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John Deere Z425

15K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  SeniorSitizen 
#1 ·
B&S 23 HP
Turn the key and 1/2 the time and it acts like it tries to turn over but does not fully crank.
Brand new battery, all terminals have been removed and cleaned.
New voltage regulator.
It does it whether the motor has been running or not.
Sometimes it just starts right up.
When it's running the charger is putting out 13.8 volts.
Only problem I've found so far is one of the fuses was burned up so I changed the fuse block and the fuse.
May have been caused by my trying to jump start it using my 50 amp. motor start position on my battery charger.
Once it does run it runs perfect, no smoke, no missing.
If I test just the battery it has just over 12 volts with nothing running.
If I put it on the charger a while it starts right up.
The solenoid does not click like a low battery when trying to crank over.
What do I check next?
 
#4 ·
Granted, pretty unlikely, so will keep it short, but I had a similar problem with my Toro Proline a few years ago, which I finally chased down to the positive battery cable being pinched in a tight place. Wasn't damaged enough to be a problem every time, but enough to fry a couple of fuses by the time I sorted it out, and to drain the battery down a few times.
 
#5 ·
Many of the newer OHV BS engines both single and dual cylinder need the valves adjusted to prevent damage to the relay and or starter.
They are equipped with a compression release system. If the valves is slightly out of adjustment from wear the engine tries to start against its own compression.

Check it out.. many videos on line to how to adjust them.

Larry
S. Florida
 
#6 ·
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the valves where out of adjustment it would do it every time and may even not run right once it did start.
It does not malfunction every time.
If it was a voltage lost it should be dead every time I tried to start it after it's been sitting over night and not start every time. 50% of the time it cranks right over.
All the wires are not touching anything from the solenoid to the battery and from the neg. to the frame.
Next time I use it and it messes up I'm going to try a jumper from the battery to the starter to see if it's the starter.
 
#8 · (Edited)
A few minutes and at no cost for parts the valve clearances can be checked. The specs for your engine may be found in this link.

http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/engine_specs/briggs_valve_gaps.asp

Another way to check is to put an amp meter on the starter cable. Normal cranking amps is around 150. If the compression is causing locked rotor the meter will top somewhere around 300 amps. That's all that starter is good for and most of the time jumping with a booster doesn't solve the problem and make it crank.
 
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