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Hello All,

I have a Troy Bilt Pony with a 17.5 Briggs that will only spin once then freeze then spin then freeze over and over again. I have put a new solenoid and a new starter and using the key would do this. I jumped it directly on the starter and it started right up about 3 times this year. Now even jumping from starter does the same thing.

I know it must be a ground problem because it was working jumping the starter but now that's not even working. I used one of those jump starters on the battery and used jumper cables to starter and no change. I've done a valve adjustment on it and it's perfectly where they need to be.

I am completely lost and not sure what to do now. Any help is very appreciated.

could be the compression release on the cam broken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOn-eUCdwr0

If you haven't tried adjusting the valves you should. How to video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PEUt_KAcYk

Also look and see if the valves are fully opening and closing. The cam lobes can be worn down.

If the valve adjustment does not work then it's the compression release as NorthBama said. You can put the palm of your hand over the plastic intake that is attached to the carburetor and it should crank just fine, even with the compression release broke.

Update.

Got it started by jumping the starter, ended up being a weak battery I was jumping with. Putting jumper cables on the mower's battery wires and trying to start does nothing. When I put the negative on, something clicked around the carburetor but the motor didn't even try to turn. Before if I put the cables on the battery it would do the same spinning once and stopping thing even when I put the ground on the engine. Anything I can try so I can actually use the key to start?

devenrocks said:

Update.

Got it started by jumping the starter, ended up being a weak battery I was jumping with. Putting jumper cables on the mower's battery wires and trying to start does nothing. When I put the negative on, something clicked around the carburetor but the motor didn't even try to turn. Before if I put the cables on the battery it would do the same spinning once and stopping thing even when I put the ground on the engine. Anything I can try so I can actually use the key to start?

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Could be: loose connection, bad ground, solenoid, fuse or bad cable. First replace the fuse just to be sure. If that didn't work touch a screw driver on the 2 solenoid posts and see if the engine spins. That would rule out bad cables and most likely be the solenoid.