Polarizing s/g

[Seanc]

I recently had the s/g rebuilt and put it back on along w new voltage reg, ignition coil, points and condenser. I’ve read I need to polarize the gen before starting or something bad can happen. I understand touching a wire to the batt tab on the vr to the a terminal al on the gen will spark and polarize it. That much I understand, it my question is does the tractor need to be on and exactly what needs to be disconnected while doing so so I don’t fry anything? May be a stupid question to all you cub cadet experienced gurus. Thanks

[J-Mech]

Battery has to be hooked up, engine off, nothing else unhooked.

I usually do it anyway, but these S/G units self polarize when you turn on the key the first time.

Why did you replace all those parts? I have a hard time thinking they all had failed? Or were they just in bad shape? Like rusted terminals.....

[Seanc]

Thanks j mech! Well, it had a really REALLy hard time starting since I got it. It sat outside for many years it looks like. So I started with the simple fix and after a new battery, and new ignition coil it ran fine for a bit. Then wouldn’t start at all. So I did points and condenser And took my s/g off and dumped out a handful of rust. So I had it rebuilt, and when I got it they had bench synced a new vr to it so I put it on as well. Ready to put some gas in it and try to fire it up tonight! This is all relatively new to me so I’m kinda figuring it out as I go. The forum has been a great reference.

[Seanc]

I polarized the gen, saw a spark. And when I turned the key... NOtHiNg . Nothing whatsoever. The batt is putting out 12.3v but seems like nothing going past the new voltage regulator? If I put the black on my tester to the f tab on the vr and the red on the batt tab it reads 12.3v but I get 0 at the starter gen and ignition coil. Any ideas? Perhaps this new vr is wonky and doesn’t match up right? Or the wiring to it isn’t right?
I have batt to batt, f to f on starter, the L tab taped off and the guy at pasco told me the unlabeled tab on the bottom goes to the armature on the gen. My old vr had a ground tab as well, this one does not. I was told that it’s grpunded by the mounts when you attach it.
I feel like an idiot about now.

[jbrewer]

The VR usually sits on insulated rubber shock isolators, so it may NOT be grounded.

When you're saying it doesn't start, do you mean it won't crank, or it wont fire once it's cranking?

WIthout 12V at the coil, it's never going to start. I'd download the schematic for your tractor and trace the wiring carefully. Whether you have power at the coil or not does NOT depend on the VR. It DOES depend on the function of the key switch.

Do a little research on the schematic ...and think about what has changed.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by Seanc

I polarized the gen, saw a spark. And when I turned the key... NOtHiNg . Nothing whatsoever. The batt is putting out 12.3v but seems like nothing going past the new voltage regulator? If I put the black on my tester to the f tab on the vr and the red on the batt tab it reads 12.3v but I get 0 at the starter gen and ignition coil. Any ideas? Perhaps this new vr is wonky and doesn’t match up right? Or the wiring to it isn’t right?
I have batt to batt, f to f on starter, the L tab taped off and the guy at pasco told me the unlabeled tab on the bottom goes to the armature on the gen. My old vr had a ground tab as well, this one does not. I was told that it’s grpunded by the mounts when you attach it.
I feel like an idiot about now.

The VR has NOTHING to do with the starting system!

You have likely hooked up something incorrectly, or have a bad connection.

If you want any more help then we need to know what model of tractor you are working on.....

[Seanc]

To be more specific, when I turn the key absolutely nothing happens. No cranking, no clicking, no noise or change or any sort. So it appears something isn’t wired correctly. It’s a 129 hydro, kohler k301 motor. And everything is black on the motor Instead of yellow so it appears to have been rebuilt or replaced at one time.
Little history, I bought this tractor over the summer. It was always hard to start but always ran and I cut my grass all summer with it. Then one day just died while running and I haven’t been able to get it started since. But before I had the s\g rebuilt it would crank, just not start. Now that I’ve done that, nothing

[R Bedell]

Go to the Technical Library Section on Page #5 and download the Wiring Digram for the1x8/9 Series.

Your tractor should emulate that drawing.

IF....your tractor is wired correctly, then you have a (A) Component Failure (ie: switch), (B) bad connection (ie: rusted terminal) or (C) a broken wire.

Time to dig out the multi-meter and start doing some tracing down.

[Seanc]

I finally got it started today. Thanks everyone for your help. Now time for some paint!

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Seanc

I finally got it started today. Thanks everyone for your help. Now time for some paint!

You don't get off that easy, we want to know what you found wrong.