected to nothing, it is in a low charge state or failed. The rapid clicking of the starter solenoid is a symptom of electrical issues. Could be cables, could be the battery...

Before I spent any money on a mower that old, I would definitely figure out why it is not starting first. Could be due to the battery and cable, but could be that the engine is near the end of its life.

I mean this in a nice way. But I wouldn't call a mower reliable if the brakes don't even work on the machine anymore. I had an LT2000 too, and it slowly broke down just like yours. With mine, the deck rusted through and no longer sat parallel to the turf.

I've had nearly all of the brands of the mower type you are asking about, and used them for 4 decades. I've never had an engine failure. I would not avoid B&S just based upon one bad engine. But, everything else besides the engine does give up pretty quickly, especially the deck. It...