Ok,
It all began when Toro Proline 44" wouldn't crank many moons ago. Obviously, I checked the battery, battery cables, terminals cleaned. I wacked the starter with a hammer and voila the thing cranked and started right up. Then I replaced the starter and it still wouldn't crank without whacking the thing with a hammer. I lived with this 'quirk' for literally over 2 decades. On a whim recently I wacked up by the ignition switch and the thing cranked and started. Then I pulled the ignition switch off cleaned it with a fingernail file and reassembled it. There wasn't much corrosion at all but this fixed it and I haven't had any trouble with it since . The thing was the vibration from wacking the starter all those years was enough to make the contacts of the ignition switch allow the current to travel through the starting circuit up by the handlebar. I guess that's what happen when a novice tries to do mechanical work.
It all began when Toro Proline 44" wouldn't crank many moons ago. Obviously, I checked the battery, battery cables, terminals cleaned. I wacked the starter with a hammer and voila the thing cranked and started right up. Then I replaced the starter and it still wouldn't crank without whacking the thing with a hammer. I lived with this 'quirk' for literally over 2 decades. On a whim recently I wacked up by the ignition switch and the thing cranked and started. Then I pulled the ignition switch off cleaned it with a fingernail file and reassembled it. There wasn't much corrosion at all but this fixed it and I haven't had any trouble with it since . The thing was the vibration from wacking the starter all those years was enough to make the contacts of the ignition switch allow the current to travel through the starting circuit up by the handlebar. I guess that's what happen when a novice tries to do mechanical work.
