Craftsman Starter

Hi There..I have a question and hope you all here can help..

I have an older Craftsman Mower (model 917.258473) and it has a 15.5 OHV motor in it (model 28n707) and it gave me starting problems last year(dead battery and would just a click at times) and luckily it lasted the season. At the end of the last season cut, it had died on me all of a sudden and I just put it in the garage..

So put in fresh battery, plug,etc. to get it ready for this year..I turn the key and the starter just spins...The gear that is to engage the flywheel, will not pop up and make contact.. Is this a starter problem I take it?

Also, there are 2 wires that go under the flywheel that I do not what they go to. As I tried to mess with it last night, i seen some slight white smoke come up from that area(after I just happen to wash the tractor off).... any ideas?

Thank again for the help :thumbsup:

The gear on the starter just needs some pb blast and move it up and down a few times. The two wires up front charged the battery at one time I am thinking that they won't Any more after the puff of white smoke and I bet the smell of burnt wire

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The gear itself on top I can move up and down by hand..The shaft just below it(what the gear rides on), is that what is stuck and needs to come up on engagement also?

As for the wires, I figured they was attached to the stator or whatever charges the battery..But yes, a tad of burnt wire smell:laughing:

Thanks for the reply

If the starter gear moves by hand easily and burnt the stator wires makes me think that you hooked the new battery up backwards. positive to negative, negative to positive.

Nope, I have done some stupid things in my life, but never that one yet :laughing:

LMFAO.......I can now say I have done it all What a moron :laughing:

Thanks for mentioning that ILENGINE, as I wouldnt have looked....But now that I fried the stator, would that cause it not to start?

I can put fuel in the carb and it start, but it will not stay running now...

Thanks again for the advice and help guys, much appreciated