Thread For The Mechanically Declined

[DaYooperASBDT]

My name is DaYooperASBDT, and I am mechanically declined.

Anybody have a theory on my misbehaving lawn tractor? It's a Sears Craftsman, and I have a snowthrowing attachment on it right now. I finally got all the belts and tire chains working the way they should, but I went to start it yesterday (electric start), and the engine won't turn over. Back to the old snow snovel for a few hours!

When I turn the key, I hear a high-pitched "rrrreeeeee" sound, so the battery appears to be fine. The flywheel turns by hand, so nothing is frozen up there.

I'm guessing a bad coil, or an issue with the starter itself? Do small engines have a starter gear? Any advice is greatly appreciated! I know, call a mechanic .... :classic:

[slim pickens]

spray some ether in there.

[Mr.MelissaG915]

You have the same problem as I do. Your starter is not engaging the flywheel to start the motor. The WHeeeee sound is the starter spinning.

Look for a round canister (about the size of a 40oz can of beer) on the starboard side of the engine. At the top of it, there should be a sproket that lifts up and engages the gears on the flywheel. My guess is you have teeth missing on the starter motor. If you do, or no theeth at all, remove the starter (two or three nuts and one electric connection - Remove the battery lead first so you don't shock yourself) and take it to a small engine repair place. I had mine fixed (NOT REPLACED) for $40.

If the teeth are all there on the starter, you may be missing teeth on the flywheel. Open wallet.........put tractor on trailer...........open wallet..........take tractor to small engine guy............stop by ATM............

[hueytaxi]

Actually, your starter may be fine as well as your flywheel. I believe your issue is the "bendix" is not lifting your engaement gear on your starter to mesh with the flywheel and you only hear the starter running. You most likely will have to replace the starter as I don't think a "bendix" is replaceable on them.. Fairly simple and easy to figure out. The shroud on top of the engine will have to be removed and you will see the small gear below your flywheel. Turn the key and it should spin and not lift up and engage.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Thanks guys, I'll check that out. I see that small cylinder on the RH side, that must be the starter then.

Any chance the "bendix" lifter is frozen by cold weather?

[hueytaxi]

It's a magnetic solonoid with a return spring. You could try to loosen it. I'm not used to your conditions

[Mr.MelissaG915]

Maybe a little WD40- Starters are easy to replace. If you have teeth, Huey is prob. right.

[whitecapwendy]

wow, you guys are good. (having had to have many starters on cars replaced) I was going to say with a fair degree of confidence, "sounds like the starter, call a mechanic."

[DaYooperASBDT]

Huey pretty much nailed it, I believe. I tried a few taps on the starter with a rubber mallet, nothing. Then I heated the engine area for a while, and voila! Started right up.

Of course now the drive belt to my snow throwing attachment, it's laying in the middle of the driveway, but that's been an on-going issue ..... :knocked: I ended up using the attachment like a plow, and just shoved the snow out of the driveway.

Now for the story of how I heated the engine, a true bit of Yooper ingenuity: lacking a salamander, I lit my small tabletop grill, placed that next to the tractor.

Then I took the top portion of a stand fan, and step it in a bucket, behind the grill, to blow the heat toward the engine. Finally, I used an old t-shirt to block the vents on top of the cowl. Works, well, OK! :grin:

[hueytaxi]

Good to hear. You probably had a stuck pulley on your blower as well. I know on my Murray, if one of my pulleys becomes jammed and the belt stretches slightly, it will start throwing it. I have to replace it shortly after. And I guess from a Fl. perspective, I'm in the MP.

(Edit: Never overlook the wife's hairdryer as a portable heat source)

[DaYooperASBDT]

LOL I've used the hairdryer on a few occasions, only problem with those is that they overheat and shut off to often for my liking. Someday I'm going to have to spring for a garage .....

[G.Reaper]

my 88 year old meighbors snow blower is doing the same thing. New starter solenoid should do the trick, buy you can usually get one more time with a hammer.

[screwball]

Good call Huey.

Yoop, for the mechanically declined, you need two things. WD-40 and 100 mph tape, also known as duct tape.

Directions: If it moves and shouldn't - use the tape. If it should move and doesn't - use WD-40.

[DaYooperASBDT]

LOL, I've used both on many occasions.

A big issue with the snowthrower attachment, is the fact that I was dumb enough to buy it. I don't think the issue is so much stuck pulleys, as the wet snow that keeps plugging up the auger. Wet snow is a certifiable *****, when you are trying to blow it.

The moment that auger plugs, the long belt commences smoking! Sometimes I can free the auger by ramming into deeper snow, or by backing up and lifting the attachment (seems to tighten the belt a bit). But I'll check those pulleys again.

PS I seem to be seeing a lot of those snowthrower attachments for sale - perhaps I'll have to conceed defeat at some point and just get a plow !! :wink:

[Team Mom]

Okay Huey no more saying I can't fix this or that. They have all admitted that you know what you are doing.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Okay Huey no more saying I can't fix this or that. They have all admitted that you know what you are doing.LOL, ignorance is bliss! :classic:

[DaYooperASBDT]

Well I think I have finally tamed the long drive belt to the snowthrower issue. A couple of weeks ago I pulled off the mower deck, then grabbed the attachment clutch and mounted it underneath the tractor (Sears Craftsman).

I noticed a lack of tension while installing the long belt, and realized my screw-up at last. I had pulled the pulley spring/chain through the wrong side of the clutch frame !! So I reversed the spring so that the pulley could push against the belt. So once again I honor my Polish heritage, lol.

The snowthrower now works beautifully, but now the tractor won't re-charge the battery at all. Grrrrrrrr, might have to make that phone call after all.

[Chaz]

Okay Huey no more saying I can't fix this or that. They have all admitted that you know what you are doing.


he can do anything, but get that keg into the man cave:ponder:

[hueytaxi]

One of my problems in life was never being an expert in anything (okay, I was the best pilot in the Army). I just don't know enough about a single subject, but I know a little about a lot.

[zimm]

Well I think I have finally tamed the long drive belt to the snowthrower issue. A couple of weeks ago I pulled off the mower deck, then grabbed the attachment clutch and mounted it underneath the tractor (Sears Craftsman).

I noticed a lack of tension while installing the long belt, and realized my screw-up at last. I had pulled the pulley spring/chain through the wrong side of the clutch frame !! So I reversed the spring so that the pulley could push against the belt. So once again I honor my Polish heritage, lol.

The snowthrower now works beautifully, but now the tractor won't re-charge the battery at all. Grrrrrrrr, might have to make that phone call after all.

pictures would aid the diagnosis. i even take them for dumb stuff like which way the lawn mower blade faces before i remove it for sharpening (i usually take it to may dad's house to use his power grinding wheel, so it goes back on at least 3 or 4 days after i take it off.)

[Chopper]

The snowthrower now works beautifully, but now the tractor won't re-charge the battery at all. Grrrrrrrr, might have to make that phone call after all.

Well...some lawn tractors use the starter as the generator. You should be able to start the tractor and pull the negative cable and it should stay running. If it doesn't your generator/starter it poo. If it stays running then you battery could be toast. You could also have a bad voltage regulator if it doesn't have a starter/generator combination.

I'm not sure if Craftsman use the Starter/generator system. Get your model number and go to sears parts and see what it has for a charging system.