Troy-Bilt 8 HP - Manual (Page 60)

lVt>ubleshooting the electric start system
A
WARNING
B efore troubleshooting the electric
start system , place the W heels/
Tines/P TO D rive Lever in “N EU ­
TR A L” and disconnect the spark
plug w ire from the spark plug.
H ere are som e sim ple checks
you can m ake to troubleshoot the
electric start system . If these
checks do not isolate the problem ,
please call our Technical Service
D epartm ent for further advice.
If the starter motor doesn’t
turn over
If the starter m otor doesn’t turn
over w hen you turn the key sw itch
to the “S TA R T” position it could be
due to one or m ore of the foliow ing
causes:
1. Loose, broken or corroded
w ires or cables.
2. A faulty solenoid, or dis­
charged battery.
3. A faulty starter m otor.
4. A faulty w iring harness and/or
key sw itch.
1. Check all wires and cables
A.
M ake sure that all connections
are tight.
B.
C heck for rust or paint that
w ould prevent good electrical con­
tact at all connections.
C.
M ake sure that the insuiation
on all w ires and cables is in good
condition and that a break in the
insulation is not allow ing a bare
w ire to touch any m etal surfaces.
D.
A fter com pleting Steps A
through C , try to start the engine. If
it starts, you have corrected the
problem . If it doesn’t start, proceed
to the next step.
2. Check for faulty solenoid
A.
Y ou w ill need a jum per w ire for
the follow ing steps. M ake one by
stripping about % -inches of insu­
lation from both ends of a 12-inch
length of heavy (#10 or heavier)
insulated w ire. H old only the insu­
lated part of the w ire w hen per­
form ing the follow ing steps.
B.
M ake sure that the W heels/
Tines/P TO D rive Lever is in
“N EU TR A L”.
C . R eplace the negative (-) bat­
tery cable w ith the jum per w ire as
follow s:
(a) D isconnect the negative (-)
cable from the grounding
screw on the right side of the
battery bracket and bend the
cable term inal safely aw ay
from any m etal parts.
(b) D isconnect the upper end of
the cable from the negative (-)
battery post and rem ove the
cable.
(c) C onnect one end of the jum per
w ire to the negative (-) battery
post, being careful not to allow
the other end of the w ire to
contact any m etal parts.
(d) C onnect the loose end of the
jum per w ire to the grounding
screw on the battery bracket.
S ee P hoto 6-65.
IMPORTANT
W hen rem oving the jum per w ire
and replacing it w ith the negative
(--) battery cable, follow the proce­
dure given in S tep 2-C above.
D.
U sing the battery cable as a
jum per w ire, touch one end of the
cable to the solenoid term inal that is
m arked “B ” in S ketch 6-66 or 6-67.
E.
B R IEFLY touch the other end of
the cable to the solenoid term inal
that is m arked “C ” in S ketch 6-66
or 6-67. There m ay be a spark
w hen you do this. If the starter
m otor turns over, the solenoid is in
good condition. If the starter m otor
didn’t turn over, the solenoid m ay
be bad. First check to m ake sure
that the screw s w hich attach the
solenoid to the battery bracket are
tight. A fter tightening the screw s.
'■T * ^
^JUMPER
"■ I «1 r'Tw.. ' - ^
6-65; Replace negative (-) battery
cable with #10 insulated jumper wire.
6-66: Earlier style solenoid is shown
above.
repeat this Step. If the starter m otor
still doesn’t turn over, please call
our Technical Service D epartm ent
for further advice.
F.
If there w as no spark w hen you
jum ped the solenoid, it indicates
that the battery w ill not hold a
charge. You should charge the
battery (see page 56) or take the
battery to a qualified battery tech­
nician for testing and charging.
3. Check for faulty starter motor
A.
Y ou w ill again use the negative
(-) battery cable as a jum per w ire.
B.
M ake sure that the W heels/
Tines/P TO D rive Lever is in
“N EU TR A L”.
6-67: Later style solenoid is shown
above.
58