Hesitation on start up...
 

Ok....I'm puzzled. I have a 129 that has a sluggish start to it. I have replaced the spark plug with a brand new one, decarbonized when I replaced the head gasket and planed off the head, cleaned the carb thoroughly, put a new coil on, filed down/cleaned up the ground connections, cleaned the starter generator, cleaned the points, and inspected the entire wiring harness for bad connections or cut wires--found none. I even put a different starter generator on and still the same thing. It hesitates (electrically) on its start. I'm open for suggestions or any help that you can toss my way!! Thanks for considering my problem.

Cub Cadet 123

Many times an engine will shut off up against compression. This will make the starter seem to act sluggish at startup even though thereis a compression reduction.

The hydro also holds the starter back some also.

:bigthink:

It might be normal.

Two thing come to my mind.

(A) There is a electrical problem with the battery cables. Either the cable itself, it's end or connection (clean, tight, & to bare metal). This goes the same for the ground side.

(B) The area around the Automatic Compression Release (ACR). Look into the Service Manual and check this ACR to see if it is functioning correctly.

Thanks Roland for the detailed drawing and description. I'll look into it and see what I can find....Thanks again!

Cub Cadet 123

OK, I let it set for 2 days and today I went out to start it. It started with a hesitation the first time, but all of the other starts afterwards it starts right up, so would that be the ACR?......Points?......Condensor?.....Solenoid?... ...Something else?

Cub Cadet 123

If it is an intermittent issue, then it has to be ELECTRICAL..

That's what I thought Roland, and that is actually an easier fix for me. The only thing electrical that I haven't replaced is the condenser, the solenoid and the points.......any idea which one that it might be? Thanks....

Cub Cadet 123

Of those three, I would suspect bad (or pitted) contacts in the Starter Solenoid (Contactor). If the internal contact points aren't good, you can have a "high resistance" connection loosing both voltage and amperage.

Volt drop test with a good DVOM on those components will show which one is bad.
.5 volts or more while loading the circuit (in your case trying to start) there is an issue. Easy test to do, just takes some practice. Gremlins like that are hard to find, good luck especially the intermittent ones.

Thanks fellas. I just unloaded my donor 129 with a new solenoid in a barn 40 miles away, so I will grab that part next time I am there and swap them out with hopefully better results! Thanks again, this one had me stumped.

With much appreciation,

Cub Cadet 123