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From: Who Me? on 7 Dec 2008 10:13

"Ted Mittelstaedt" <tedm(a)toybox.placo.com> wrote

> You also could try tying a rope to the tractor, the other end to your
> car, and have someone pull the tractor along at a couple MPH and
> drop the clutch to push-start it and see if the engine at least fires.
>

On most recent lawnmowers, there is no "clutch".
Will that work with a modern hydro-static transmission ?? I doubt it.

Like modern automatic car transmissions void of a "rear pump" that won't
push start, I'd think the same would be true of a lawn mower hydro
drive......but I don't really know.

Both of mine seem to have a distinct braking function when the pedal is
neutral.



From: Jack Hunt on 7 Dec 2008 10:25
On Sat, 6 Dec 2008 12:17:30 -0800 (PST), michael.janket(a)gmail.com wrote:

>Sequentially, where do I
>start the diagnosis process?

Turn the engine by hand to make sure it isn't seized or has a hydrostatic lock.

Find out what the battery voltage is at the posts, not on the cable ends. That's
where you start. You need a voltmeter. There is no other way to determine if a
battery is good or not. If it burns a headlight or blows a horn, that's great
but operating a 5 amp accessory doesn't tell you squat about whether or not it
will operate a 150 amp starter.

Get a voltmeter and see what the resting battery voltage is. If it's 12.5 or
greater, go to the next step. If it's less than 12.5, you charge the battery or
replace it.

Test the cranking voltage. If cranking voltage is below 9, charge or replace
the battery.

If it's greater than 9 but nothing is moving, clean both battery connections,
check the solenoid connections, and clean all ground connections. Make sure all
ground connections are in place.

> Do I have a broken wire that won't
>deliver enough juice to the solenoid?

No. The solenoid either works or it doesn't. If it clicks, that's all it can
do.

> Do I jump from battery to terminal with another wire?

No, not unless you want to start a fire and screw up some terminals.

> Do I splice in another wire from the starter switch and attach that to the small
>in terminal in the solenoid that carries a smaller voltage from said switch?

You can do that, but nothing will change. If you're getting a click from the
solenoid, that's all that small wire can do. It's working correctly.

If everything checks out OK, measure the voltage supplied to the connection
terminal on the starter itself while cranking. If that doesn't equal battery
voltage while cranking, minus a few tenths for connection loss, you have a bad
connection somewhere.

If that checks out, put the positive voltmeter lead on the case of the starter
and the negative voltmeter lead on the negative post of the battery and crank
it. If you get ANY voltage, you have a bad connection somewhere on the ground
side of the battery.

If everything works out correctly with the above tests, suspect the starter
itself.

--
Jack
From: . on 7 Dec 2008 10:35
On Dec 6, 9:42�pm, "Who Me?" <hitchhi...(a)dont.panic> wrote:

> Before you get too carried away with the other stuff, �listen for a whine
> after the click, which would indicate a failed engagement mechanism OR a
> stripped gear on the starter. � Also WATCH the flywheel. �If it tries to
> move just a little bit and stops, that could be a sign of a seized engine..

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/Honda/HondaHT3813Starter.jpg

The solenoid is right there at the starter, it shouldn't be much of a
problem to
jumper from the solenoid to the starter.

The starter has a bendix drive and what looks like a one-way sprag
clutch on the reduction gear.

From: Claude Hopper on 12 Dec 2008 08:29
michael.janket(a)gmail.com wrote:
> My 1987 Honda HT3813 tractor won't start. I have a new battery and
> new solenoid. I turn the key, get a click. Sequentially, where do I
> start the diagnosis process? Do I have a broken wire that won't
> deliver enough juice to the solenoid? Do I jump from battery to
> terminal with another wire? Do I splice in another wire from the
> starter switch and attach that to the small in terminal in the
> solenoid that carries a smaller voltage from said switch?
> Must be a simple way to piece this together, suggestions very
> welcome. Gotta be simple. thanks all, Mike

I bought a a nice 20hp tractor with a snowblower, wheel weights, chains
and mower deck for a real cheap price from a guy who had the same
problem and gave up on it. Turns out he dropped something on the engine
cowling bending it into the bug screen preventing the flywheel from
turning. Or else bent it while it was off and put it on that way. I
straighted it out and it runs like a clock. I like deals like that.
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