starting problems

Have a Scott 42 inch riding mower with a 17hp Briggs. Try to start acts like battery is low, turn over a little, turn over a little and stop, checked voltage in battery, is 12.7. Hook up a charger anyway and most of time it will start after about a 3-5 minute charge. Have replaced the starter last year, the solenoid yesterday. All contacts are clean, wiring is good. Should say every once in a great while it will just start right off. Looking for any suggestion on what to check. Did take battery to local battery dealer to make sure it did not have a problem, checked fine.

Buy a new battery
Buy a new starter switch
Buy new Battery leads
Thus you have bought everything in the starting circuit that did not need to be replaced because the valve lash is too big.

Get about 3 or 4 every season.
Cars have hydraulic lifters so never need touching
Mowers have solid lifters which according to the maintanance schedule in the owners handbook should be checked between 200 & 500 Hrs depending which engine is fitted.
Excessive valve lash defeats the decompressors and the starter motors do not have the balls to overcome full compression on a good engine.

bertsmobile1 said:

Buy a new battery
Buy a new starter switch
Buy new Battery leads
Thus you have bought everything in the starting circuit that did not need to be replaced because the valve lash is too big.

Get about 3 or 4 every season.
Cars have hydraulic lifters so never need touching
Mowers have solid lifters which according to the maintanance schedule in the owners handbook should be checked between 200 & 500 Hrs depending which engine is fitted.
Excessive valve lash defeats the decompressors and the starter motors do not have the balls to overcome full compression on a good engine.

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Yeah, spent all that money, could have taken to a pro and got it fixed for half or less. As said above but you did clean where the ground cable attaches to the frame? Bright clean?

Walt Conner