Any Mechanics in Here?

[Mikey]

So after our winter of unprecedented rain, we now have an unprecedented amount of weeds to deal with. Unfortunately I was out of commission for about five weeks during February and March, and the weeds are now waist high or more. I actually have four modes of weed control - a lawn tractor for most of our lot, a walk behind mower for areas that the tractor can't get to, and string trimmer for areas that neither can handle, and two hands for garden areas. Last year I think I mowed once the entire year because it was so dry almost nothing grew. I mowed with the lawn tractor a couple of weeks ago and those areas are already about knee high again in some areas.

So last week I got the lawn tractor out again to re-mow those areas and get some others that I left out the first time around.



Unfortunately I made a dumb mistake and hit an object that I couldn't see under the weeds and caused the blade to stop and the motor to stall out. Got down on my hands and knees but couldn't see anything caught in the blade so I tried to restart. The starter turned for a second but it still wouldn't turn over so I got down and looked more closely, and I had caught a piece of gopher wire in the blade. Yeah, like I said, really dumb. Once I got the wire disentangled from the blade I tried again to restart and...nothing. No cranking, not even a click from the solenoid. Seems like an electrical problem? Coincidence that this happened at the same time as an obviously mechanical fuckup? The battery is brand new and the LCD hour counter and headlight both work. So I replaced the $4.99 fuse and still nothing. I just mail ordered a new solenoid, which I now think is the problem. Besides a loose wire somewhere, is there anything else I should be checking?

TIA for any serious and/or dumbass responses.

[Sudden Sam]

Check…and likely replace… the flywheel key.

Excellent choice buying a Husqvarna. I love my Husky push mower. Mine has a Honda engine.

[Mikey]

BTW...this is my new electric "push" mower. Specifically NOT intended for weeds. It works OK but it's a little overwhelmed with the high weeds compared to the tractor, but a lot faster than the weed whacker, and I don't want to have to do 3/4 of an acre with it. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts with the way I'm using it.

[Mikey]

Check…and likely replace… the flywheel key.

Excellent choice buying a Husqvarna. I love my Husky push mower. Mine has a Honda engine.

Pretty sure mine's a Kohler. I've had it for 13 years and definitely a workhorse.

Edit...yep, it's Kohler.

[Sudden Sam]

Good stuff. Worked part time for years with a buddy who sold lawn equipment. Didn’t get too involved with the mechanical side, but learned just enough to save a few bucks here and there.

The key is a small rectangular chunk of metal there to protect the engine when we do stuff like you did. You’ll have to pull the flywheel off to get at it. There are Youtube videos (of course) showing how to do it.

[Screw_Michigan]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

[Sudden Sam]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

Smackaholic never shoulda posted that pic.

[Mikey]

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely check that out.

On a side note, starting in 2024 they won't be able to sell gas powered yard equipment in California. This is mostly due to air quality concerns and not energy efficiency. I've actually already replaced all of my hand tools with battery powered equivalents (Makita). Chain saw, pole saw, hedge trimmer, heavy duty hedge trimmer with extension, string trimmer. I actually prefer them to the old gas models. The string trimmer and hedge trimmers actually work better than the old gas models. The chain saw is a little wimpy. The batteries are all interchangeable and I don't have to deal with two cycle engines or gasoline. The problem is that the manufacturers are behind in producing the more heavy duty stuff like mowers and, especially, lawn tractors. I have looked into trading the Husky for an electric model, preferably a zero radius type, but there's nothing yet available that's capable. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next year or two.

[Sudden Sam]

I’m gradually replacing my gas equipment also. Didn’t think I’d be impressed with certain tools, but been pleasantly surprised.

I really appreciate the fact that stuff is lighter. My old body notices a big difference in the push mower.

[Mikey]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

Thanks, that's a high standard to shoot for.
In November it was almost completely bare ground.

[Derron57]

Does the solenoid click when you are trying to start it ? Check solenoid for continunity.

