Dead mower

[Bart Hinz]

Hey everyone,

Not sure what is going on with my mower. Was mowing today and for a couple hours there no issues. While mowing the mower just died and won't restart. Dead silence when I turn the key. Any suggestions??

 

[mgonitzke]

What model? Very hard to make suggestions if we don't know what you are working on.

 

[Bart Hinz]

Oh sorry....1862 model

 

[digger]

Hey everyone,

Not sure what is going on with my mower. Was mowing today and for a couple hours there no issues. While mowing the mower just died and won't restart. Dead silence when I turn the key. Any suggestions??

 

[Bart Hinz]

It has gas.

 

[digger]

It has gas.

I just had to, LOL

 

[digger]

It has gas.

Could be something as simple as a loose wire or one of many safety switches or even the indicator panel on the dash. Time to check things out.

 

[MarcHeld]

Hey everyone,

Not sure what is going on with my mower. Was mowing today and for a couple hours there no issues. While mowing the mower just died and won't restart. Dead silence when I turn the key. Any suggestions??

I would start with battery connections then check the solenoid.

 

[1811Cub]

The ignition switch/connector is another common source of issues on most vintage Cubs.

 

[tkhoffman]

Nothing? No relay click? No headlights? Any voltage at the battery?

 

[gary noblit]

Marc, the first I would do ..check batt. for voltage.If batt went dead,solenoid on carb won't work elec.clutch draws juice also.. hook up jumpers and test before taking apart anything.. It might be a charging issue . If it starts with jumpers test across batt posts to see if you're getting at least 14 volts (with jumpers unhooked)..If not you know where to start to analyze...

 

[MarcHeld]

Marc, the first I would do ..check batt. for voltage.If batt went dead,solenoid on carb won't work elec.clutch draws juice also.. hook up jumpers and test before taking apart anything.. It might be a charging issue . If it starts with jumpers test across batt posts to see if you're getting at least 14 volts (with jumpers unhooked)..If not you know where to start to analyze...

I was referring to the starter solenoid. When mine went recently, had same symptom

 

[PACub100]

There's a fuse right at the battery tray - my parent's 1864 did something very similar, was running, nephew ran over a mostly buried 4x4 threshold while backing out of their greenhouse, the bounce shut the Cub down like right now... no lights or anything. We bypassed the fuse for now and have had no issues.

Do you have any lights on the dash when the key is on?

 

[Bart Hinz]

No lights. No click. Wouldn't start with jumper cables. Haven't checked battery yet

 

[gary noblit]

Have you checked fuses???

 

[Bart Hinz]

Started to check them but not all.

 

[fhiggenbottom]

Hey everyone,

Not sure what is going on with my mower. Was mowing today and for a couple hours there no issues. While mowing the mower just died and won't restart. Dead silence when I turn the key. Any suggestions??

All mechanically sound engines require three things to run: (1) fuel, (2) air and (3) electrical spark. In diagnosing what's causing your engine to not run I would start by eliminating what it isn't to find out what it is.

A shot of starter fluid should help confirm whether it is getting fuel, checking the sparkplug for electrical spark will confirm if it is your problem and checking for obstructions in fuel flow will round out the tasks required to properly diagnose the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[mgonitzke]

All mechanically sound engines require three things to run: (1) fuel, (2) air and (3) electrical spark. In diagnosing what's causing your engine to not run I would start by eliminating what it isn't to find out what it is.

A shot of starter fluid should help confirm whether it is getting fuel, checking the sparkplug for electrical spark will confirm if it is your problem and checking for obstructions in fuel flow will round out the tasks required to properly diagnose the problem. Good luck and keep us posted.

In his initial post, he states that it won't even turn over, so none of this matters until that problem is sorted out.

I'd be looking for a melted key switch connector for starters, as 1811Cub suggested.

 

[gary noblit]

I agree Matt,if he doesn't know how to jump a starter..no point of getting into a lot of explanations...

 

[Bart Hinz]

Battery and solinoid are both good.