Fix A Lawn Tractor That Won't Start! Common No Crank Problem!
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
- Fix A Lawn Tractor That Won't Start! Common No Crank Problem!
If your lawn tractor or ride on mower won't start or the engine doesn't crank over you may have the exact problem I show how to repair in this video! This same problem can occur on many different lawn tractors but in different areas of the machine.
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Easy to follow and thorough step by step tutorials do it yourself (DIY) videos to help you with your broken lawn and garden equipment including snowblowers.
I do my best to teach you how to easily diagnose problems the fastest, quickest and most efficient way with real repairs beyond just replacing a spark plug. These tips are for both the homeowner and shop owner.
Whether it be a handheld, two stroke, two cycle engine like a chainsaw, weed eater, weed wacker, string trimmer, grass trimmer, line trimmer, hedge trimmer, strimmer, brush cutter, leaf blower, or four stroke, four cycle units like a lawnmower, wood splitter, lawn tractor, zero turn mower, snowblower, pressure washer, generator or a ride on mower that needs parts installed or replaced, I’m your go-to guy.
My favorite brands of spark plugs are NGK and Champion and are the ones I recommend.
I’ve been a small engine mechanic for many decades and also run my own repair shop so my videos are loaded with tips and tricks that I have learned and want to share with you. You will also find many tool and product reviews from top brands on my channel as well.
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Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor” recommends safe practices when working with power tools, hand tools, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor”, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not DONYBOY73 “The Small Engine Doctor".
#donyboy73 #smallengine #rideonmower
Watch my video on how to remove a seized wheel from a lawn tractor here;
ua-cam.com/video/85bcnr5JEbk/v-deo.html
Watch my video on how to fix a John Deere tractor that kept flooding here;
ua-cam.com/video/vCtCtF8BatQ/v-deo.html
A permanent cure without bypassing the safety feature. Well done.
Thanks for not helping me when I had a question brotha, I really appreciate it
Had one in the shop last week. Customer even replaced the battery thinking that was the problem. I did show the customer exactly what the problem was. He just shook his head. Lol Great idea to install a screw to hold it on. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, everybody blames the battery for every no-start!
Hey Dony!! OMG!! After 5 hours of researching and stressing, found ure video on UA-cam. WHAT A LIFESAVER!! This video was an instant fix!! AND very easy to understand !! It was exact reason couldn't start my mower after a good cleaning. Thank you!!!
Literally fixed one of these couple months ago for one of my good customers. Did the same diagnosis until I found one of the knobs came loose causing the safety switch to not be pressed all the way in. Couldn't find a video on this machine/problem. Thanks Don.
thanks for the shirt Fill, just arrived this week!
This was my 3rd video after searching everywhere and Boom! Mine just wasn't seated properly-Thank you Sir!
Dony always has to fix these stupid design's that engineers make. Thanks dony for the video. God bless you.
have a good weekend!
That was a good fix , and I'm sure as a business owner you can't, but if it were mine I would just remove the switch.
You think that is easier and better than installing a screw as Dony did????
Thank you so much you described perfectly what was happening when I mowed my lawn. Nobody else mentioned the safety switch.
You just saved me a lot of time and money!!!! Thank you. This was exactly the issue I had!
I can't believe that switch won't be a problem in the future. Thanks for the cure.
1:38 Looking at a fuse and "seeing" that the fuse is "good" may not actually be the case. I have seen fuses that were "good" and then checked continuity with a Multimeter and found that the fuse was NOT good. Quick and easy to check, saves a lot of frustration and cursing.
thanks for the reminder!
@@donyboy73 i saw a john deere sx75 in terrible need of repair. My question to you is, are they worth fixing? I hate seeing it slowly rot away. I've got very minimal experience in working on mowers but have been watching as many of your tutorials as possible. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated sir. Thank you in advance and jeep up the great work!!
@@abelgarcia5718 I would have to see it, if cost is over half of new then maybe it's not worth it
@@abelgarcia5718 I run a small engine shop of my own. If you can get it and fix it for less than $300-$500 USD, they’re not horrible. But it all depends on the market. In my area you’re lucky if you can get $300-$500 out of them clean retail because they’re a small mower and aren’t very desirable here.
@@lawnboy81SMS i even thought about removing the deck and just use it for the kids/grandkids to cruise around the yrd on. Lol
That tip has been a big help and I have a Craftsman riding mower which is having problems starting and I will check that to see if it could be having a similar problem.
Enjoying your videos. It's always nice to see how others do things, related to what you yourself do. Always good advice!
Good morning dony.. just rolled out of bed.. will grab a coffee and a beacon roll.. hope the family are well.
Just rolled out of bed?!!? I just crawled into bed. Have a good day!
