Engine Interesting work around for Starting failure

DAMatson

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Greetings All,

I've been having an intermittent starting problem since I obtained my 2000 MTD Yard Machines last August, but I honestly do not know if this symptomology is specific to the starter itself, or another component.

I can usually start the mower on the first try. But every once in a while, I turn the key and I get either nothing (90% of failures) or very rarely the clicking sound of what I presume is a solenoid (this occurs less than 10% of failures).

Here's the interesting part: if it fails either way after two key turn attempts, then simply pulling the battery terminal connection and reconnecting it has always solved the problem. Today I was able to eliminate the battery by using a brand new battery that I had topped-off with a charger minutes beforehand. I experienced the same problem even with the new battery.

Any thoughts on the most likely culprit?

-David
 

Rivets

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Check the ground terminals on both the chassis ground from the battery and the solenoid ground. They must be very clean and tight. If you have a three terminal solenoid, the metal mounting part is your ground. Many techs run a separate ground wire from the metal plate to a good chassis ground.
 

DAMatson

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Thank you for the reply Rivets, I'll check on that the next day I have some spare time...
 

DAMatson

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Sorry it took so long to reply Rivets.

Well, I think I fixed the problem. I can now start the mower every time now. I just don't know which off the two fixes that I performed was the solution.

First I worked on the actual starter, which has a double-nut configuration. The outter nut was nice and tight against the inner nut, but it turned out that the inner nut was super loose to the starter. I took all of them off, cleaned each of them with a wire-brush, then snugged up the inner nut to the starter, and then placed the electrical feed sandwiched between the inner and outter nuts, and then tightened-up outter nut till it felt secure.

Second I observed that there was a great deal of rust on the underside of the seat where the two springs touch the seat plate. I scoured that connection as well and suddenly all good.

Wish I would have remembered to try starting the engine after each fix. Oh well. Thank you again!

-David
 

Rivets

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Glad to hear you’ve got it fixed. Willing to bet that the loose nuts were your problem.
 

DAMatson

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So an update in the ongoing saga:

Yesterday, I chanced to dismount the seat while the engine was going. I had stopped the mower deck and placed the drive gear into Park, which normally would allow me to exit the seat safely, but when I got off the seat this time, the engine started to shutdown.

At the same time, after the engine had completed it's shutdown, I could then begin to hear the starter whizzing at a very high RPM, but was not engaging the engine at all, just spinning freely on it's own...

Realizing that the ignition was still turned on, I quickly moved of the ignition key to the off position, but that did nothing, so I started to panic and rushed to remove the cable from the battery, which took about a minute or two.

When I finally removed the battery cable, the horrific whizzing stopped. When I touched the starter, I found that it was incredibly hot to the touch. It was late and I was a little freaked that I may have killed the starter, so I packed it in for the night.

Today when I got home from work today, I reconnected battery and attempted to restart the mower. When trying to activate the starter, it still wants to make the high-RPM whizzing sound, and will not engage the engine. It seems to again be spinning freely?

Have I destroyed the starter? Where should I go from here?
 

Boobala

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Sounds as though the starter "Bendix" is the problem, post your engine model numbers so we can give you the correct repair manual. If you didn't run the starter too long it should be OK, after you remove the starter you can test it with jumper cables.
 

Rivets

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Sounds to me you have two problems. First would be either a bad key switch or bad solenoid. Either or both of these would cause the starter to continuely spin. After you solve this problem, you will probably have to pull the starter and replace the starter bendix will is probably ruined.
 

DAMatson

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Greetings Boobala & Rivets!

ENGINE INFO Tecumseh 15.5 HP Engine
Engine Model: OHV155 204509E
Engine Family: WTPSX.4902AA
Engine Displacement: 490.
Uses Regular Unleaded gas, and SAE30 Weight Oil.
D.O.M.: 9300 D (made on 300th day of 1999, so most likely a 2000 model year)

I've read-up on replacing the bendix gear and I'm confident that I can replace it.

I'm not at all sure about how to replace the solenoid as the mower is currently using a four-pole (but is only actively using 3 of the 4). Is this an occasion where I can utilize a 3 pole replacement? Lastly, nothing even comes close to looking like my solenoid, what would I want to look for in a replacement?

Thank you both for your contributions! It is greatly appreciated!
 

Boobala

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Greetings Boobala & Rivets!

ENGINE INFO Tecumseh 15.5 HP Engine
Engine Model: OHV155 204509E
Engine Family: WTPSX.4902AA
Engine Displacement: 490.
Uses Regular Unleaded gas, and SAE30 Weight Oil.
D.O.M.: 9300 D (made on 300th day of 1999, so most likely a 2000 model year)

I've read-up on replacing the bendix gear and I'm confident that I can replace it.

I'm not at all sure about how to replace the solenoid as the mower is currently using a four-pole (but is only actively using 3 of the 4). Is this an occasion where I can utilize a 3 pole replacement? Lastly, nothing even comes close to looking like my solenoid, what would I want to look for in a replacement?

Thank you both for your contributions! It is greatly appreciated!

The solenoid is USUALLY, a part of the mower itself, supplied from the manufacturer, so, now we need the mower model number (usually found under the seat,) most likely, if you've been using a 3 pole solenoid, that's all it needs.
 
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