Joe Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 My Simplicity 5116 is a workhorse. It has a 16 hp Briggs twin. It will mow for 45-minutes then sputter and die. It will not crank when I try to restart. I am in the driver's position. Tractor is in neutral.PTO is disengaged. There is gas in the tank. There are new plugs. There is a new fuel filter. All the engine bolts are tight. Engine flywheel is free of chaff. Engine is clean of heat-retaining oily buildup. I tested battery with a voltmeter and there is 13.75 volts. Left overnight, the tractor cranks over immediately.What is this all about ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Joe It will not crank when I try to restart. ..... Left overnight, the tractor cranks over immediately.What is this all about ? As I read your symptom, basically when it is hot you turn the key and nothing at all happens, or maybe a "click" as the starter relay kicks in? leave it to cool off and it runs great? In this case, next time it is bad run a car jumper cable with one end on the battery (+) terminal and tap the other end on the big terminal on the starter. Take usual precautions used when connecting jumpers. I'm not saying to start it this way, and you're likely going to arc onto the bolt but it's a quick test. Does it turn over when jumped? YES verify again it doesn't work on keyswitch alone. (Murphy element) Look for a bad starter relay, intermittant wiring. NO starter is failing. You've got something inside that opens up when hot. Usually it is a fault in the windings. At this point you probably want to have someone with expertise look at the starter or replace it. Do verify that the starter bolts are tight (ground). But things don't look good. I'm betting on the starter, hoping it is just a wire loose. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllisPhreak Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I have the A/C equivilent of the Simp. 5116. Have you tried the neutral saftety switch ? They tend to get coated with gunk, causing an intermittent connection -- if you wiggle where it plugs into the transmission, it will correct the problem (temporarily). Give that a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 Joe- Let us know what you find. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 4, 2007 Author Share Posted June 4, 2007 As you suggested, I ran touched a jumper to the positive battery terminal and the terminal on the bottom of the starter. The starter spun but didn't turn the engine over. What does this mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toomanytractors Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Joe: This sounds as if the starter drive gear is not engaging. Try cleaning with brakekleen and spraying the inside of the gear with silicone spray. Otherwise replace the gear. Next question--Has it done this more than once? The starter shouldn't have anything to do with the engine dying while your just running along--Two different problems maybe?? As Allisphreak said, make sure the safety switch is working as it should. Ive seen on some tractors where moving a lever 1/64" will affect the operation of a switch. Keep us posted and good luck! And I always forget--Welcome to the Club:D:D Regards, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambler Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Starter wouldn't make the engine die when warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Joe As you suggested, I ran touched a jumper to the positive battery terminal and the terminal on the bottom of the starter. The starter spun but didn't turn the engine over. What does this mean ? Do you mean the starter spins but the engine doesn't move at all or the starter spins, the engine rotates but doesn't fire? -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 The starter spins but the engine does not move at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambler Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Then you have two problems. Starter is not throwing out and what is causing the engine to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Joe The starter spins but the engine does not move at all. Let me see if I have this right: When things are hot and not runnning, if you jumper test the starter it spins but doesn't make the engine turn. When the engine dies hot the starter won't spin at all from the key switch. Or it does it do this symptom you last described where it spins but doesn't engage the engine? Then when everything cools off the starter works fine, and the engine starts and runs fine? Put together those symptoms are odd enough I wanted to double check. thanks Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 When the engine dies hot, the starter won't turn at all from the key switch. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 anyone have a schematic for this thing that can be posted? at least two problems for sure. Starter drive fails during jump only. is that starter gear still called a bendix? since it works normally when the tractor works otherwise maybe don't rush out and buy parts for it yet. Dr. Murphy put that in there to confuse things. Mainly what fault would make it die when hot and not even try to crank? This is a magneto ignition? -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 I am embarassed to say that I am not sure if this machine has a magneto engine or not. Something tells me that it has solid state ignition. How do I tell for sure? The other thing that I have noticed is that this engine seems to get really hot-- but this is the only tractor that I have ever operated so I really don't have a frame of reference. Once again, there is plenty of oil in the crankcase and the engine is clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMedal Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 do you have a coil out where you can see it? like an old car... -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 If you say engine really gets hot, take off top shroud surrounding fan, look in to see if block and heads fins are clear of debris. There are only about eight 5/16 surrounding that plus two smaller screw for dipstick. You can also see starter gear from there to see its condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 There is not a coil that I can see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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