14 year old gravely 252Z starts intermittently

[lonejacksteve]

I have a 14 year old gravely 252Z. It has been a great mower for many years. Last year I took it to a gravely dealer and had them tune it up, adjust the levers and hydraulics, new blades, etc. to the tune of $700. It worked great for a couple of months, then it started acting up. You would have to turn the key multiple times to get it to turn over, but it would eventually crank. I had the starter rebuilt a couple of years ago, and this year I took the starter and solenoid in to the same electrical service place and they replaced the solenoid and said the starter was fine.

I put the starter and solenoid back on, but I am having a problem getting it to start. Sometimes it will start, and other times the red light will come on when you turn the key, it makes a clicking noise, but doesn't turn over/crank. Sometimes it will start if you use the power boost on my battery charger. I had my 3 year old battery checked and it had 0 volts, so I bought a new one. I put in the new one, and cleaned the battery connections, but it does the same thing, turn key, red light comes on, hear a click, but it doesn't turn over.

I saw the thread on this site suggesting potential bad fuses, safety switches, or connections. I even got a wiring diagram from a different local gravely dealer. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about trying to correct the problem. I don't have a trailer to haul it on, and I'm hoping I can figure it out without spending another pile of money on it. Of course they will happily come get it for $75 in addition to however much it costs to fix it.

I suspect it's something simple, a bad fuse, a loose connection, a bad ground, etc. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I love the gravely, and it's been a wonderful mower. Please help me get it to start correctly, just like old times.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Check your solenoid.
If it has one small terminal on the bottom, bridge the hot wire on the top to the small wire on the bottom, engine should crank
If not then try adding a bridge from the - battery terminal to the body of the solenoid, engine should crank.
If not then bridge the two heavy wires on the top of the solenoid, engine should crank.
If not get some jumpers and connect from the - battery terminal to somewhere as close to the starter as possible
Do the same with the + side but connect to the heavy wire on the starter.

Let us know what happened every time for each step above.

ZTR's suffer badly form the elements so they corrode every where.

 

[lonejacksteve]

Thank you. I will try that in the morning. Looking at other posts, perhaps I should have provided some additional information.

Model 992045
Kawasaki 25 HP - model # FH721V

Let me know if you need any additional information or specifics when I try to start it. I will update you when I try your suggestion. Thanks for your help.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Thank you. I will try that in the morning. Looking at other posts, perhaps I should have provided some additional information.

Model 992045
Kawasaki 25 HP - model # FH721V

Let me know if you need any additional information or specifics when I try to start it. I will update you when I try your suggestion. Thanks for your help.

Just do the tests, in the order given and post the results from each & every one of them.
Those who know & understand will easily be ablt ot see where you are at and what needs to be replaced if I don't get back to you.