I had one of these Huskies like that one, bought in 2016 and I put about 750 hours on it and the one of the fucking valves went bad, stuck open or something and would not work anymore. These are usually Kohler engines in these frames. These are just a generic model, all the manufacturers put their badges and colors on them. There is absolutely no difference in brand names, same units. All small engines are not built as well as they were even a few years ago. When I was in the golf equipment business, virtually all the engine manufacturers were pretty good. Kohler was a big engine in our equipment at Toro and performed really well.

Now most of the other cheap ass components are the problem. Our parameter for smaller engines like these V twins was 750 hours per year in a northern golf setting and about 1000 hours in a southern setting. Getting two years out of an air cooled gas V twin is pretty damn good now. If you want true value, going to a water cooled gas unit or even diesel will double the life on gas and triple on diesel. Of course the cost will follow right up there at least 30% or more higher cost.

Now we all know that for years the CA CARB standards drove every small engine manufacturer to manufacture CA compliant engines. If you could not sell in CA, you could not sell anywhere essentially. So you can now expect the manufacturers to rush a lot of inferior poorly engineered product to market to satsify the CA overlords, and a lare portion of that equipment will be complete junk. There are two distinct markets for small engine equipment in the US. You have a commercial market for golf courses, schools, parks etc that require a commercially grade built product. This is a much smaller market than the homeowner, but the products are easily going to be 5 times or more of the cost. Volume wise the Home Depot crowd buyers are a volume market, and that volume market can be served and has to be served with a much lower price point unit.

I was involved in testing prototype electric greens mower units for Toro back in 1999-2000 time frame. These were commercially designed units that were pretty effective, all though I had issues in a wet environment with them. The electrical demands was pretty small compared to a rotary type unit and they are in use today by all three major golf equipment manufacturers. At about $ 40,000 a copy too. As all the bit players rush to market with price point consumer brand units you can expect a lot of junk to hit the market. Ryobi has a fucking riding electric lawnmower that is a piece of junk. You can also expect high prices for pure junk. I have looked at a lot of these and the engineering is set up for failure.

Nobody repairs those ride on units anymore, at $ 1,700 or so per copy it is not cost effective. Also, you will get a lot of bad performing products. When my wife was managing the ReStore, somebody donated a Cobalt electric mower. Walked into the warehouse one morning and this horrible smoke and smell was hanging in the air. I knew it was a cold slow fire somewhere, and got the FD there but could not locate the cause and called it a burned out motor on an overhead door. Until I walked down an aisle and there was this Cobalt mower sitting there smoldering. This unit had self melted and filled a 10,000 sf room up with an acrid nasty smoke. Of course it had been recalled, but the douchebag donated it anyway.

My way of handing this is to eliminate vegetation that need cutting, and instead of doing it myself, I would hire some of those bazillion Messicans rolling around your area. But those dudes are going to jab you pretty good when those gas units go away. I am down to about a ten minute mowing and I took out another 1,000 sf of grass anyway. More room to plant hybrid weed clones. I would imagine that by the time the full monty electrical thing is going a capable electric rider like the Husky will be $ 3,000 and a zero turn even more.

[Mikey]

Thanks Derron, I appreciate the info.

My Husky is 13 years old, but I don't put nearly that much time on it. Probably about 10 hours per year max. Like I said before I think I only mowed once last year because of the lack of rain. We let all of our lawns go (probably 4000 sf total) 15 years ago because I got tired of watering, fertilizing and fighting gophers. So, all I'm mowing is weeds. It's a 1.1 acre lot with a lot of slope. Some of it's a leach field. Various trees (a lot of native live oak and other stuff) so probably 3/4 acres of weed abatement, of which I can use the tractor on 1/2 acre. So it does take a beating even in the few hours I use it. I still have to deal with gas, oil and stuff so a good electric model would be very convenient.

