maybe not battery/charging?

[38racing]

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So it's got a brand new 300 CCA battery. Started fine . Charging system works but I never got a chance to attach ammeter while cutting. Friend takes it away to cut some grass. He brought it back so I could change the oil. I go to start it and it turns over slow. It does start after some tries. However on starting it I am holding clutch/brake in with my foot and I can feel the belt tension. This is a hydro unit and the clutch/brake should disengage the belt. Manual shows that releasing clutch/brake moves a v-pulley outward to tighten the belt. I'm guessing that pressing clutch/brake moves pulley in or allows a spring to pull the pulley in. I need to drop deck to get a good look. I'm wondering if there would be enough tension trying to turn the hydro pump to impact the starter if belt not fully disengaged. Maybe related but the brake locks on by pulling up a dash knob. To release I assumed I pressed brake and then knob. But there was no play in brake to allows knob to unlock. Took some 'pounding' to get it released and I recall now that the same thing happened to me last year with this unit.

[Luffydog]

I have had some issues with the brake on Husqvarna and some Jd like your talking same troubles. Sometimes it's the plastic broke on the handle on dash allowing it not to pull the rod up enough or release it as well. The the drive belt issue. I have had some where the belt has gotten caught caught in the pulleys not allowing the full release on it and drag. Burnt pulleys broken or even frozen up not allowing as well. Might be the clutch as well. Look under while pushing pedal with help if u have and take a look a the belt then start with clutch and try to start and go from there. I have had nuts gotten stuck in the pulleys as well and make the act up too.

[KE4AVB]

Might have the wrong drive belt on it. I have seen some local auto parts belts especially Gates to be mislabeled. This mower is showing to be using a 1/2 (4L) x 92 wrapped belt. May need to remove and measure it. And yes it the clutch idler moves in to release the belt tension.

As the electrical it has the same wiring setup as the Ariens 936019 (Sierra 1640H).

As note the service manual on this mower is not very good at all. Just about has much info in the owners manual expect for the wiring if info.

[38racing]

model is 936017 the 1440H. Belt is 07229700. I have found only 2 size references. one was 65 and one 80.
Electrical is a puzzle too. dash light for pto. manual says it will light with key in run and pto is on. diagram shows light in parallel with clutch. But I find pto light on in run and pto off. light then goes out when pto is on. going drop the deck today I hope.
Manual says belt 7229500 for 014,015,305,308 which appears to be a 92" belt. .....700 is belt for other models.
This might be case where OEM is not full inch size. I don't remember if I ever changed this belt for him. Way back I was getting belts from A&I and they do show it with the ariens number and say 80"

[38racing]

so went out this morning. put a strap on the clutch to hold it in. the belt guide on the idler pulley is in place and guide on left in place. I could push belt towards engine pulley from left or right. Could not pull it away from pulley. i went to start it and actually had to ratchet strap a bit more to get clutch safety to close. I hit key and it fired up instantly. funny too because I then realized throttle was at idle too. I hadn't applied the choke. (message in that?). I did check amperage. 1.55 amps with pto off. .6 amps with pto on. voltage starts about 12.8 and goes to 13. 05. after a bit. pto draws it back to 12.9.

[38racing]

So I am back at this one. It's actually the one with the cracked flywheel in the other thread. I have it all set to test. First note that when I went to start it to test deck repairs it had sat for a week but it does have a new 300cca battery. Yet I had to boost it because cranking was slow. So while changing the stator I also put maintainer on battery. Now I'm ready to test stator upgrade. Battery shows 12.75 volts. I crank it and it's still slow and not starting. Here's the kicker. It would not start because I hadn't put the spark plug back in. But it cranked slow, so it has to be an electrical issue or the tension in the drive system, certainly not the compression lol. I guess I better print those voltage drop test pages that I keep posting for others. Maybe it has a lazy starter. I had that with an old 88 opposed twin. Always slow cranking until I replaced the starter.

[KE4AVB]

It would not start because I hadn't put the spark plug back in

Well I don't see why not, you had spark and fuel didn't you? Sounds like one my of senior moments.

Since the plug was/is out how well did it hand turn through? Just wondering since the flywheel problem.

And yes voltage drop tests are in order. First you eliminate the bad connections and then focus on the starter. It usually easier to just have a spare known good starter on hand to do swap out. I know some us don't have a reclaimed spare just laying around. I'm one right now. It is the first Briggs I sold in 5 years, though I have install two new Kohler starters already this year. Now I do several new starters on shelf collecting dust, just don't using the new starter as testers.

Most of my slow starters are usually traced to bad connections with few starters with glazed commuter rings or bad brushes. Anything else thing wrong with the starter then it cheaper just to install a new AM starter if available.

Unless like you have one like the following...

I had a worst case starter problem on a Kohler recently where that full voltage beside wire resistance drop was dropped across the stater yet it would not turn at all. In my case it was that the starter rotor was stuck by rust to the top bushing. I say worst case as the repair that was already quoted out as I didn't test crank the engine due to a bad battery. Of course now I had found bad deck bearings, wrong drive belt (not owners fault, the belt was labeled wrong), and late yesterday a clogged fuel line. So I got one of those nightmare repairs where you fix one thing just find something else wrong.

I don't normally work on Sundays but since Irma is bringing a week of rain here starting Monday I need to get it done and do my household work Monday. I just do about anything to get out of house work I reckon.

[Luffydog]

I am with you on not doing the house anytime but someone has to do it and it looks like me always.

[38racing]

what a difference a spark plug makes. it started so quick there wasn't time to experience slow cranking. can't recall if I already did voltage drop tests on it but all connections have been checked. put new cable from battery to solenoid. ground cable is on the shroud/ fuel pump bolt so it's been tightened many times. I had noted that dual circuit was showing 12.9 volts at the battery and new stator is 13.9. what I find puzzling is the original engine is listed in ariens manual. charging systems said 2-3 amp or 10 amp. so checking service manual it says current draw test on pto clutch should be 3.5 amps or more. if less there is problem with clutch. why would ariens put a 3 amp charging on a unit whose clutch draws 3.5? since I know his original engine had a flywheel swap I could wonder if it had a engine swap. but the chassis charge connector matches that of the dual stator. I had to do a splice to connect the single wire output of the 10 amp regulator. if start problem persists I will do a starter swap. likely means swapping a steel gear to plastic. one with that d**n c-clip or maybe easier to pull one from another rider.

[KE4AVB]

Come on 38, It not that bad, you didn't get it that I was kidding you about having the plug out or maybe it is. Fought the wasps today on the Craftsman just to find out the carb I cleaned now has to be re-cleaned. One step forward and two back....

There is a tool for putting those clips back on or install a new clip. Briggs PN 19435. List around $30 from Briggs now here in the US. OR you make one out a piece spring steel if you have lathe. Just three requirements depth of the hole, a recess for the clip, and split in quarters. The allows the tool to spread open and you want the opening of the clip centered on one these splits to allow it to expand. Works on the dang Kohlers too.