Gravely wont start half the time

I have a Gravely Model 915154 42'' ZT XL
It about 5 years old never had any issues with it starting. I had to replace deck bearings once, and now sounds like I have a bearing going out of the clutch.
However I cant seam to find out why it's not starting half the time. It does nothing when trying to start and half the time it starts right up, I have a new battery in it, check the solenoid seams to check out, seat switch and barking break switch seams to be working ok. all connections are tight and look good.
haven't check the key switch yet,(not sure how to remove it, looks like there are 4 plastic rivets that hold the base in place, don't want to remove unless have to. any suggestion.

We have next to no ideal what you mean by won't start.You need to be a lot more specific
When you turn the key exactly what do you hear, see ,smell and feel

I don't feel smell nothing. WHAT A REPLY? Not sure I need you to reply again.

Heit said:

I don't feel smell nothing. WHAT A REPLY? Not sure I need you to reply again.

Click to expand...

Heit, let me try to help you out here a lil bit. Bert is from "Down-Under" , ..sometimes he says things in a "difficult" way.
HOWEVER , .. he is a highly respected and admired member of this site, ( you will really like him ) once you get to know him ,..
a little ??? patience ( lol ) ...is required, by smell he means ( most likely, do you smell burning wires or clutch / brake linings)
by feel he usually means is it feeling hot or cold .. rough, smooth...
sounds are important too , when you turn the key to start ... WHAT do you hear ( if it does'nt start) a single loud thud like click could mean a hydro-locked eng. , or a bad starter, a succession of lighter clickings could indicate a bad wiring connection,
or a bad solenoid, or a weak battery, GET THE IDEA ?? YOU have to be the eyes, ears & nose for us ,...YOU are there
WE are not , we can only work with the information you give us to work with , the techs here give FREELY of THEIR time and knowledge , they CANNOT answer EVERY post, THEY CANNOT answer every post within minutes ...when someone posts a
question such as ,.. my mower quit and it won't move help ! It's VERY frustating that we almost ALWAYS have to ask for the machines make, model, AND engine information. THEN with that information we have to research a cause and a remedy , all time and patience consuming . Most techs here have families and other obligations ( such as running a business or working for one) so yes WE are HUMAN and deserve to be treated as such, so far this is just a minor mis-understanding
lets get to the issue in a friendly way . ..:smile:

Understand
Lets try it again.
The motor is a Kawasaki FR 651V 22.0 HP.
some times when it would not start. I would turn the key on and I could not hear anything, not even the solenoid clicking, but I would (with key on) pull up on the blade engagement switch and I could hear a loud click and push it back down and it would start, could this be a short somewhere in the switch for the blade engagement witch?
like I said earlier the last time I mowed I could hear like a bearing noise from the lower back area, I think it's a bearing in the clutch. question could the clutch switch assembly be bad?

Heit said:

I don't feel smell nothing. WHAT A REPLY? Not sure I need you to reply again.

Click to expand...

So you walk into the doctors and say "I don't feel right, give me something" ? or do you tell them exactly how you feel ?
Now if you really want I could write 40 pages about how to diagnose a non start situation covering each and every one of the 234 reasons why an engine will not run but it works a lot better is you provide more information.
Saves time for you, saves time for us
We are not there holding your hand looking at your mower.
We are on the other end of the internet,
So all we know is your mower is not starting.
We could respond with "buy a new battery "
or
have you tried turning the key ?
or
replace the fuse
or
replace the starter
or
replace the solenoid
or
replace the switch
or
replace the after fire solenoid
or
replace the fuel pump
or
replace the carby
or
reposition the control cable
or
adjust the governor
or
pull the flywheel& check the timing key
'or
replace the ignition module

Get the picture now.
all of these have typical symptoms .
You are there getting them we are here getting jack **** and coping attitude when all your were asked for was to relay what exactly happens. One would not have thought it was that difficult to respond with Turn the key and nothing happens or turn the key and hear a squeal for the start or turn the key and smell paint or turn the key engine revolves once then stops.
Or each of the 300 odd here who regularly respond could give you their pet no-start problem and have you busy for 300 hours running through all of our "pet problem" , non of which might be your problem.

And as am obvious some sort of ogre making unrealistic demands I will not waste any more of you precious time.
Oh , that model Gravely also came with a variety of engine options so it would not hurt if you had mentions which brand of engine you have and a model number would have been helpful as well.
But why should I care, I am not the one with the problem I can not work out YOU ARE.

Heit,
It looks like I was writing my reply while you were doing yours.
We really are not a nasty bunch.
No real need for you to appologise, just to provide the information we need.
No one was trying to demean or humilite you, just point out that we need better ( or at least more ) information.
I will mull over your expanded post and respond in due course should some one else not do so in the mean time

Heit said:

Understand
Lets try it again.
The motor is a Kawasaki FR 651V 22.0 HP.
some times when it would not start. I would turn the key on and I could not hear anything, not even the solenoid clicking, but I would (with key on) pull up on the blade engagement switch and I could hear a loud click and push it back down and it would start, could this be a short somewhere in the switch for the blade engagement witch?
like I said earlier the last time I mowed I could hear like a bearing noise from the lower back area, I think it's a bearing in the clutch. question could the clutch switch assembly be bad?

Click to expand...

Yes, sounds like a failing PTO switch.
You can pull it apart it is a simple blade switch.
A lot less complicated on the inside than it appears on the outside..
The circuit to the trigger wire on the starting solenoid is a daisy chain from the fuse to the B terminal on the ign switch to the S ( Start ) terminal, then to the PTO switch then to the brake switch then to the solenoid trigger.
If your model has automatic brakes on the lap bars then it might go through both of those ( not easy to get at )
Some Gravleys use a 4 post solenoid so the above daisy chain is for the + 12V, and the control arms supply the ground to the solenoid.
We had a very similar problem that ended up being ants nesting in the PTO switch, usually it is corrosion.

The bad bearing you hear is unlikely to be the clutch .
Get some one to sit in the mower & engage the blades a few times .while you stand at the back and listen.
It is hard to hear properly from the seat because of the blade noise.
The clutch used on those has a brake built in so when turned off the pulley locks up stopping the blades turning free wheel .
However the tensioning pulley on the drive belt is far more prone to failure than the clutch pulley.

You will find the Kawasaki manuals here http://www.mymowerparts.com/about_us.php in the "free manuals " section.

I'll save you a lil time digging for your Manual, ....

http://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Kawasaki-Service-and-Repair-Manuals/

goto the page in the link, .. scroll down to your model ,.. and click again, ... suggest you download a copy and keep it handy.

:thumbsup: