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John Deere Riding Mower

J

johndeere720GA

Member
I have a John Deere riding mower with a 12.5 hp verticle shaft Kawasaki engine. The mower is one of the step through styles not a tractor style. The problem is with the electric start. When I turn the key to start it clicks and the dash lamps dim like it is drawing the starting current but it usally won't spin the engine unless I turn the engine by hand a short distance (while holding the key to start) at which time it will begin to work and spin it over easily. (I know that this practice is is very dangerous besides being an overall pain.) It also does not work to move the engine a bit then try the starter again, you have to hold the key to start, and turn the engine.
The starter motor works fine when I do the engine trick but what do you think is stopping it from working right away? The unfortunate setup of this mower is that in order to get access to the starter I think I have to remove the body.
 
Just how exactly are you turning the engine by hand?
How old is the battery?
Is the battery electrolyte level up to the split rings?
What model of tractor?
Have the battery cables and the chassis/ground connection been buffed shiny?
 
Is there a compression release not working? What is the voltage at the battery when trying to start? What is the voltage at the starter? If there is much difference, you have bad cables or connections.
 
Just how exactly are you turning the engine by hand?
Put the palm of my hand on top of the screen (see pic) and giver her a twist clockwise. By the time it moves about an 1/8 rotation the starter takes over and rips it out of my hand (let go very quickly but dangeroud as all heck)
How old is the battery?
New
Is the battery electrolyte level up to the split rings?
Yes
What model of tractor?
SX95
Have the battery cables and the chassis/ground connection been buffed shiny?
Yes

This mower used to be my Grandfathers and it has always acted this way since I got it when he died. I have not used it much in years past due to the dificulty (danger) starting it but I have changed the landscape and this rider will be used more often.
a34787.jpg
 
I am not sure of compression release but once it takes hold it spins it up to start just fine. It is just getting it to engage or whatever it is not doing; that rotating the engine crankshaft a little 1/8 turn or less takes care of it. I am not sure how the starter in this thing works as it is burried under the shroud is it a spin up or bendix? If spin up I would expect it to spin and grind if it didnt engage the start ring on the fly wheel. I suppose it could have a dead spot on the commutator but it is odd that it always seems to land on a dead spot. It could be a shim problem and the starter gear is hitting on the bottom of the ring gear but that only seems to make sense if it is a bendix style. I may be wrong here (it wouldn't be the first time)
I am hoping not to have to do a major deconstruction to fix it but the prognosis seems grim.
 
I've got an F525 wich is similar to your mower. Mine has the 17 hp Kawasaki with hydrostatic drive. The problem is with all the safety switches and the electrical connections. If I remember right the current has to travel through the mower safety switch, the seat safety switch and the brake safety switch before it gets to the starter. Works fine when everything is new, but corrosion soon takes over. You need to clean all of the connections and the switches if possible. I spray the connections and switches with WD-40 a couple times a year. Try to get the fluid into the switch itself. You could bypass all the safety switches, but I would not recommend it. I would bet if you jumped accross the starter terminals, it would start right up. BTDT.
 
your starter is made like a tractor starter as it has a solenoid on top the starter.i would suggest that the bendix is hitting the ring gear and not allowing the solenod contacts to touch.as soon as you turn the motor,the bendix teeth engage and the contacts touch.your starter may be loose.
 
My rx 75 did that. I checked everything. I had the starter apart and cleaned the brushes. Everything looked good. New battery,cables were all clean.
Turned out to be the ignition switch itself. Let us know what you come up with.
 
The problem is low voltage at the solenoid john deere has little kit with a relay and some wires to correct this very common problem on units with kawasaki engines.
 
I had an RX-95 I bought last year. Had the same type of trouble with the starter but mine could be started by turning the switch to start and back several times and it would 'catch'. I replaced the switch with a new one, same result. Had a devil of a time keeping drive belts on it. I replaced several pulleys and all belts but if you torqued on it any, it would throw a belt. Got real tired of mowing an hour and fixing for 2. Sold that RX-95 on Craigslist for less than I had in it and finished out the season with my old 112 and 316
 
I am reasonably sure that one of the boys who replied has already came up with the proper solution, However, I had to put a shut off valve in my tank to carburator line, when my newer yard machines engine was doing the same thing. Carb allowed gas to drain down and fill piston with raw gas. ( hydrolocked) Removed plug, and engine would spin real fast.
 
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