won't start - bypass solenoid? or safety?

[justinpittman]

What's a way I can bypass the solenoid or safety to test a start? or test the ignition?

My 127 is back together but won't start. Lights come on, I hear the safety click, but starter generator doesn't turn.

Everything worked before I took mechanicals apart. I did no electrical changes -- only mechanical -- but that doesn't mean I didn't accidentally moved things around so much that maybe a wire has failed. So any suggestions on what else to test and/or bypass? I'm thinking ignition / solenoid / safety ... Continuity test with my multimeter sounds OK from battery to starter terminals ... assuming I did that test right.

 

[mgonitzke]

Run a +cable from + terminal of battery directly to "A" terminal on the S/G. That will eliminate the rest of the electrical system except for the battery.

FWIW, that series of tractors has cloth-covered wiring that did not age well. If the harness is original, I'd replace it. It is only a matter of time before the insulation is falling off everywhere.

 

[spndncash]

and check your grounds

 

[justinpittman]

OK it was the safety.

I bypassed the saftey with alligator clip wire, and then 12.4V went to the leads to the starter. I cleaned up the contacts of the starter, hooked everything back together, and she started up.

 

[justinpittman]

If the harness is original, I'd replace it. It is only a matter of time before the insulation is falling off everywhere.

Oh yea its original and the insulation is cumbling but not yet exposed down to metal. I already grabbed a replacement wiring harness but just haven't installed it yet. Next project.

 

[tkhoffman]

Quick fix... Nice

 

[eweiss]

What's a way I can bypass the solenoid or safety to test a start? or test the ignition?

My 127 is back together but won't start. Lights come on, I hear the safety click, but starter generator doesn't turn.

Everything worked before I took mechanicals apart. I did no electrical changes -- only mechanical -- but that doesn't mean I didn't accidentally moved things around so much that maybe a wire has failed. So any suggestions on what else to test and/or bypass? I'm thinking ignition / solenoid / safety ... Continuity test with my multimeter sounds OK from battery to starter terminals ... assuming I did that test right.

either use a battery pack or cables. Connect the + cable to the starter post, momentarily connect the - cable to a good ground. The starter should engage. If here's a clunk sound, either the starter or engine is siezed

 

[joe from ny]

either use a battery pack or cables. Connect the + cable to the starter post, momentarily connect the - cable to a good ground. The starter should engage. If here's a clunk sound, either the starter or engine is siezed

Tell him which of the two posts to connect to. The A post.

 

[justinpittman]

Tell him which of the two posts to connect to. The A post.

Yea, luckily I had a wiring diagram.

So I've got a different problem to get folks opinion on now: engine chokes out. So I spray carb cleaner down the carb's throat, it starts up, engine runs for a few seconds, no smoke, then dies out. Normal startup that worked before: choke out, throttle up.

Poking around online about this makes it sound like the carb is gummed up or the fuel bowl. The tractor sat for 1 month in the barn/garage while I replaced parts -- but I'd drained the whole fuel system. Carb is original.

 

[tkhoffman]

Yea, luckily I had a wiring diagram.

So I've got a different problem to get folks opinion on now: engine chokes out. So I spray carb cleaner down the carb's throat, it starts up, engine runs for a few seconds, no smoke, then dies out. Normal startup that worked before: choke out, throttle up.

Poking around online about this makes it sound like the carb is gummed up or the fuel bowl. The tractor sat for 1 month in the barn/garage while I replaced parts -- but I'd drained the whole fuel system. Carb is original.

Sounds like the jet is clogged. Maybe the needle valve is stuck closed.. No gas to the bowl. It fires up on what you feel it thru a spray can then quits. Was there a shutoff valve that you turned off last month?

 

[justinpittman]

Do you mean the metal "bowl" piece that's at the bottom of the carb? The glass sediment bowl is full of gas, and I watched it drip full when 1st re-filling so the shutoff valve is open.

I'll take the carb off and look again at it. I didn't do much with it -- replaced its gaskets & replaced the governor spring.

 

[joe from ny]

Make sure the fuel valve is open. If it’s closed, the bowl will stay full because there would be nothing to replace gas that would have otherwise been sucked out by the carb. Sitting for a month is nothing. Mine sat two years outside and started up with a jump and ran on the old gas.

 

[mgonitzke]

If you have never rebuilt the carburetor, it would be a good idea to do so. Thoroughly clean all of the parts and passageways. If the tractor has spent any length of time sitting before you had it, there still may be residual gunk in the carb.

 

[mfrade]

I watched it drip full when 1st re-filling so the shutoff valve is open. I'll take the carb off and look again at it.

Was it an actual drip? If the flow was so slow that it dripped fuel in, that could be part of the problem. There is a screen above the fuel shutoff ( on most models ) if there is / was junk there it may also be in the carb bowl and valves... Just some thing else to check.

 

[tkhoffman]

Do you mean the metal "bowl" piece that's at the bottom of the carb? The glass sediment bowl is full of gas, and I watched it drip full when 1st re-filling so the shutoff valve is open.

I'll take the carb off and look again at it. I didn't do much with it -- replaced its gaskets & replaced the governor spring.

Yes the bowl under the carb may not be filling due to a stuck needle valve. Or some sediment in that same bowl clogged a jet.

 

[justinpittman]

OK this was my over-engineering. I'd added liquid gasketing to seal up the sediment bowl threads to fuel tank. Yea not best idea but my 127 had no gasket there and it looked like a gas leak had happened at some point on that side of the engine. Anyway, the tank's outlet is now clear of the liquid gasket and gas is flowing.

Glad you mentioned the carb bowl. When I removed it, there wasn't a lot of fuel in it, which led back to the tank & bowl.