I once had a Ryobi gas string trimmer with some other attachments, and it was crap and will never but any of that again. We are in an agricultural area (lots of avocado and citrus groves, cut flowers and other stuff) and the local equipment dealer carries a lot of good products, both residential and agricultural grade. I've spoken to the proprietor several times over the past year about switching over to electric. He has already switched over to electric for some personal hand tools, and they have a few electric mowers, but he advised me to hold onto my gas lawn tractor for at least another year. He says that Fallbrook is where cheap yard equipment goes to die. The manufacturers are scrambling to come out with new, dependable, models but not there yet. He's going to have to switch over his entire inventory by the end of this year.

If the experience with EVs is any indication, it will probably be another three or four years minimum before the market catches up. I leased an electric Hyundai Kona in 2019 thinking that by the time the three year lease was up (last May) there would be a lot of EVs available for a reasonable price. It's still not so. I ended up buying out my lease last year, which ended up being a good decision because I had about $6,000 or $7,000 of equity on it based on last year's used car market.

We do have to control our weeds for fire safety. We get a notice every spring that if we don't then CalFire will send a contractor and send us the bill. I actually appreciate that because I make it a priority anyway and we have had some bad fires around here in the past 20 years. Right now, recently retired, I'm still of the mindset that I'd rather do the work myself. Don't know how much longer that will last though. We are trying to convert most of our property to native plants to promote water conservation, local pollinators, etc. Sort of a hobby.

Edit: forgot to mention. No clicks from the solenoid. Just totally dead. But the hour counter and headlights seem OK.

[Rootbeer]

Mechanic checking in.

Good read, Derron.

The solenoid should click when you turn the key. You might have other problems incident to stopping the engine with gopher wire but the solenoid should still click. It's a basic device so there is not much to check.

1. Make sure the engine moves by hand. Roll it both ways.
2. Check the 12v power supply. As Mike Tyson would say, "Batteries die every day."
3. Check the battery cables and make sure they are good and tight. If you know how, check voltage drop across each point of connection.
4. Check switched power to the exciter wire on the solenoid. This is a 12v supply circuit from the switch while in the Start position. It energizes a copper coil to create a magnetic field. This can be difficult to test if you don't have good tools but a basic test light is sufficient.

If the motor turns by hand, power supply is good and switched power to solenoid is good, you have a bad solenoid.
If the solenoid energizes but the starter does not turn you need a starter.
If the motor is seized, Derron might sell you a nice Toro.

[Kierland]

Duhron will probably also sweeten the deal with some free meth.

[smackaholic]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

Smackaholic never shoulda posted that pic.

nahhh, I got thick skin. If I ever get all the crap sitting under the deck put way, I'll do an updated pic.

If anyone has a line to the afterlife, tell Wags my basement wall hasn't fallen down yet.

Mikey, you say there is nothing when you turn the key?

Do you have a multmeter? See if voltage is getting to the starter.

If you have a set of jumper cables, try putting 12V straight to the starter lead directly. Mowers have all sorts of interlocks and switches that have to be in the right state to put 12V to the starter.

And rather than ask the idjits in this dump, try this place....

https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/

I've had them save me a few bucks multiple times.

[Kierland]

It’s not so much that you have a thick skin it’s that you are dumb. Very very dumb. You are far too stupid to understand the concept of shame. It is why you are a Nazi and a racist and a misogynist.

[Softball Bat]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

[Screw_Michigan]

Looks like Suckaholic's yard

Nice spreadsheet

[Mikey]

Unfortunately I don’t have a wonderful deck like that to impress my fancy schmancy neighbors.

Also, single story, concrete slab on grade which is pretty common around here.

[Sudden Sam]

Mikey, let us know what you find was damaged on your mower.

[Mikey]

Of course. I have a new solenoid arriving in a few days. Based on Rootbeer’s post it looks like there are a few things I can be doing in the meantime.

