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Craftsman T240 starting issue

#1

D

Dcarter

Craftsman T240 has new battery and all connections are clean and tight. The only way to start the mower is to jump it with a jump starter. Any thoughts or things i should check or is this a problem with the mower. Once it is jumped, runs great. Started about a month after purchase. Thanks


#2

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

a month after purchase of mower, or after purchase of new battery?
just to clarify.


#3

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

Dcarter said:
Craftsman T240 has new battery and all connections are clean and tight. The only way to start the mower is to jump it with a jump starter. Any thoughts or things i should check or is this a problem with the mower. Once it is jumped, runs great. Started about a month after purchase. Thanks
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Charge and load test battery. How many cold cranking amps is one month old battery?


#4

StarTech

StarTech

I just wish OPs would post the real model numbers from the serial number tags. Using T 240 (CMXGRAM1130044) (13APA1ZT093) for research.

Having to guess at this having a Kohler KT725 engine. IF so when was the last time the valves were adjusted. It be that the ACR is not working due excessive rocker clearances. It takes a lot of extra amps when it not working to crank the engine.


#5

D

Dcarter

Scrubcadet10 said:
a month after purchase of mower, or after purchase of new battery?
just to clarify.
Click to expand...
After purchasing the mower.


#6

D

Dcarter

StarTech said:
I just wish OPs would post the real model numbers from the serial number tags. Using T 240 (CMXGRAM1130044) (13APA1ZT093) for research.

Having to guess at this having a Kohler KT725 engine. IF so when was the last time the valves were adjusted. It be that the ACR is not working due excessive rocker clearances. It takes a lot of extra amps when it not working to crank the engine.
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Mower is a month old. Valves should not need to be adjusted at this age.


#7

S

slomo

Dcarter said:
Valves should not need to be adjusted at this age.
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Wouldn't hurt anything to rule it out completely. Only takes a few minutes. I know, lazy America.


#8

S

slomo

Dcarter said:
Mower is a month old.
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And you already replaced the battery?

Sounds like you don't own a trickle charger.
1747689998633.jpeg

Or run the engine at idle speeds only as in not charging the battery up.

What engine speed do you run it at?


#9

D

Dcarter

slomo said:
Wouldn't hurt anything to rule it out completely. Only takes a few minutes. I know, lazy America.
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Well I guess you are a little boy with a loud mouth.


#10

D

Dcarter

slomo said:
Wouldn't hurt anything to rule it out completely. Only takes a few minutes. I know, lazy America.
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The valves won’t help the engine turn over.


#11

D

Dcarter

slomo said:
And you already replaced the battery?

Sounds like you don't own a trickle charger.
View attachment 70983

Or run the engine at idle speeds only as in not charging the battery up.

What engine speed do you run it at?
Click to expand...
And yes a maintenance charger and that doesn’t help.


#12

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Dcarter said:
The valves won’t help the engine turn over.
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Actually they will.
When you try to start it with out jumping it, does the engine turn at all? or just very slowly, or quick then slow, quick then slow.
Just to rule out mower wiring issues, disconnect the mower battery, now get your jumper cables, hook them up to your mower battery, and the other end NEG - hook to a good ground such as a engine mount bolt/non painted surface, then touch your red lead end to the starter + lug.. Don't be alarmed there will be some sparks, but if it cranks normally doing it this way, you have a mower wiring issue. if not, probably a battery issue or engine issue.


#13

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

Dcarter said:
Well I guess you are a little boy with a loud mouth.
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Looks like we got another one that knows not much and isn’t respectful. No soup for you!


#14

D

Dcarter

Tiger Small Engine said:
Looks like we got another one that knows not much and isn’t respectful. No soup for you!
Click to expand...


#15

D

Dcarter

I did not start this so move on with your derogatory remarks.


#16

D

Dcarter

I was respectful till you entered. You are the one that’s not respectful. Enjoy your day. You did not even try to help. Pathetic


#17

E

Elkins45

Just to clarify: when you say it starts when you jump it are you connecting the jumper cables directly to the battery terminals? If you are and it starts then this means all the wiring from the battery to the starter is still functional. That makes me think the mower battery is bad, or the connections are corroded.