@@adadandhisdaughter9580 lol night night
@@themowerman hey mate. I’m happy you replied to my comment. I’m always looking for good content to watch. You have a lot. I just subscribed!
@@adadandhisdaughter9580 thanks mate
There was a service bulletin put out 3 or so years ago addressing this problem. It supplied a kit to modify the discharge chute to prevent the chute from creeping up and losing contact with the safety switch. It applied to these MTD mowers which were sold under the Craftsman, Yardman and various other names. Supposedly all mowers after that date should have been fitted with the mod.
good to know!
@@donyboy73 just bypass the damn switch it is no needed anyway
@@catsbyondrepair As a good repair shop like donyboy, you can't do that or shouldn't do it. As the owner of the mower, they can if they want and assume the responsibility if something goes wrong.
Cool classic looking lawn tractor.
GREAT fix, I've super glued a penny to the plastic chute tab or held in the plunger & super glued it
Those pennies are harder to find in Canada. We stopped using them years ago and nobody misses them. 🇨🇦
great fix as usual
Thank you for fixing the damn problem permanent
Thanks dony. I have a mower just like that with the exact same issue and i've seen many others with that problem
Muchas gracias por tu ayuda eso es lo que tenia mi tractor
de nada amigo!
I ran over a long cable dog leash - got tangled bad - Got the cable off.. even took that plastic deck part off as he shows
- He was right..That little switch was the problem - I gave it a shot of WD40 and made sure it was working... it was kind of sticky with grass and dirt.... Put it back together and got to finish mowing the yard.. Thank you for the lesson... It was a Huge help!
I don't have that type of rider, but good info anyway and best to fix instead of removing the safety switch.
Worked for me. Thanks for posting.
A wealth of information, thank you for sharing your experience.
Hey there, had an interesting issue with a Craftsman Lawn Vaccuum I need to tell you about. It had been sitting a while with old fuel in it. I used my ultrasonic cleaner on the carburetor and replaced the needle and seat. The thing ran terrible! It kept missing and acted like it was running rich. I ordered a new Carburetor, same event! Turned out it was just the safety switch was not making full contact with a metal plate mounted on the bag where it slides onto the machine. After beating the plate down more, the engine ran perfectly. I found it completely by accident playing with the plug for the switch. Learned something new. Oh, I was suspecting the coil at that point. Close anyways.
Thx much .
My problem was the safety switch your the best
Gerry t bufony
thank you sir
I
Have that same exact mower in the shop right now! Great video!!
hey Jeremy, have a good weekend!
I have done 7 of these riding mowers, it should be a recall by the manufacturer they should be made give a kit to repair this common problem.
I did the exact same fix.
My customers are amazed I know what's wrong with it right off the bat, great video as always.
Thanks so much don my pops has this mower and out of nowhere it just stopped it helped me 100% 👍🏽👍🏽
Thank you so much, mine parked in my sheds for years. Now I am going to try to fix it. Thanks
Nice fix ! 👍🙂
Thank you for your tutorial. Followed your steps and it cranked right up. I had taken it apart a couple of weeks ago to clean the undercarriage and the safety button was not on the start position after I assembled it due to the plastic warping. Thanks for saving me a headache. Keep up the good work.
Seen this a few times. Took me a while the first time to find out it has a safety on the discharge chute as I’ve never seen another machine have a safety switch on the discharge chute. Personally it’s a dumb design because it can vibrate away like that. However I do understand the safety logic behind it. Just wish they would’ve designed that part better so it wouldn’t have that issue
Have had a few where they removed the discharge chute. Then, it wouldn’t start. They weren’t smart enough to undo what they did.another common issue that I am seeing is that the steering rack and pinion are wearing quickly. Tip. Replace both at the same time and not just the pinion gear.
I really like your easy fix, the bolt only costs cents off the dollar, and most home owners have a set of wrenches.
My Arien snowblower has a plastic cover over the belts and the plastic cover tends to warp. I used the same solution that you did to keep the plastic covering from getting eaten by the belt pulleys.
Great info video Don as always. Thanks for sharing.
Old Man at EP saying great video, we had a newer model Columbia that had a steel bar welded above thus holding the plastic cover down to keep it from lifting and causing this no start issue.
Dony just got a Murry with that same problem, thank you for the heads up!
Thanks for the video. I have a similar riding mower, Cub Cadet CC30H and it's only just over a year old but the steering has gotten really loose. Do you have a video to adjust or replace a part to fix it?
Neighbor just bought one also .
. Steering seems pretty loose from the factory. Too bad there aren’t tighter tolerances and grease points.
Thank you sir for sharing your knowledge with me I truly appreciate it!!
