Snapper Repower Wiring Problem

Hi everyone! I'm new here but, I can already see that this looks like a great place to get some friendly advice. For this post, please assume that I know absolutely nothing about lawnmowers. Thanks!

I bought an old Snapper RER from a friend recently for dirt cheap. It originally had a 10hp Briggs but, they had replaced that with an 8hp. They also had a 14 hp lying around and I bought that too. I just swapped the engines out but, I don't have a clue how to wire it. The old 8hp had a pull start so, they didn't have anything wired. They just had the throttle hooked up. I'm including the model numbers for the mower and the engine and I can take any pics that might help. Thanks!

Snapper model: M281019BE
Engine model: 287707-0153-01 Code 9211244A

Here's some pics of the wires:

JoeCool said:

Hi everyone! I'm new here but, I can already see that this looks like a great place to get some friendly advice. For this post, please assume that I know absolutely nothing about lawnmowers. Thanks!

I bought an old Snapper RER from a friend recently for dirt cheap. It originally had a 10hp Briggs but, they had replaced that with an 8hp. They also had a 14 hp lying around and I bought that too. I just swapped the engines out but, I don't have a clue how to wire it. The old 8hp had a pull start so, they didn't have anything wired. They just had the throttle hooked up. I'm including the model numbers for the mower and the engine and I can take any pics that might help. Thanks!

Snapper model: M281019BE
Engine model: 287707-0153-01 Code 9211244A

Click to expand...

Might try sending a PM to member (mattm55) of this site he just finished a nice re-build with pics on the site ..

JoeCool said:

Hi everyone! I'm new here but, I can already see that this looks like a great place to get some friendly advice. For this post, please assume that I know absolutely nothing about lawnmowers. Thanks!

I bought an old Snapper RER from a friend recently for dirt cheap. It originally had a 10hp Briggs but, they had replaced that with an 8hp. They also had a 14 hp lying around and I bought that too. I just swapped the engines out but, I don't have a clue how to wire it. The old 8hp had a pull start so, they didn't have anything wired. They just had the throttle hooked up. I'm including the model numbers for the mower and the engine and I can take any pics that might help. Thanks!

Snapper model: M281019BE
Engine model: 287707-0153-01 Code 9211244A

Here's some pics of the wires:

Click to expand...

OK, it looks like you have a mess right? A cheap continuity tester will be invaluable even when you get all the wires sorted. Harbor Freight has these for under $10 if you don't have one.

So, to start... (and color of wires may be what I specify or not. You have to trace each one to be sure). Also, batteries store a lot of energy and dangerous so if your unsure, please seek help from someone with experience. You could get hurt.

Sm = ~16AWG
Lrg = ~6-8AWG

1. The Briggs has a starter and flywheel for a starter, correct? The Briggs will have a kill wire going to around the throttle linkage area and a larger black wire going to the starter lug. That's basically the minimum. There could be a sm white charging circuit wire that runs with the lrg black wire back to the Briggs starter. Some Briggs have a charging circuit, some don't. If it doesn't make sure you put electrical tape to cover it temporarily.

2. I marked the solenoid in your picture to specify what each does and how to wire. I can't see where the sm red and blue wires go but they should go to a key switch. The sm red and blue will complete the circuit and cause the lrg red and lrg black to complete a circuit and trigger the starter. There should be interlocks and a magneto kill wire that would be in between the sml red and sm blue solenoid circuit to prevent starting (a no ground condition) so the engine won't start until all conditions are met (i.e. blade off, gear in park or neutral, etc...)



Hope this helps.

Yeah, I do! Haha. I have a continuity tester already.

1. Yeah, that should be the fourth pic. Should I plug that white wire in with the red and black wire?

2.I'll work on tracing everything now.

A. Do you have any idea what the blue/black and red/black wires are in the third pic?

B. And what about the plug coming off the back of the engine in the last pic?

JoeCool said:

Yeah, I do! Haha. I have a continuity tester already.

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That's great to hear. You'll need it ;o)

1. Yeah, that should be the fourth pic. Should I plug that white wire in with the red and black wire?

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That should be the charging circuit. It only puts the charge back in the battery so that's optional for now. Won't effect start or run.

2.I'll work on tracing everything now.

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Yes. And it might help to mark with tape and labels.

A. Do you have any idea what the blue/black and red/black wires are in the third pic?

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It can't say for certain but with those round lugs, it may be to the chassis ground from the Neg term on the battery. Here is where I would take precautions to trace where those go in the cable sleeve. The battery location on this one is different than mine.

B. And what about the plug coming off the back of the engine in the last pic?

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That would need to be traced. Some interlock maybe?

Matt

Yeah, the small red and small blue plus the long small black wire that's sitting on the tire in the third pic are coming from the switch.
The wires in the last pic are connected to the engine. One wire is connected to the bottom of the carb which is also running onto the block, I guess as a ground. And, the other wire is running under the shroud.

JoeCool said:

Yeah, the small red and small blue plus the long small black wire that's sitting on the tire in the third pic are coming from the switch.

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So, looking at my diagram, those should match my switch. The sm blue goes to the small connector on one side of the solenoid, the sm red goes to the battery (battery pos term or top red lug on solenoid that has lrg red to Pos term. The black is the magneto ground which stops engine when switch is in off position.

The wires in the last pic are connected to the engine. One wire is connected to the bottom of the carb which is also running onto the block, I guess as a ground. And, the other wire is running under the shroud.

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Yes, the ground. Find out where the other wire goes under shroud. If its to the magneto, thats a kill wire, if its to the charging circuit then thats the "white" wire. The charging is optional for now. Keep it simple first.

Matt

Ok, where should I attach the magneto ground? I traced the blue/black and red/black wires. The blue and red wires go to that plastic box under the seat. The black wire with the red goes to a plug under the engine and the black with the blue goes to a plug under the seat. That wire under the shroud goes to this:

JoeCool said:

Ok, where should I attach the magneto ground? I traced the blue/black and red/black wires. The blue and red wires go to that plastic box under the seat. The black wire with the red goes to a plug under the engine and the black with the blue goes to a plug under the seat. That wire under the shroud goes to this:

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So let me explain what that magneto ground wire does. Without that wire or that wire connected to anything the engine will run. Connecting that wire to a potential ground (not grounded at the time) so at any time you need to stop the engine, you push a button, turn off switch, interlock is triggered, etc.. and it completes the circuit and grounds to chassis.

Usually, near the throttle linkage by carb there is a connector so that when you move your throttle to Stop, this causes that wire to ground and stop engine. Now wiring this in series to any or all the potential grounds might be desired. So a case where the blade is engaged, the connection grounds the magneto and you won't start. You really want it so it won't crank either so wiring to the ground small leg of the solenoid is optimal. Google how a 4 pole solenoid works. You really have to understand more of why it goes where it goes rather than what goes where as each machine/model is different and may have been changed thru its life.



Magneto wire attaches around here for the throttle ground. This could be different depending on wiring.


Matt

I am not trying to step on Matts excellent advice but I would add Briggs website has a alternator_identification.pdf file you can download which will help identifying what you have as far as the type of alternator and what they wiring might look like from the eng side! It tells you things like if a black wire comes from the stator and has a white connector is ac only and if a red wire it could be 3 amp dc only. I repowered my yardcruiser a few years ago and it was very helpful, I also found wiring diags on the snapper website but I dont know it they still have it for the old stuff now.