Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok

reflex439

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
I have a Toro Zero turn mower with a Kohler Courage 21 motor. It was running perfectly prior to it being left out in heavy rain for two days. It wouldn't start, so we pushed it into the garage, dried it off, and let it sit to dry out.

The symptoms; I hear a couple clicks when I turn the key, but it won't turn over. Occasionally it will turn a little, at most about a 1/4 turn before it stops.

Things I've tried; Charging the battery for a couple hours on a car battery charger, no change. Jump starting off a car assuming it was the battery, connecting to the lawnmower battery terminals, no change. I removed the spark plug to check for hydraulic lock. I removed the plastic cover so I could turn over the engine by hand, and it tuns and I feel compression when the plug is in.

Looking for any ideas on what I can try next. I'd rather fix it myself, learning in the process, instead of bringing it to a deal. But my lawn is starting to get very tall, so this is my last shot before it goes in.

Any ideas, things I can try?
And if it helps, I can easily upload images if that helps.
 

Ariena

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
Spray all electrical connections with a water displacement spray (WD 40 will work). Let sit for half an hour and spray again. Then try it. If leaving out in the rain has caused this problem, it will be a moisture issue.
 

SONOFADOCKER

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
We get these in the shop all the time . The timing has gone off and the fresh battery or a new starter will not have enough strength to make the motor complete a rotation .
Engine maker needs to fix this once and for all .
Take the valve cover off- plugs out - rotate the engine by hand and see if the valves are opening and closing - you might find intake valve not opening and the motor can not keep compressing that air in the cylinder .
 

reflex439

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
Spray all electrical connections with a water displacement spray (WD 40 will work). Let sit for half an hour and spray again. Then try it. If leaving out in the rain has caused this problem, it will be a moisture issue.

I tried the WD-40 on all electrical connections. Doesn't seem to have helped much. I let it sit for a day and half after spraying. Also, its been inside the garage for the last week drying out as well.

We get these in the shop all the time . The timing has gone off and the fresh battery or a new starter will not have enough strength to make the motor complete a rotation .
Engine maker needs to fix this once and for all .
Take the valve cover off- plugs out - rotate the engine by hand and see if the valves are opening and closing - you might find intake valve not opening and the motor can not keep compressing that air in the cylinder .

I'm not sure how the rain could have caused the timing to change, but I'm willing to give it a shot if you think it will help. I'd like to make sure I have exhausted any other possibilities before dong this.

Here is some additional details. I can see the starter and gear, and can tell that the starter isn't really trying to turn the motor. The starter gear sometimes pops up and engages the larger gear, but rarely does it try to turn it. Sometimes it does and moves a little, but stops. It doesn't appear to be struggling to turn the motor over. In fact, while holding the key in the start position, with the starter gear engaged with the larger gear, I can turn the motor over by hand and the starter gear just follows with it as if it was not under power at all. I can easily turn the motor through complete revolutions with the spark plug out, and with the spark plug installed, I can manage to get it through the compression cycles by hand with a little work.

I'm pretty sure if the starter was engaging and working correctly, it would have no problem turning the motor over. My guess would be that something in the electronics are not allowing the starter to engage and work properly, or the starter is damaged and works intermittently.

Is there a way that I can bypass the electronics to test the starter to see if it will engage and turn over the motor, or at least spin the starter even if it doesn't engage the motor via the solenoid? That would at least prove the start is capable of operating correctly and turn our attention elsewhere.

Any other ideas to things to try.

Appreciate all the help, but getting real close to calling the dealer since my grass is now about 6" and starting to look rather embarrassing :)

I can post a video up on you tube if that helps.
 

SONOFADOCKER

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
If you don't mind sparks you can turn the key to power . Touch a screw driver to one lower post and and upper post . You will be bypassing everything sending 12 volts to the starter.
 

reflex439

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
Well, I found the problem. It was in the wiring for the safety switch for turning the blades on and off. It was basically telling the electronics that the blades were on when in fact they were not. Thus, the safety was tripped not allowing the engine to start, probably fouled by water from the heavy rain. That would make sense to me, but because I would occasionally see the starter turn the motor about a 1/4 turn, it make me look elsewhere. Had it never attempted that 1/4 turn, I would probably have started looking at the safety bypasses before focusing on the starter.

Thanks for all the help!! Really appreciated!

My lawn is now mowed and looks great ;)
 

rohopo

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  • / Toro/Kohler Zero Turn turn, left in rain 2 days, won't start/turn over/battery ok
Well, I found the problem. It was in the wiring for the safety switch for turning the blades on and off. It was basically telling the electronics that the blades were on when in fact they were not. Thus, the safety was tripped not allowing the engine to start, probably fouled by water from the heavy rain. That would make sense to me, but because I would occasionally see the starter turn the motor about a 1/4 turn, it make me look elsewhere. Had it never attempted that 1/4 turn, I would probably have started looking at the safety bypasses before focusing on the starter.

Thanks for all the help!! Really appreciated!

My lawn is now mowed and looks great ;)

I think I have exactly the same problem. Did you have to replace the safety switch, or just clean it and and dry it out?

Thanks!
 
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