I have the same machine and I checked everything you discussed in your video and unfortunately the engine is still not cranking over can you please tell me what else it might be thank you kindly?
Kind Regards,
David
Yup, I found and fixed that on my friend's very same mower (Troy Bilt) a couple of years ago.👍
Great video. I would never buy that style mower. If I had it I would bypass that switch.
Interesting, didn't know any mowers had such a switch. Thanks for the video!
thank you
I like the hat c'mon I want one 😆 Great hack Dony that's why I tune in !
Saved me a bunch of time and money! Was gonna buy a $300 multimeter to start diagnosing 😂
Dony excellent video thanks. I have the same machine branded as a Rover. MTD owns Rover.
thanks buddy!
@@donyboy73 Hello, my 372 xp is worn out, I replaced the Mahle piston and the compression ring after the repair is only 140 psi, it had as much as I bought it, is it wrong? Will the compression increase or decrease? What is the best way to get the saw down? Full of gas and in a tree?
@@Sensei948 it should run on 140psi
@@donyboy73 Friend, what is the best max speed for 372 xp oem?
@@donyboy73 I changed a new air filter, I noticed fuel near the air filter, can it be?
I hit one of my dogs toys he so generously stuck in a clump of crab grass and I stopped dead. I could not for the life of me figure out what happened. I thought it was busted, thank you for the tip, I adjusted the plastic piece next to the switch and it fired up like new.
Please do one on replacing chose and choke spring
Great video. Hope you sold the customer an oil change, too.
yes
@@donyboy73 yay
Thanks for the video, really well done. I have a similar mower (Craftsman R100), and I would like to replace the oil and fuel filters...but I can't find them. Can you please show me where they're at? Thanks,
nice practical fix. A dealer or larger repair shop would sell you a new deflector for who knows how much.????
Nice fix. Thanks Don for another easy fix!
Are these 30inch mower good? Just got a Columbia 2018 CR30 for cheap with the bagger kit, its basically brand new the first owner really took care of it.
My last mower was an ego push mower, the thing was good but i felt it had a hard time really lifting up the grass to cut it.
I did my first mow with the cr30 and man you can really feel the power increase! Plus its just a little more fun to mow the grass!
I know that these 30inch mower are under a lot of brand, cub caddet cc30, troy bilt tb30, etc... and from what i saw the parts are pretty available.
Well done brother....
That’s me, I just got a new battery installed, and it’s fine. After I mowed the lawn twice, it won’t turn over.
Nice share thanks but I have a country clipper zero turn mower that won't start I've put a new battery, solenoid, start switch and a new pto switch and still nothing. Signed 1 extremely frustrated landscaper
Thank you!
Hi, how often is the problem where the wheels bow outward due to the lawn tractor tie rods? Because the lawn tractor spindles and drag links look fine. I ordered new tire rods so hopefully that will make the wheels straight again. Do you have a video on that already? Thx I like how you are so knowledgeable with what you do and you’re also so calm. Good qualities, why get mad? Ha ha
i mostly see that on john deere tractors, the new rods come with an adjuster at the end
Merci Don
Great video! Good advise to keep in mind, thank you as always!
THANK you for sharing!
Great tip, thanks. Any reason not to put the bolt further in/next area at edge of plastic instead?
Any ideas on the engine shut down while cutting and will not restart? Switch is closed, and the mower is clean
Thank you donny
Thanks bro 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🤠
Your awesom 👍🔧🚜🔩⚙️🛠️🍻👍🤝🤠
thanks buddy!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🤠
@@donyboy73 have a good one 👍👍🍻🍻
@@gasperajdnik5627 I will later today!
Nice job fixing a design flaw
Thanks!
Well done
i am not sure if you will reply to this given your following but i need some direction if you don't mind. iv'e been working small engines for about 10 years and i have a stumper i want to bounce off you. I got one of the older craftsman 10 hp single blade riding mowers. it takes a minute or two of cranking before it will start running and it starts at a very low idle before it picks up. It's not fuel as its got plenty and the carb is clean and start fluid doesn't even change a thing. The spark is solid and the plug is good, my spark checker shows a nice spark and the coil is new too. I thought maybe the stator but the spark looks fine. compression is good and the timing on the crank is correct. anything i could be missing or a direction you could point me? this is a head scratcher for me lol thank you sir
Another great job!
Great video. I have this mower.The deck is higher on right side. Anyway to adjust side to side on this? Front to back is ok
there doesn't seem to be much adjustment on it
Love the videos…..so informative.
I need some help…
I have a 2013 Toro Zero turn SS5000 with a Kawasaki FR691V engine. I bough it used recently and it was smoking.
I installed:
1: changed oil and filter
2: new carburetor
3: new coil packs
4: new head gasket
5: muffler and gaskets
And it still smokes……..
