So, why did THAT happen?

[C5rider]

Just had the Original out pulling around my neighbor's roller. Yeah, HIS roller, because HE cares how his lawn looks! LOL!

Anywho, he idled the tractor down to stop for a sec and it died. No problem. We tried to re-start it and the S/G tries to spin, but doesn't. You can feel it engage when you hit the starter button but it doesn't spin, even with the belt removed. You CAN spin it by hand, and there's no growling or anything. The battery has 12.5v in it so, I'd assume it was charging and stuff. But now it doesn't even want to spin.

I'm wondering if the brushes went AWOL.

thoughts?

thanks.

[RLemke]

Last time that happened to me the battery just didn't have enough juice in it. I don't know how the "O's" are set up, but if it has a PTO switch, try jiggling that around while you're trying to start it.

[C5rider]

Wish it were that easy. We checked the battery (12.5v) and then to be really sure, the jumper cables came out. Even tried touching the main post on the S/G. Nothing. Well, no more than what it originally had.

I think I'm going to have to tear into it.

[IHinIN]

I had the same thing happen with my 100. Ran fine one day and wouldn't turn over the next day. One of the brushes in the S/G had broken. I trued the armature in my lathe and put in a new set of brushes for $5.

[Yosemite Sam]

I would say that you are going to have to open it up and find out what's going on in there.

Could be something as simple as just needing to be cleaned out.

[C5rider]

Yeah, you're right Sam. I need to get in there.

I should have planned a little better when we scheduled our wedding 18 years ago. Pesky anniversaries!!!!

"Hey, honey! I know what we can do to celebrate!"

[Yosemite Sam]

Good luck and keep us posted.

[C5rider]

Spent some time on the "O" today.

Started out by tearing down the S/G. Everything looked pretty good in there. I checked for any signs of heat but everything looked tight and good. I blew out the armature and only a little carbon came out. I cleaned up the brushes but really, everything looked like it SHOULD work.

I installed it again and it did a little more than before, but not much. It would spin, but with very little force. After a short time staring at a non-working machine and trying to do something akin to the Cadet-Wisper-er, I wondered if there might be something with the starter coil working against the charging coil.. I decided to remove the "F" terminal on the S/G and tried it. The pulley wheeled over in a hurry!

I removed the battery (-) and checked the points in the regulator. One appeared burned so, I cleaned it with sand paper and installed the "F" terminal wire again and it fired right up.

The regulator stuck one time powering the starter side of the S/G and when I shut off the tractor, it kept spinning like it was trying to start. I'm wondering if it wasn't acting up again while we were using it and it carboned up the points. I believe it's about time for a new regulator.

Just wanted to let everyone know what I found out.

[Yosemite Sam]

Glad to hear that you got it figured out.

Thanks for posting your findings, we all benefit when the cause of a problem is revealed to us.

[Cubcrazy]

Good to hear you got running good!