[Mikey]

I thought I had it all figured out. I tried jumping the solenoid and the the motor started cranking. So, it's got to be the solenoid. Installed the new solenoid (about a 10 minute project) and was ready to go. Sit down on the seat and turn the ignition switch and...nothing. I should have paid more attention to Rootbeer's #4.


So, next I tested the voltage across the leads from starter switch (with the switch engaged, of course) and...nothing. So I guess I need a new switch. If it's not that then it's a broken wire between the switch and the solenoid, or maybe the connector on the back of the switch, which has about a half dozen wires in the harness. Embarking now on finding a replacement switch. I hope it's not the connector.

[Mikey]

Fortunately, the local Ag supply had my starter switch in stock, so I ran up there and picked it up, thinking that NOW...my problem would be solved.

Unfortunately, I replaced the switch, another 10 minute exercise, and still nothing. Fuck. So, what to do next? There's a black wire and a white wire going from the solenoid , through some kind of sleeve wire harness, back to the starter switch. The next logical assumption was that there was some kind of disconnect between the switch and the new solenoid. Here you can see the solenoid at the bottom left, and on the right you can see the connector that plugs into the back of the starter switch.



I got out my handy dandy multimeter to check continuity between the connector and the solenoid. A potential problem is that there's two black wired coming out of the same slot on the back of the switch, and no way to physically trace the wires back through the harness. Luckily, when I checked the continuity on the black wire it was OK so no need to trace these back. The white wire showed no connection between the solenoid and the starter switch connector. So here's my solution. Cut the white wire near the connector and near the solenoid and an bypass the rest of the mess.



So, praise the Lord and all that's not transgender...the fucking thing works, and I got my front yard mowed!! I thought I had some little crimp connectors somewhere, but all I could find were some small wire nuts. Hopefully these will hold, but I may redo this to make it more permanent.

Front yard before mowing:




After:






There's still a lot of cleanup to do, but this would have taken days with a push mower.

If I was thinking clearly from the start, I might have checked the wires first and saved myself about $50 on the new solenoid and switch, which both turned out to be unnecessary, hindsight being 20/20 and all that. But all in all, I'm OK with the cost.

[Diego in Seattle]

I never had a problem getting this mower started...

[Mikey]

I’ll pay you $100 to mow my yard with that.

[Diego in Seattle]

I’ll pay you $100 to mow my yard with that.

That's my hourly rate.

[smackaholic]

I thought I had it all figured out. I tried jumping the solenoid and the the motor started cranking. So, it's got to be the solenoid. Installed the new solenoid (about a 10 minute project) and was ready to go. Sit down on the seat and turn the ignition switch and...nothing. I should have paid more attention to Rootbeer's #4.


So, next I tested the voltage across the leads from starter switch (with the switch engaged, of course) and...nothing. So I guess I need a new switch. If it's not that then it's a broken wire between the switch and the solenoid, or maybe the connector on the back of the switch, which has about a half dozen wires in the harness. Embarking now on finding a replacement switch. I hope it's not the connector.

So, you put 12V directly to the solenoid and the solenoid did what it's supposed to do, so you ordered a solenoid?

I thought you were an engineer?

[Mikey]

No. The solenoid is basically a switch. By jumping the two main terminals (not the leads that go back to the ignition switch) you’re putting 12V directly to the starter motor, essentially taking the solenoid out of the circuit.

My assumption, which turned out to be incorrect, was that it was getting 12V from the ignition switch when I turned the key. That would indicate that the solenoid was not working. Once I put the new solenoid in and it still didn’t turn over it was obvious that it wasn’t getting the activation voltage. If I had first checked the voltage coming from the ignition switch, I could have avoided replacing the solenoid. But, like I said, hindsight is 20/20 and I haven’t had my hands inside an ICE since probably Rayguns was President. You learn as you go.

And yes, I’m an engineer. Or was at least. Engineers, as a rule, don’t follow instructions well. We write them. That can often be a disadvantage when it comes to everyday life.