Simplicity Broadmoor starting problem (new)

[thad65]

Have a 19 yr old Simplicity Broadmoor 16 HP Hydro mower, model #1692776. Mower was starting and would run fine right after it started, but after about 10 or 15 minutes of mowing it got progressively slower and slower until it would barely move. Engine was still running at full speed, but the mower wouldn't move. Figured the main PTO belt needed replacement after almost 20 years, so swapped it out with a new belt. Appears to be on correctly, but now I can't start the mower. PTO is off, brake pedal is pushed down, seat interlock switch engaged, but although it started fine with the old belt, I'm not even getting the engine to turn over with the new one. The only thing that you do that seems at all tricky when changing the belt is that you have to drop the electrically operated PTO to get clearance to remove & replace the belt, but then you put it right back on the engine shaft, which didn't seem that hard. However, I figure I must have messed up something, but I don't see anything obvious. Any ideas?

Until I can get it running, I won't be able to find out if the belt swap helped with the original problem (slowing down after it ran for a while).

 

[Mike_Goad]

Have a 19 yr old Simplicity Broadmoor 16 HP Hydro mower, model #1692776. Mower was starting and would run fine right after it started, but after about 10 or 15 minutes of mowing it got progressively slower and slower until it would barely move. Engine was still running at full speed, but the mower wouldn't move. Figured the main PTO belt needed replacement after almost 20 years, so swapped it out with a new belt. Appears to be on correctly, but now I can't start the mower. PTO is off, brake pedal is pushed down, seat interlock switch engaged, but although it started fine with the old belt, I'm not even getting the engine to turn over with the new one. The only thing that you do that seems at all tricky when changing the belt is that you have to drop the electrically operated PTO to get clearance to remove & replace the belt, but then you put it right back on the engine shaft, which didn't seem that hard. However, I figure I must have messed up something, but I don't see anything obvious. Any ideas?

Until I can get it running, I won't be able to find out if the belt swap helped with the original problem (slowing down after it ran for a while).

you probably have 2 issues one with the starting and the other with the hydros themselves.
when you removed the belt you did one of two things, knocked a wire off of the brake pedal or another wire that is part of the starting circuit. out of the switch, follow the wire that comes out of the ignition switch that goes to the starter solenoid. is the solinoid clicking? you could have also reinstalled the clutch wrong and it is catching and not letting the engine spin. if you can, try to spin the engine by hand.
i am throwing alot out here but these are all possibilities.
as far as the belt being the issue, i doubt it. when a hydro starts to go bad, it slows down. think about the oil on the inside. when the oil is cold, it is thicker. as the oil warms up it thins out. when it thins out, it will "leak" internally and not the unit build up pressure. unless there is an external hose, there is probably no of knowing this with out pulling the unit apart. and depending upon the brand, this could be easy or hard.

let me know if i can confuse you any more.

 

[mechanic mark]

https://www.simplicitymfg.com/na/en_us/search.html?searchrequested=1692776

See page 31 in manual & retrace your steps hands on.

 

[thad65]

you probably have 2 issues one with the starting and the other with the hydros themselves.
when you removed the belt you did one of two things, knocked a wire off of the brake pedal or another wire that is part of the starting circuit. out of the switch, follow the wire that comes out of the ignition switch that goes to the starter solenoid. is the solinoid clicking? you could have also reinstalled the clutch wrong and it is catching and not letting the engine spin. if you can, try to spin the engine by hand.
i am throwing alot out here but these are all possibilities.
as far as the belt being the issue, i doubt it. when a hydro starts to go bad, it slows down. think about the oil on the inside. when the oil is cold, it is thicker. as the oil warms up it thins out. when it thins out, it will "leak" internally and not the unit build up pressure. unless there is an external hose, there is probably no of knowing this with out pulling the unit apart. and depending upon the brand, this could be easy or hard.

let me know if i can confuse you any more.

Thanks, that helps. I'll have to crawl under the thing again to check out your suggestions. And no, I'm not getting far enough electrically to even click the solenoid when I turn the key to start, so that's primarily why I think it's an interlock problem somewhere. I did notice in the manual that certain indicator lights on the dash are supposed to light up with the ignition key on but before starting the engine. The only one I see lighting in that situation is the oil pressure light, but after I started checking I noticed that I have at least 2 or 3 bulbs that are burned out (19 years worth of shaking, I suppose). I should probably buy some replacements since that might help with the troubleshooting! I assume a burned out indicator bulb can't cause a starting problem, correct?

Before I gave up and came online for help, I did spin the engine a bit by manually pulling on the new drive belt and it did seem to rotate. The operators manual mentions using a feeler gauge to check clearances in the PTO. I didn't make that check and was wondering if re-tightening it back to the motor shaft could have thrown those clearances off and that's somehow causing a problem?

I was afraid that I might have an internal hydro problem, but was hoping that might not be the case. According to the manual, my unit is a sealed unit, but I did notice that there's a capped plastic or rubber tube a few inches long above the hydro unit that is hidden between the top of the hydro and the decking that's underneath the mower's seat. Looks like a real pain to get to, but I'm guessing that might be an access point where additional oil could be added assuming I could figure out a way to get to that tube without taking the back half of the mower apart.

 

[thad65]

https://www.simplicitymfg.com/na/en_us/search.html?searchrequested=1692776

See page 31 in manual & retrace your steps hands on.

Thanks, I've been through those steps a couple of times while under the mower trying to figure out my problem and nothing obvious was coming to me. I do appreciate the link to the manuals as I didn't have a copy of the exploded parts views that are in the parts manual and that really helps with figuring out where everything connects to everything else.