I removed the batteries from both my mowers and put them on a trickle charger in my garage while the mowers were stored in the barn. When I went to start mowing this year I carried both batteries down to the barn and connected them both. Neither would start. So back to the house I went to get a wire brush, and after a few swipes on the terminals and battery posts both fired right up.


#18

E

Elkins45

Dcarter said:
The valves won’t help the engine turn over.
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Actually if the engine has a compression release it makes a huge difference. My B&S became harder and harder to crank over the years, up to the point I had to spin the flywheel before it would crank. When I adjusted the valves it cranked like it was new. If there’s enough slack in the lifters the compression release doesn’t open and the starter has to work much harder.


#19

D

Dcarter

Elkins45 said:
Actually if the engine has a compression release it makes a huge difference. My B&S became harder and harder to crank over the years, up to the point I had to spin the flywheel before it would crank. When I adjusted the valves it cranked like it was new. If there’s enough slack in the lifters the compression release doesn’t open and the starter has to work much harder.
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This started after a month. Jump straight to the batter. And is always on a charger. Its not a decompression issue.


#20

E

Elkins45

Dcarter said:
This started after a month. Jump straight to the batter. And is always on a charger. Its not a decompression issue.
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Then the problem is the battery. Probably an internal short and it's completely dead.


#21

StarTech

StarTech

Dcarter said:
Mower is a month old. Valves should not need to be adjusted at this age.
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IF the mower is a new mower and it is only a month then working on it yourself can void the warranty. Suggest letting the dealer handle the problem.


#22

S

slomo

If you can't keep a month old mower running return it. Maybe "try" a pair of scissors?


#23

D

Dcarter

Elkins45 said:
Then the problem is the battery. Probably an internal short and it's completely dead.
Click to expand...
Put in a new battery and does the same thing.


#24

D

Dcarter

StarTech said:
IF the mower is a new mower and it is only a month then working on it yourself can void the warranty. Suggest letting the dealer handle the problem.
Click to expand...
They could not figure the problem out.


#25

E

Elkins45

Dcarter said:
Put in a new battery and does the same thing.
Click to expand...
Have you verified the condition of the new battery with a load tester?


#26

ILENGINE

ILENGINE

If you try to start without the jumper, what does it do. Try to crank but either slow, turns and stops, or does nothing.


#27

Tiger Small Engine

Tiger Small Engine

Dcarter said:
I was respectful till you entered. You are the one that’s not respectful. Enjoy your day. You did not even try to help. Pathetic
Click to expand...
See post #3. Add short term memory loss to list.


#28

E

Elkins45

Dcarter said:
They could not figure the problem out.
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If it starts with a jump using the same wires that are hooked to the battery then logically it follows that the wiring is functional. That leaves the battery as the only variable that could be defective. It's not impossible that a new battery is defective.

Also, if the dealer can't figure out how to fix a new mower that's under warranty then they need to replace it with one that works.


#29

S

slomo

Dcarter said:
Its not a decompression issue.
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What confirmed this condition please?


#30

D

Dcarter

slomo said:
What confirmed this condition please?
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Because I know it’s not a decompression issue. Have had that on others.


#31

S

slomo

Dcarter said:
Because I know it’s not a decompression issue. Have had that on others.
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Well what is the exact issue then? You seem to be up on your game.


#32

E

Elkins45

Have you actually verified that the new battery is functional and capable of delivering enough current to turn the starter?


#33

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

perhaps a video of the issue would help us all get straight.
upload it to youtube and copy n paste the link here


#34

D

Dcarter

Scrubcadet10 said:
perhaps a video of the issue would help us all get straight.
upload it to youtube and copy n paste the link here
Click to expand...
Just sold it for 1200.


#35

S

slomo

Dcarter said:
Just sold it for 1200.
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Hope you did the human thing and divulged all pertinent info to the new buyer?

Not to start anything but I'm stunned you threw in the towel and got rid of it. Sounded like you were so close to cutting grass. (y)


#36

D

Dcarter

slomo said:
Hope you did the human thing and divulged all pertinent info to the new buyer?

Not to start anything but I'm stunned you threw in the towel and got rid of it. Sounded like you were so close to cutting grass. (y)
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They knew what was going on. Just tired of dealing with it


#37

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Dcarter said:
Just sold it for 1200.
Click to expand...
That's one way to get rid of a problem


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