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Lawn mower won't start

16 years ago

Can any of you lawn mower guru's shead any light on my problem? I was cutting the grass today and my riding lawn mower (Murray)quit running. It's like I just turned the key off, it didn't sputter like it was running out of gas. When I pulled the hood up on it I could hear a humming noise(almost like a fan, which I assume it doesn't have) coming from the engine area. After about a minute it slowly stopped. I tried to jump it off after letting it sit for a while and when i hook up the cables it sparks and the motor tries to turn over. I went and bought a new battery but I can't get it hooked up. When I try to hook the cables to the terminals it sparks. If I unhook the cable from the starter that goes to the solenoid, I can hook up the battery, but then I can't hook that cable back up because it tries to fry me. I thought maybe the ignition swith was stuck in the on position but I unplugged it completley and got the same electrifing results. Thanks for any help you can provide this newbie!

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Comments (6)

baymee
16 years ago
It sounds like the solenoid is stuck. Does the motor actually turn when you hook up the cable? or does it sound like the starter is jammed into the flywheel?
walt2002
16 years ago
It is generally helpful when you tell the make and model of engine you are talking about.

Walt Conner
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chappy_28
Original Author
16 years ago
My bad. It is a Briggs and Stratton 18.5hp I/C. The model number is 31N707.

As for does the motor turn, yes. It actually turns over but i can't fight the sparks off long enough to get the cable hooked back up, which I assume would be bad anyway with what ever problem I currently have huh.
bill_kapaun
16 years ago
I assume when you try to hook it up, that you have ALL switches OFF?
IF so, and you still get sparks, it sounds like you have a short in the wiring harness or key switch.
I'd pull the connector off the key switch and see if you still get sparks. If so, look for wires melted (possibly together) somewhere. IF NOT, bad switch.
Post the model #'s of the tractor. Maybe somebody has a schematic. (don't hold your breath on that though)
bill_kapaun
16 years ago
Reread your post and see that you already disconnected the switch.
Next, disconnect the connector coming from the alternator.
It SHOULD have either-
1- A Black wire from the engine, going to a Green connector
or
2- Red & Black wires from the engine, going to a White connector.
See if it still sparks.
If different color wire(s)/connector, post what you have.
Post the engine TYPE#
Do you have a Volt/Ohm meter?
bill_kapaun
16 years ago
I need to slow down, instead of being in such a hurry to help!:-)

Forget the charge wire-(for now anyway)
On the starter solenoid, there should be a small wire going to a small terminal. (Plus the BIG cables going to "studs" with one of those probably also having a "small" wire attached)
Disconnect the first wire and see what happens. (make sure that wire isn't shorted to 12V somewhere.

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