Pro turn 460

pollishpickle

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I just picked up a Pro Turn 460 with a Yamaha engine. The dealer was of very little help with the operation and since it was a replacement for a warrantied out Cub Cadet Tank he assumed I knew all about it. today I went out to mow and when I went to start it the engine would only spin about half a turn then freeze up it did this about 6 times each time I tried to start it and then the engine did turn over and it started. I looked in the manual for the proper starting procedure and there is nothing about this engine and I was doing everything just as described. I have used a Gravely before so I was pretty sure how to operate this unit. Once it is warm it starts normal. I let it cool down after I finished mowing and went back out and the same thing would only spin the engine about half way and freeze 3 times this time and then it started. What am I doing wrong
 

bertsmobile1

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First thing you picked up a mower with no instructions

Take it back and tell them to adjust the valve lash correctly assuming you do have some sort of warranty.
 

pollishpickle

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I got a mower with the manual and there is a full warranty but the manual does not address the engine that I have. I even called Gravely and they were of no real help but to say take it to a dealer that has the equipment to scan the codes but there is not a dealer around me that has this equipment.
 

bertsmobile1

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The condition you describe is typical of a decompressor not working.
The starter motors are not strong enough to overcome the full compression of the engine.
The exception are the ones with an intergral solenoid ( like a car starter ) as found on some Kohler, & Honda engines and even then some are low power starters.
If the valve lash is too big, the tiny amount of movement on the cam is not enough to open the valve so there is no decompression.
This causes the engine to slow down so much that no spark is generated so the engine does not start as the voltage from a magneto is proportional to the speed it turns
 

cpurvis

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Maybe you should just hire a lawn service.

This is the second mower that you're having problems with. If this mower is BRAND NEW, it should go back to the dealer or have them come out and show you how to start it. Although, starting it is just like starting any other gas lawnmower engine. If it doesn't crank, there is nothing you are doing wrong.

Have the dealer that sold you the mower come get it. Show them what it does and ask if you're doing anything wrong.

If they need to scan codes and don't have scanning equipment, THEY can get some of their own or they can haul it to the dealer that does. They should not have sold something they can't service.
 

pollishpickle

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Maybe you should just hire a lawn service.

I don't think I would want to pay to have 4 acres cut. I have had z turn mowers for 32 years and these 2 from the same dealer are the problem. The Cub cut real nice and I did have a work around but it was unsafe for the work around by past the safety switches and MTD could not figure out why the linkages were bending even the one dealer had one bend right after he replaced it and tested it. I have a call into the dealer but they never got back to me about the Gravely
 

pollishpickle

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I spoke with a tech from Yamaha and had him listen to the starter problem. He told me to take it back to the dealer and have it checked out as that was not normal he also told me to have the read the service bulletin about smoke on start up and to have them upgrade the valve. When I took it in the dealer didn't think there was a problem when it started the first time. I shut it off and the mechanic went to start it and it just turned over half a turn and quit. He said that was really not a problem but would check it. When I unloaded it one of the service guys came out to move it and it did the same thing for him. As he was writing up the paperwork he checked the oil and said it was very low and wondered why I didn't check it because there is 25 hours on it. I told him I just picked it up Thursday and had to wait while they changed the oil and filter so I figured that they would have put the correct amount in then I looked and said the filter looked like it wasn't changed either. He couldn't understand that this unit was sold as new but had 24.5 hours on it. I questioned the head mechanic about the hours and he said that was from people testing it in their parking lot. When I asked if it could have come from GIE expo he wasn't sure. But I do know that they have an indoor display and an outdoor display that they demo equipment as I set up for Exmark and Cub Cadet
 

pollishpickle

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After almost 2 weeks in the shop they finally got around to it. They replaced the starter and now they are waiting for a new flywheel and something to do with the key couldn't understand that one. Hopefully they get the problem solved after they told me that there wasn't an issue with it they sure are throwing parts at it. I did end up getting a loaner so at least I can now mow what is starting to look like a hay field.
 

pollishpickle

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They ended up replacing the starter assembly including the starter the flywheel and some other parts. They had to adjust the valves and the timing was off. I picked it up and it starts like it should and runs nice. I just can't figure out why they would let it be sold with these problems. almost a $1000 worth of parts and service.
 

pollishpickle

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Well this just happened again 3 times yesterday went to start it to move it out and get it ready and it locked up 5 or 6 times before it would crank. Then when I wanted to put it away it turned over 2 time and locked up 3 more times I had the battery charger on before this all happened so it was not a weak battery. I started it 2 times today without any problems but this was how it acted before they replaced the parts.
 
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