Please help me …..what else can it be ?????
Thanks
Thank you!!
Need to replace starter - can't remove it because I can only find one bolt.
Thank you for sharing this tip. ❤️🇨🇦
I have seen a case just like this and it was the operator had rubbed the mulching cover on a tree root and the cover twisted just enough to allow the button to slide under the cover. It took me a while to find the problem. The machine was only a year old and the owner sold it, didn't want to be bothered with it. Yup, it only cost me $150 !
good deal for you!
Just wondering what'll happen if you just unplugged the switch..as the owner of course😊
Ugh🤦, great video
Thx donny
Hi Don (Dave) can you tell me witch is better? Hydrstatic or automatic transmission for a riding lawn mower? Thanks.
I prefer hydrostatic
Hey don, this is off topic of this video but i have a question. Say I’m out on a yard and one of my mowers has a dead battery. Could I use another one of my mowers that has a battery to charge it? Yup Not jumpstart but charge it? Or could I use like a car battery to charge it. Hope this makes sense thanks.
Just fixed mine. I went through a battery and plugs and then I found this. Started right away
I am having issues getting the battery out.
Hey Dony. People in the comments might not realize that a repair shop can't just bypass safety devices on customers equipment. Luckily all of my personal equipment is so old it was built before safety was invented.
I'm trying to understand how much would you charge for this simple repair?
I've been tinkering on mowers people threw in the trash. I sometimes fix customer equipment and I don't know how much to charge for these things.
I have a question... I have a toro time cutter with a Kawasaki on it and after I finish mowing my yard .38 acres it runs great however if I stop and turn it off or bump the controls when I'm taking my leaf blower to it after mowing killing it (mostly my 3 yo son trying help hitting them) it will not restart unless I let it sit for a good 30 minutes which I mow in the evenings when I get home so it'll be dark when I get it to restart. What causes it to just crank and crank and crank when it is warmed up. Cold it start with the first hit really easy. It's been doing this for the last few batteries and I put the 'bigger' more CCA battery to help on it 275cca vs 230cca like it had when it got it same U1 size. It's just a odd issues and I can see it never lose fuel to the carbs because my little filter before them doesn't have any air in it. Odd issues. Thank you and great video little hidden issues like that safety switch can be a pain if you don't know.
check for spark immediately when it won't start, sometimes the coils can be bad, i would also check valve adjustment when engine is cold
Great advise, when a coil is cold, or ambient temp. Like many electronics will work fine but when they get hot may not work correctly. 30 min. To cool down sounds about right too
Had same problem on a snapper rear engine. Cold, start right up. Ran perfect. Would run fine to mow the whole lawn. Shut it off after mowing, would not restart. At that point check for spark. Had none. Disconnect kill wire under coil. Check spark again. This time had spark. This eliminated the coil. Follow the kill wire. It came to a junction block. One wire went to key switch to be able to shut it off. Second wire went to the safety interlock system. That’s where my problem was. Disconnected it from junction block. Started right up. Ran till it was hot. Shut it off. Started right up. I put up with this little problem for 5 years. I had learned not to shut it off until done. The actual problem was a safety interlock relay costing about 50 bucks
@@donyboy73 awesome. Spark, coils and valves. I can see the coils/spark issue because I can smell gas when it is trying to crank over but not pop/boom vroom. Thank you!!
My riding lawnmower wouldn't start , not even a click. Ran jumper wire from positive on battery to spade on solenoid just to test and she cranked strong. Ended up being the safety switch for blade lever with no continuity to orange wire. Mower starts up, no problem now.
Any way to bypass all the stupid safety features on this mower?
Wow... a chute interlock switch, what will they think of next?
Somebody somewhere evidently stuck their finger in there on some old unit and lost said finger. That's how the majority of these "safety" interlocks get added to any power equipment.
Great info!
Thanks for watching!
@@donyboy73 Always great info, love the content!
Best fix is to get rid of lawyers!
There were lawyers?!
yes lol
@@paulsto6516 Corporate lawyers who force companies to install troublesome "safety" devices that cause more headaches than we need!
@@smokinghull Yeah, I got it. I do tend to be a little thick sometimes :)
Just bypass the switch is what i would do
I got a no start and a no crank, checked the button under seat and by protection cover and still no go. I have a tb30 R, battery has great voltage, what should I check next
Did you ever figured it out?
Don't like the chute safety switch , my JD doesn't have one there - sometimes I use it up too spread the grass out more evenly . that's just me ... Helpful video tho...
I have the same problem, check the fuse, buy a new battery and did the switch but it still won't start? What I can do ?
Did you figured it out cus I'm having the same issue too